Extrusion International 3-2026

40 Extrusion International 3/2026 RECYCLING Retrofit Solutions for Recycling as Virgin Material Prices Increase A fter a phase of comparatively low prices, the market for vir- gin plastics has shifted signi cantly. Driven by geopolitical develop- ments, price levels are rising contin- uously, directly impacting material costs for processors. As a result, previously stable cost structures are coming under pres- sure. At the same time, recyclates are gaining renewed relevance – both as an economic alternative and in response to regulatory re- quirements. Under the EU Packag- ing Directive, mandatory minimum recycled content targets must be met by 2030. However, a large share of installed production lines is not designed for higher recyclate input – particularly from post-consumer streams. In ad- dition, increasing recyclate usage typically comes with higher variabil- ity in material quality. Retro tting existing lines to han - dle increased recyclate volumes is, in many cases, less complex than assumed. Gneuss provides retro t solutions that enable existing extru- sion lines to process both virgin ma- terial and recyclates in a stable and controlled manner – without requir- ing complete system replacement. Gneuss Retro t Concepts Gneuss retro t concepts focus on the targeted optimization of extru- sion and melt ltration. Combining these process steps enables a Super- Clean recycling approach, produc- ing high-quality polymer melts even from contaminated post-consumer material – reaching virgin-like qual- ity levels in many applications, in- cluding food contact. The extrusion system is based on a speci cally engineered screw design that not only ensures ef cient melt - ing and homogenization, but also supports intensive degassing and melt decontamination. This allows stable processing of materials with elevated moisture content, volatile contaminants, or low bulk density. Melt ltration based on Gneuss Rotary technology ensures continu- ous, process-stable removal of solid contaminants. The fully automatic system operates without process in- terruption, even under uctuating input conditions and high recyclate shares. Extrusion and ltration systems can be implemented either as stand- alone upgrades or as an integrated solution. System con guration is tailored to speci c objectives – such as increasing recyclate throughput, stabilizing product quality, or en- abling food-contact compliance. Due to their compact design, in- tegration into existing lines typically requires minimal modi cation of the surrounding infrastructure. Summary Increasing recyclate usage is both an economic necessity and a regula- tory requirement. The key challenge lies in ensuring consistent product quality despite uctuating input materials. Gneuss addresses this with tai- lored retro t concepts based on a Super-Clean recycling process – en- abling reliable processing and high- quality output, up to and including food-contact applications. Gneuss Kunststofftechnik GmbH www.gneuss.de OMNI recycling system for processing up to 100% post-consumer material – combining preparation, degassing and ltration Functional principle of the self-cleaning, process-constant Rotary ltration system RSFgenius