Mosca GmbH initiates circular project "Loop that!": Together with Interzero for a circular future of strapping

Focus on the circular economy

Mosca GmbH has been working on sustainable solutions together with the circular economy service provider Interzero since 2023. The focus here is on Mosca. To date, a large proportion has been produced from bottle flakes, i.e. shredded PET. Mosca only uses PET that cannot be reprocessed into bottles due to their low quality.

A raw material that could become scarce at some point. This is because the beverage industry wants to optimize processes so that the deposit cycle can be closed. This would mean that only new bottles could be produced from used bottles. This impending material bottleneck in PET was a key driver for Mosca in developing its own closed-loop solution for strapping. However, the aim is to establish long-term, secure material flows not only for PET, but also for PP strapping in order to ensure sustainable production that is less dependent on external raw material sources.

Cooperation for recycling

Due to its almost unmixed composition of mono-materials such as PP and PET , strapping is ideal for high-quality recycling. This is where "Loop that!" comes in. The aim is to produce new strapping from used strapping, creating a continuous, quality-assured material flow. Thorsten Ehnert, Strategic Project Coordinator Global Strap at Mosca, emphasizes: "We deliver a large amount of material. If we get this material back unmixed - because it is not a composite material, but a very pure PET with more than 90 percent purity - then we can reintegrate it very well into our production process." Thanks to modern recycling processes, the recycled material achieves the same quality as virgin material. "That's a big advantage, and this cycle can theoretically be repeated an infinite number of times," says Ehnert.

Industry-wide initiative for a circular future

Beyond simply implementing a closed loop for its own strapping, Mosca is pursuing a more ambitious vision with "Loop that!": the company wants to establish an industry solution. The initiative is an explicit invitation to all strapping manufacturers to join this approach and work together to create a standardized, industry-wide loop. Mosca is convinced that a common infrastructure and standardized processes can make the recycling of strapping significantly more efficient and sustainable. The aim is to establish "Loop that!" not only as a separate project, but also as a reference model for the entire industry in order to make a significant contribution to a truly circular economy in the field of transport packaging. "Companies are well advised to secure access to their own recycled raw materials at an early stage and thus strengthen their control over resources in times of potentially volatile supply chains," says Sabine Hahn, Senior Circulation Manager at Interzero.

The "Loop that!" process: simple and transparent

Companies that generate strapping waste can collect it by type and either shred or press it. Interzero collects the processed material for a fee, pays for it and sends it for recycling. Participation in "Loop that!" offers companies financial benefits, such as fixed prices for collection, elimination of costs and fees as well as material reimbursement, while also making an important contribution to sustainability. "In this way, the use of primary resources in production is reduced and supply bottlenecks are avoided for the quantities recycled," explains Sabine Hahn from Interzero .

To ensure a smooth process, it is crucial that the tape waste is collected by type (in most cases: PET green and PP black or white) and without contamination. They should also be chopped or compressed and packed in big bags on pallets or in mesh boxes. Collection of the collected materials can be arranged individually with Interzero . It is advisable to collect a certain amount before ordering a collection. Companies that would like to take part in "Loop that!" and make an active contribution to the circular economy can contact Tabea König, Pre- & At-Sales Consumables employee(tabea.koenig@mosca.com).