PFE Further Expands into the European Plastics Recycling Industry

The leading European organization to define recyclability in Europe and to develop the RecyClass recyclability testing standards,  Plastics Recyclers Europe, has recognized Plastics Forming Enterprises (PFE), Amherst, N.H., as an accredited laboratory.  PFE, which has a long-standing performance as an approved lab for PET in Europe, is now not only the first U.S. testing facility to achieve accreditation to perform RecyClass testing but is also the world’s only laboratory to be accredited to perform testing in all four product categories in Europe, including: PET rigids, HDPE rigids, PP rigids, and PE flexibles.

A recognized leader in the Americas in consulting, R&D, and recyclability testing, PFE has played an instrumental role in developing the prevailing recyclability testing protocols that have been widely adopted in the Americas. With the design guides it is necessary to satisfy the regional markets for acceptability to the products in the plastics recycling stream based on the data, systems, and end markets of these regions. 

As global efforts, like the New Plastics Economy and associated Plastics Pacts, continue to ramp up to advance the circularity of packaging, the importance of compatibility and quality of the materials entering the recycling system is even more apparent. PFE has led work with clients to make notable design changes that align packaging with the recycling systems, including removing metal springs from pumps and transitioning aerosol cans to all plastic. The suite of services offered by PFE enables informed design that ensures materials have a chance to be used for many lifecycles.

Since 1984, PFE has helped brands and converters with hundreds of products utilizing industry recognized testing protocols to support and validate the quality of numerous commercial recycling protocols. PFE looks forward to helping their global clients extend their reach into European markets as well as directly engaging a new base of European companies.

Said PFE president Kristi Hansen, “We look forward to helping our clientele navigate the testing requirements of RecyClass and offering the services of our pilot operation and complete testing lab on a global scale. With 35 plus years of industry expertise, we have become the only accredited company worldwide to conduct plastic recycling R&D for all Association of Plastics Recyclers (APR), European PET Bottle Platform (EPBP) and RecyClass recycling qualification protocols.”

These protocols are supported by other organizations such as, Sustainable Packaging Coalition (SPC), es una Asociación Civil sin fines de lucro (ECOCE), and China Sustainable Plastics Association (CSPA).

Companies that work with PFE toward approval to either the Critical Guidance Protocol offered by APR or RecyClass can avoid unnecessary, duplicative testing where possible, saving valuable time and resources for seeking recyclability testing in either market.