"Öli", the inconspicuous container that is used in Germany, Austria and Switzerland for collecting old cooking oil from households and the catering industry is a prime example of how the circular economy works in practice.
This is because a cooperative project involving eight leading companies and research institutes has succeeded in making the bucket (previously made from virgin polypropylene) entirely from recycled post-consumer plastic.
No shying away from hot content
The recycled reusable bucket must posses the same material properties as the original container made from virgin material - such as dimensional stability able to withstand up to 400 kg of compressive force. Because old cooking oil is often still hot when it is poured away, the bucket must also be heat-resistant up to 80 °C.
Thanks to the committed inter-company and cross-technology cooperation of the eight project partners, they were able to meet these demanding application requirements. The recycled "Öli" will gradually replace the original "Öli" in the future.
