Alpla, in close association with Henkel Laundry & Care, has produced dishwashing gel bottles using 100% post-consumer recyclate
Alpla and Henkel have worked together to develop new recyclable dishwashing bottle. (Credit: ALPLA)
Austrian plastic packaging manufacturer Alpla has worked with German chemical and consumer goods firm Henkel to develop recyclable packaging for the latter’s Somat gel products.
By working with Henkel Laundry & Care, Alpla has produced dishwashing gel bottles using 100% post-consumer recyclate (PCR). The bottles are made up of 100% recycled HDPE (rHDPE).
Henkel is now offering Somat Excellence Duo Gel and Somat All in 1 Gel bottles made of 50% rHDPE.
In addition, Somat All in 1 Gel is provided as a Pro Nature product line in bottles produced using 100% recycled material with a cap made of 50% recycled PP (rPP).
Alpla global key account manager Herwig Schrank said: “This project is a milestone in the successful sustainability partnership between Alpla and Henkel, and is playing a substantial part in promoting the bottle-to-bottle loop in the market.”
According to Alpla, the new bottles have been developed with a target of being made of 50% PCR without affecting their appearance on the store shelves or their stability and mechanical properties.
The complete body of the bottle is encased in a printed shrink sleeve, which features all the required product information, said Alpla.
The user can open the sleeve along a perforated edge like undoing a zip when waste is being separated after use. It can be easily removed and placed in the recyclables collection separately from the bottle, as it is not glued.
Henkel dishwashing international packaging head Carsten Bertram said: “Our Ecolabel certified All in 1 Gel Pro Nature is the most sustainable dishwashing gel on the market today. By using mixed-coloured grey recycled PE we give coloured PE bottles a new life.”
Henkel aims to reduce the proportion of virgin plastic from fossil resources in its consumer goods packaging by 50% by 2025.
The company is increasing the proportion of recycled plastics to more than 30%, minimising the absolute plastic volume and increasing the use of bio-based plastics to achieve the target. It also intends to use be recyclable or reusable packaging by 2025.
Recently, Alpla acquired Plastisax, which produces plastic bottles for the cosmetics, home and personal care segments.