Greener fields, products honored in recycling awards

A second use for artificial turf, recycled plastics for coffee makers and suitcases, and rethinking your Evian water source took top prizes at the Plastics Recycling Awards Europe 2020, announced Dec. 10.

"This year's Plastics Recycling Awards Europe finalists show us that recyclability, efficiency and quality of plastics recycling can go hand in hand, allowing for recycled plastics to be used in a multitude of high-end applications," said Ton Emans, Plastics Recycling Europe president and an awards judge. "PRAE is a perfect platform to display the fast-paced developments in the plastic recycling industry and demonstrate how plastic products are made more circular."

The awards were presented as part of the Plastics Recycling Show Europe virtual event.

The awards recognized consumer products and new ways to use existing materials.

Netherlands-based GreenMatter BV won the Building and Construction Product award for what judges said was an "innovative solution for what has so far been an unexploited market."

GreenMatter collects and recycles artificial turf from sports fields and recycles it into benches, picnic tables, flower boxes and athletic field components such as sideboards used at the edge of playing fields.

The Automotive, Electrical or Electronic Product prize went to the Senseo Eco Coffee Maker by Philips. The coffee maker manages "elegantly incorporating impeccable design" and sustainability by using recycled plastic in all of the visual plastic parts.

This year's Household and Leisure category winner, Samsonite's S'cure Eco Spinner Post-Consumer Edition, is the company's first polypropylene suitcase made from post-consumer household waste. The judges recognized the work in taking one of the most common plastic products in the waste stream and turning it into a durable, high-quality product for global travelers.

Danone's Evian (Re)New in-home water dispenser won for Plastic Packaging Product. The dispenser uses recycled PET for a 5-liter water container on top of the dispenser. As the water is consumed, the container collapses, so that at the end of life it takes up less space and the PET can easily be recycled again.

The Recycling Machinery Innovation award winner, gel-less film recycling with Mas Technology by Caroda BV and MAS Maschinen-und Anlagenbau Schulz GmbH, increases the effectiveness and efficiency of the recycling processes for plastic films.

Kim Ragaert of Ghent University was named Plastics Recycling Ambassador for 2020. Ragaert has dedicated her multidisciplinary research group to the improved mechanical recycling of thermoplastics. The judges recognized Kim as having exceptional drive in advancing the circular economy for plastics.

"Congratulations to all our award winners. Each of them is a testament to the innovation driving the circular and sustainable use of plastics today," said Matt Barber, event director for the Plastics Recycling Show Europe. "While 2020 has been a very difficult year for everyone, we now look forward to recognizing even greater achievements in the Plastics Recycling Awards Europe 2021."

The winners each receive a trophy, with a 3D printed base made from 100 percent recycled ABS plastic car dashboards and the multicolor top, which is laser cut from compressed HDPE beach cleanup bottle caps.

Award judges were: Gian de Belder, technical director and packaging technologist at Procter & Gamble and Plastics Recycling Ambassador 2019; Ragaert; Willemijn Peeters CEO of Searious Business and Plastics Recycling Ambassador 2018; Karen Laird, editor of Sustainable Plastics; Rune Thoralfsson, owner and director of Norfolier GreenTec AS; and Emans.

Open to organizations and individuals across Europe who are involved in recycling plastics, the Plastics Recycling Awards Europe is organized jointly by Plastics Recyclers Europe and Crain Communications, publisher of Sustainable Plastics and Plastics News.