Fewer microplastics and higher yields in plastic recycling

Prevention and recovery

We are becoming increasingly successful at processing plastic waste for reuse, but the process itself is still in its early stages. During the recycling of plastic packaging, particularly during shredding and washing, microplastics are formed which may lead to emissions into the environment. TNO and NTCP, the National Test Centre for Circular Plastics, are exploring how the recycling industry can reduce microplastic formation while simultaneously increasing yield by making better choices in the recycling process.

‘In earlier research, we found that with rigid polypropylene, such as yoghurt or quark tubs, as much as 15% of the material is lost in the form of microplastics,’ says Marcel van Eijk, R&D Manager at NTCP. ‘If you want to become truly circular, you need to understand where in the process material disappears and how you can recover what is released or, even better, prevent microplastics from being created in the first place.

In our new research, Microplastics in Plastic Recycling (MiPlaR) that will run until the end of 2028 we are mapping material losses for all widely used plastics, and investigating how these losses can be structurally reduced or even avoided entirely.’

Insights for the entire chain

In the project, research institutes NTCP, TNO and Wetsus are working together with various companies from the recycling and packaging industries, the Province of Friesland and Rijkswaterstaat. ‘This broad collaboration is crucial for the success of the project,’ says Henke.

‘We share the knowledge we gain and the technologies we develop widely with the parties who will use them. As far as we know, this is the first time that the influence of packaging characteristics on microplastic formation has been structurally included in research. That is why we are pleased that Verpact, the umbrella organisation responsible for the collection and recycling of packaging in the Netherlands, has also joined the project.’

Economic and ecological gains

The MiPlaR project was launched within the Circular Plastics NL (CPNL) programme, which is part of the National Growth Fund and works to accelerate the transition to circular plastics.

Mark Demuynck, Programme Manager at CPNL, sees dual value in the project. ‘Our ambition is to make as much plastic circular as possible and to recycle it. It makes sense to look at how to improve efficiency and yields. We are pleased to bring a positive message: how you can reduce microplastics while also strengthening the economic performance of the recycling process. This represents a step forward, both economically and ecologically.’

A hopeful outlook

Where will we be in ten years? If it is up to TNO and its project partners, the answer is hopeful. ‘Recycling will always generate some microplastics, but we can gain control over their formation and dispersion, and therefore greatly reduce the amount that leaks into the environment,’ Henke says. ‘This is necessary to make large-scale plastic recycling future-proof and to maintain confidence in the system.’