Why Are Chip Bags So Hard To Recycle? | World Wide Waste | Business Insider

Summary

The script explores the environmental impact of multilayer packaging (MLP), used widely in products like potato chips, which is difficult to recycle due to its complex material composition. Anish Malpani's startup, Without, has been recycling MLPs into sunglasses since 2021. The process involves innovative technology to separate various plastics, a task that is both challenging and not widely adopted in the industry. Despite progress, the scale of recycling MLPs remains minimal compared to the vast amount produced, highlighting the need for systemic change and corporate responsibility in sustainable packaging solutions.

Takeaways

• 🍟 Humans produce over 6 million metric tons of potato chips annually, which are typically packaged in multilayered plastic bags designed to keep the chips fresh for up to six months.
• 🛍️ These sophisticated bags, made of multiple microlayers of plastics and aluminum, are difficult to recycle and often end up in landfills due to the lack of recycling technology.
• 🚀 Anish Malpani left his finance job to address the recycling problem of these multilayered packaging (MLP) materials, and his startup has recycled 300,000 chip bags into sunglasses since 2021.
• 🔍 The evolution of chip packaging from open barrels to modern MLPs has increased shelf life but created an environmental issue due to the complexity of the materials used.
• 🏭 Modern chip bags consist of up to 11 layers, with each layer serving a specific purpose such as resistance to oil, grease, and moisture, and protection from light and oxygen.
• 🌐 In 2023, the global production of MLPs was enough to fill about 4 million garbage trucks, highlighting the scale of the environmental impact.
• 🔬 Anish and his team developed a custom process and machinery to recycle MLPs, including a modified shredder and a custom-built reactor that separates the layers.
• 🔑 Dr. Jitendra Samdani helped Anish by discovering a process to isolate common plastics in MLPs, such as polypropylene, polyethylene, and PET, through a series of experiments.
• ♻️ The recycling process involves several steps including shredding, washing, drying, and a unique reaction in a reactor that dissolves aluminum and breaks down PET plastic.
• 🕶️ The recycled materials are turned into sunglasses, with each pair requiring about five packets of chips, and the company aims to expand its market beyond India.
• 🌐 The global market for multi-layer packaging is growing and projected to be worth over $250 billion by 2023, emphasizing the need for scalable and profitable recycling solutions.

Q & A

How much potato chips are produced in metric tons each year, and what is the environmental impact of their packaging?

Humans produce more than 6 million metric tons of potato chips annually. The packaging, which is typically made of multiple microlayers of plastics and aluminum, is engineered to keep snacks fresh for a long time but ends up in landfills due to its complexity, creating a significant environmental problem.

What is the significance of Anish Malpani's startup in the context of recycling chip bags?

Anish Malpani's startup has been dedicated to solving the recycling problem of chip bags since 2021, having recycled 300,000 chip bags into sunglasses, which is a significant step towards addressing the environmental issue caused by these materials.

Why are the multilayered packages (MLPs) difficult to recycle?

MLPs are difficult to recycle because they consist of multiple layers of different materials, each serving a specific purpose, and most recycling facilities lack the technology to separate or process these layers, leading to them being sent to landfills or incinerators.

What is the historical evolution of chip packaging and how has it affected the shelf life of chips?

Initially, chips were sold in open barrels and paper bags, with a shelf life of only a day. Over time, packaging evolved to include waxed paper, tin cans, and eventually multilayered packaging with materials like cellophane and aluminum foil, which significantly extended the shelf life to several weeks or even months.

What is the composition of a modern chip bag, and how does it contribute to the freshness of chips?

A modern chip bag is composed of multiple layers, with the middle layer made from plastic resistant to oil, grease, and moisture, often coated with aluminum to block oxygen and light. The outer layers are strong, flexible, and printable plastics, with the undercoat featuring graphics and the outermost layer providing protection. The bag is filled with nitrogen gas to create a low-oxygen, low-moisture atmosphere, helping chips stay fresh for up to six months.

How much multilayer packaging (MLP) was produced globally in 2023, and what is the challenge with recycling it?

In 2023, the world produced enough MLPs to fill about 4 million garbage trucks. The challenge with recycling MLPs is that most recycling facilities do not have the technology to separate or process these complex packages, resulting in them usually being sent to landfills or incinerators.

What is the process that Anish and his team developed to recycle MLPs, and what was the main challenge they faced?

Anish and his team developed a process that includes shredding, washing, drying, and using a custom-built 100-liter reactor to separate the layers at high temperatures. The main challenge was discovering the right process to isolate the common types of plastics used in MLPs, which took over 1,000 experiments and two years to figure out.

How does the recycling process at Without involve the use of a hydrocyclone, and what is its purpose?

The hydrocyclone, typically used in agriculture to separate sand and mud from water, is used in the recycling process at Without to separate lighter plastics like polypropylene and polyethylene from heavier plastics like PVC and nylon through centrifugal force.

What is the current output of Anish's R&D lab in terms of material separation, and what are his future goals for scaling up?

Anish's current R&D lab can separate about 8 kilograms of material a day. His future goal is to increase this rate to close to 100 kilograms before opening a larger plant, focusing on improving the reaction rate for efficiency.

What is the final product made from the recycled MLPs at Without, and how many chip packets does it take to make one pair of sunglasses?

The final product made from the recycled MLPs at Without is sunglasses. It is estimated that a single pair of glasses takes about five packets of chips.

What are some of the challenges and limitations in recycling multilayer packaging on a commercial scale, and why is it not widely adopted?

Challenges in recycling multilayer packaging on a commercial scale include the need for retrofitting old equipment or developing new machines to detect and separate mixed plastics, and the lack of a market for the mixed materials. Additionally, recycling them profitably is difficult due to the complexity of the process and the absence of separation, making it less viable for most recyclers.

What are some of the efforts by other companies and institutions to address the issue of MLP waste, and what are their outcomes?

Efforts include SunChips' introduction of a compostable PLA bag, which was discontinued due to customer complaints about noise; Frito-Lay's reintroduction of a compostable bag for industrial composters; and Tetra Pak's recycling program in Thailand schools, which recycles milk cartons into building materials. However, these efforts are a small fraction of the overall problem, and new technologies are needed to make recycling more efficient.

What is Anish's long-term vision for his recycling process, and what are the current limitations in achieving it?

Anish's long-term vision is to refine his process and make it work on an industrial scale, aiming for a real, systemic, and permanent change. The current limitations include the complexity of the process and the need for further development to achieve the required efficiency and scale.