Making a greener splash

Viledon Hydrotexx ECO is a new filtration media made with post-consumer recycled (PCR) polyester nonwovens being introduced in North America by Freudenberg Filtration Technologies.

The company worked with Meissner Manufacturing, which manufactures the Unicel brand and is one of the largest North American producers of replacement cartridges for the pool and spa market. The Unicel team initiated its concept for a recycled filter cartridge with the design of end caps and filter cores made of recycled materials. Freudenberg approached Unicel with the concept of Hydrotexx ECO and the Unicel green cartridge line was born.

Hydrotexx ECO is produced in Freudenberg’s Durham, North Carolina plant which has been manufacturing with post-industrial recycled (PIR) materials for several years and has just recently transitioned to processing 100% PCR material, in this case from converting used polyester bottles into a raw material that can be fed into the manufacturing process. About 23% of all polyester bottles in the US are recovered through recycling and reprocessing.

The process begins with the collection, bundling, shredding and cleaning of discarded beverage bottles made of polyethylene terephthalate (PET). Freudenberg then uses proprietary spunlaid manufacturing technology to make nonwoven polyester media from the shredded plastic.

“By incorporating recycled ECO products into filtration systems and applications, we are helping our customers achieve their own recycle targets and together becoming better stewards to the environment by promoting the use of PCR products,” said Chris Murray, general manager of liquid filtration for Freudenberg Filtration Technologies NA. “The incorporation of recycled products, improvements in energy efficiency, the reuse of expended energy and landfill avoidance are all areas of focus for Freudenberg Filtration Technologies.”