Overview
PET preform scrap arises from injection moulding of bottle preforms: startup, rejection, and transition material. Clean PET preform streams imply stronger source separation and lower expected non-PET and label content.
PET polyester chemistry and IV (intrinsic viscosity) govern suitability for sheet, strapping, fibre, or bottle-related recycling. Preforms offer high bulk density and relatively simple geometry versus crushed bottles.
Contamination and sort variables
Caps (PP or HDPE), adhesive sleeves, silica gel, and oil from handling equipment may appear. Colour may be water-clear, blue-tinted, or mixed. Metal from cutting tools is a rare but costly contaminant.
Processing
Drying, crystallisation where needed, extrusion with vacuum venting, and solid-state processing for IV upgrade in specialised plants. Wash steps remove surface oils and some adhesives.
Origin: South Africa.
