The use of Procyclen improves the greenhouse gas emissions balance compared with primary plastics by 50%. Photo: Coca-Cola Germany

Screwed off and rethought

When used screw caps become new products

Be it at school, university or in the office; everyone of us is confronted with a battle of material that is waging every single day. Paper, folders, files, post-its, staplers, ink, pens, text markers … the demand is nearly endless as are the ranges on offer. Therefore people often buy just any product but for some innovations it is worth taking a closer look here. Like for the Stabilo Green Boss. This text marker is a product of a cooperation with soft-drinks maker Coca-Cola and the recycling service provider Interseroh. What is so special about it? It consists of 83% procyclen. Never heard of this before?

“Twisted” idea for the environment: when screw caps become text markers. Photo: ALBA Group

From recycling to upcycling

Procyclen is a recycled plastic manufactured by Interseroh, a subsidiary of the Alba Group, using a proprietary process called “Recycled-Resource”. The principal ingredient of the Green Boss text markers are screw caps. And this is where Coca-Cola comes into play. Due to their initial approval for use with foodstuffs the screw caps are particularly suited for producing text markers because these also have to be harmless for human health. As part of recycling PET bottles Coca-Cola also collects the screw caps and can therefore make these available as a clean-grade raw material for markers.

Procyclen fulfils high requirements for new products and packaging and can be converted by injection moulding and extrusion. Photo: Interseroh

For the office - and the environment

Dr. Manica Ulcnik-Krump, Head of Research & Development Recycled-Resource at Interseroh, says: “The special property of Procyclen is that the individual formulation of this recyclate fulfils all the expectations for high-quality products and is in no way second to new crude oil-based materials – but boasting a clearly improved raw materials, energy and climate-protection balance.” According to research results of the Fraunhofer-Institute UMSICHT, use of Procyclen can save up to 50% greenhouse gas emissions compared with new granulate.