Heket Packaging is an Italian engineering company developing technologies for circular packaging systems, specializing in reuse, refill, and closed-loop recycling innovations. The company is actively involved in the New Era Reuse Alliance, PR3 and Pack4Food, contributing to collaborative initiatives that accelerate the transition towards a circular economy.
Heket Packaging has introduced the Pneumatic Return System (PRS), a patented collection infrastructure designed to automate the return of reusable and recyclable packaging by identifying returned containers and transferring them into a storage compartment using a controlled airflow system, offering a cost and space-efficient alternative to conventional reverse vending machines.
The patent has already been granted in Italy, with international patent protection currently being expanded to Europe and the United States.
The PRS was developed in response to operational challenges associated with conventional reverse vending machines, in particular high capital costs, maintenance requirements and space utilisation. Unlike conventional systems that rely on mechanical conveyors and belts to transport returned containers, PRS uses controlled airflow, eliminating moving mechanical components and significantly reducing manufacturing cost and maintenance requirements.
The pneumatic transfer system also allows returned containers to be transported vertically, increasing storage capacity by making use of available height rather than additional floor space, minimising the machine footprint. In addition, deposited containers can be automatically transported to a remote collection area, enabling complete separation between the return point and storage area and unlocking new possibilities for logistics optimization.
The technology was designed to accommodate a wide range of reusable and recyclable packaging formats, from reusable cups used at events, stadiums and entertainment venues to PET bottles and aluminium cans collected through Deposit Return Systems.
The development of PRS focused on rethinking selective packaging collection through a cost and space-efficient infrastructure. One of the main engineering challenges was minimising the noise generated by the pneumatic transfer system. Through iterative design and optimisation, the system was engineered to operate below 50 dB.
The technology is designed for deployment across a wide range of environments, including events, stadiums, entertainment venues, retail stores, transport hubs, public spaces and any environment where reusable and recyclable packaging collection infrastructure is required.
Heket Packaging has successfully developed and demonstrated a functional prototype for the collection of reusable cups and is now advancing the technology while exploring pilot projects and licensing opportunities with industry partners.