Krones' commitment: Sustainable packaging solutions for a circular economy
Krones is the world leader in filling and packaging machinery for liquid consumer staples. As such, it has a unique responsibility and capability to contribute to the emerging circular economy in Europe. It has therefore made the following commitments. (These commitments are voluntary and do not constitute or imply any legal obligations, commercially binding offers or product guarantees.)
By 2025, all new PET bottling lines will be suitable for processing up to 100% high-quality rPET without compromising output quality, efficiency or effectiveness.
By 2022, alternative secondary packaging solutions free of disposable plastics will be available for every established SKU format multipack.
Krones will leverage its technological expertise to help customers design packaging that specifically facilitates post-consumer recycling.
Krones will assist its customers to adapt existing lines in order to achieve the best possible outcomes when using recycled or renewable input materials.
With immediate effect, Krones will make available capping equipment for tethered caps.
Krones makes it possible to use detachable labels to enhance recyclability. It aims to make labels jointly recyclable with containers or to eliminate separate labelling.
Krones will continue to allocate substantial R&D resources to its recycling technology division in order to facilitate physical recycling of post-consumer plastics.
Krones will actively explore disruptive new technologies delivering beverages to consumers without conventional PET packaging (e.g. pulp bottles, no-packaging solutions).
Krones' targets are in line with the objectives of the European Strategy for Plastics in a Circular Economy which came into effect in 2018. Krones will help its customers to comply with many compulsory requirements such as the introduction of tethered caps for disposable bottles. Furthermore, solutions like plastic-free secondary packaging contribute to a more sustainable future in a way that exceeds mere regulatory demands.