Off-cuts become items for water purification

Plastic off-cuts from packaging manufacturing at Berry Superfos are mostly reused on site, but there is inherently some that cannot go back into products. So, this material is turned into countless useful items via a plastic recycling company: for instance, components that biologically purify water used in aquaculture.

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In Denmark, the Randers facility of Berry Superfos, produces a significant amount of plastic packaging items. To the greatest possible extent, the inevitable plastic off-cuts from the production processes are collected on site and go back into production. However, some of these are not suitable. They are not disposed of; instead, they enter the recycling stream.

In the first round, the off-cuts are treated at a nearby plastic recycling company, receiving plastic material for recycling from Berry Superfos Randers as well as from other plastic producers. The reprocessed plastic is then purchased by industrial plastic producers who turn it into a variety of valuable plastic products.

One such producer is Dania Plast, a Danish company which manufactures a range of injection moulded components of PP (polypropylene) for industrial use, including bio-media items sold under the brand name RK BioElements.

Biological filters made of PP off cuts are used globally 
RK BioElements serve as biological filter media for water purification in aquaculture and water treatment. The product is a huge and still growing success, primarily sold to recirculated land-based fish farms (RAS) all over the world. These apply the principle of recirculation by cultivating fish in closed water systems. The RK BioElements are strong and long-lasting, and fish farms worldwide praise their quality and purifying effect.

A circular economy win-win
Morten Primdal, CEO of Dania Plast, says:

“The RK BioElements biologically clean the water for recirculation, so our products contribute to a better environment plus reduced water and energy consumption. In light of our products’ purpose, it makes absolute sense to use recycled plastic material in their manufacture so that we also support the circular economy.”

At Berry Superfos, Site Manager in Randers Hanne Bloch Andreasen, is equally pleased with the fact that Superfos works in collaboration with a recycler and Dania Plast to ensure that off-cuts do not become waste.

“It is satisfying to know that any plastic we cannot use can turn into something as smart and environmentally conscious as the RK BioElements. We are always happy to contribute to a more circular economy.”