In an era of pressing environmental concerns, the recycling industry faces significant challenges. According to the UN Environment, the world produces approximately 300 million tons of plastic waste each year — almost equivalent to the total weight of the human population. Around 8 million tons of this plastic waste are in the oceans annually.
Globally and in South East Asia, food and beverage manufacturing companies hsve pledged to replace 50% of existing plastic packaging with recycled plastics within the next decade. The shift towards environmental sustainability has reshaped how products are produced, purchased, and consumed, driving growth in sustainability-marketed products.
With half of all plastic designed for single use, the need for effective recycling solutions has never been more critical, including optimising water use and high cleaning standards. Ecolab has thus recognised the importance of addressing these growing needs and challenges in the RPET Industry.
With that in mind, Ecolab Food and Beverage has introduced cleaning and sanitising solutions and processes to help RPET manufacturers optimise washing programmes, delivering quality cleaning while saving water and energy usage.
At the ASEAN Recycling Summit in Jakarta, Terence Tan, Ecolab SEA director for marketing, shared that Ecolab’s approach will help RPET manufacturers across the value chain from upstream to downstream process. This will generate collaborative opportunities that support the development of innovative solutions, solving the distinct challenges of the RPET manufacturers.
Ecolab has collaborated with RPET manufacturers like Amandina Bumi Nusantara, one of Indonesia’s largest RPET producers, producing 36,000 MT annually. Suharji Gasali, managing director of Amandina Bumi Nusantara, stated: “By partnering with Ecolab, we have significantly improvzed product quality and operational efficiency in our operations.”
Ecolab Indonesia’s president director, Evan Jayawiyanto, said: “We have a capable team and engineering support to optimise operations, contribute to reduced operational costs, and promote a more sustainable approach to the RPET manufacturers. Our partnership with Amandina exemplifies that Ecolab’s expertise is rooted in science and determined problem-solvers help make the world cleaner, safer, and healthier.”
