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Greener mono-material solutions to look out for flexible packaging

Greener mono-material solutions to look out for flexible packagingAs one of the green and low-carbon plastic packaging, flexible packaging with mono-material structures is becoming increasingly popular in the industry.In its Top Packaging Trends 2022, Innova Market Insights pinpointed “Monomaterial Mastery” as the second top trend, emphasizing the transition away from hard-to-recycle, multi-layer packaging to mono-material solutions that are ‘friendly’ to existing sorting facilities for recycling.According to Innova Market Insights, 39% of global consumers say they recycle more than before the pandemic. Meanwhile, 52% perceive packaging that can be recycled as environmentally sustainable.With increasingly stringent circular economy targets, the food and beverage market intelligence firm anticipates the shift to recycle-by-design packaging and rise in mono-material solutions across different types of packaging.Mono-material packaging products with higher PCR content Recycle-by-design solutions are more technically challenging in flexible packaging as a lot of flexible packaging is a combination of plastic/paper materials or laminates which is difficult to recycle due to the need to separate the components before sorting.Therefore, suppliers are focusing their effort on developing mono-material alternatives to multi-layer packages. Thanks to the growth of recycled plastics, more mono-material flexible packaging is even enabled with recycled content feature for higher circularity. Mono-material pasta packaging with PCR content Garofalo, a major Italian pasta manufacturer, has introduced a packaging made by GT Polifilm and Polivouga using SABIC’s certified circular polypropylene (PP). The first pasta bags made from this new packaging was launched in Italian stores in March 2023.The sustainable material is derived from chemical recycling and converted into a Biaxially Oriented PolyPropylene (BOPP) film for this application, which is said as the first mono-PP pasta packaging material in the market containing 30% of post-consumer recycled (PCR) content.The PCR content in the bags is based on post-consumer used plastics, which is turned into pyrolysis oil in chemical recycling process. At SABIC, the pyoil is used in the production of new polymers with the same specifications as virgin plastics.Garofalo has introduced new pasta packaging made using SABIC’s certified circular PP.Polivouga, a vertically integrated Portuguese manufacturer of flexible films for packaging products, uses the SABIC PP 525PC grade from SABIC’s TRUCIRCLE portfolio of certified circular polymers to produce the basic BOPP film for the new circular pasta packaging.GT Polifilm, a specialist in the production of flexible PP products for automated packaging in the food industry, adds a cast PP film to the BOPP film to create a mono-material structure, which is then converted to tailor-made pasta bags. The mono-PP bags can easily be recycled after use in existing PP waste streams.More sustainable drawstring bag reaches the new levelWith the enhanced EcoString bag, adapa Group, one of Europe's leading flexible packaging solutions companies, takes the classic drawstring bag for hygiene and cosmetic products to a new level.The new and more sustainable EcoString bag contains 80% PCR content with both the bag and the drawstring made of easily printable polyethylene (PE). The familiar drawstring made of viscose is replaced by a plastic strap, while retaining its functionality.The resulting mono-material packaging eliminates the need to separate the components for recycling and are thus fully recyclable. With film thicknesses from 32µm, they are among the thinnest products available in the market segment.adapa also focuses on resource conservation in the production of the drawstring, which is made from edge trimmings from the production of the bags.EcoString bags can be printed in up to 10 colors. Both the bag and the drawstring can be used for print communication. With their individual matte or glossy finish, they ensure a visually attractive product appearance at the point of sale.Fully recyclable double barrier tube with high-percentage PCR Polyfoil EcoPro is the newly launched mono-material double barrier tubes by Hoffmann Neopac, a global provider of high-quality packaging and dosing applications for pharma, beauty and oral care.Comprising up to 60% PCR material, product contact compliant PCR is also incorporated in the shoulder and cap of Polyfoil EcoPro. The tube is fully recyclable in high-density polyethylene (HDPE) streams and has received product approval from the EU’s discerning RecyClass sustainability verification organization, as well as a Suez Grade A rating.Polyfoil EcoPro mono-material double barrier tubes are fully recyclable with high-percentage PCR.The body wall of 0.35mm of Polyfoil EcoPro represents a 30% reduction from the company’s standard Polyfoil tubes. The tube comes in diameters ranging from 30-50 mm with capacities of 50-200ml and are suitable for personal care and cosmetic products.The tubes can be decorated with a variety of methods including inline digital and offset printing. They can also be combined with HDPE flip-top caps or recycled PE screw caps.Polyfoil EcoPro tube marks the latest introduction in Hoffmann Neopac’s series of EcoDesign products. The debut follows several other bio-based tube launches including the PICEA Tube, comprised of 95% renewable material in the tube body and shoulder – including 9% spruce wood from wood waste in sawmills.Cross-value-chain collaboration enables the circular economyCollaboration across the value chain is set to catalyze the transition towards circular economy for plastic packaging as it enhances information exchange and technological innovation. When the plastic packaging industry moves towards the circular economy, more collaborative projects for mono-material products are anticipated.De-inkable, recyclable mono-material PE-pouch with barrier properties A fully recyclable mono-material PE pouch has been developed with similar properties to barely recyclable multi-material laminated pouches. It provides a high oxygen barrier, good shelf-appeal and produces an almost colorless recyclate after removing printing ink and the oxygen-barrier coating layer.The product is the result of a value chain collaboration of ExxonMobil, Henkel, Kraus Folie, Siegwerk and Windmöller & Hölscher (W&H).Siegwerk´s delamination/deinking primer technology was applied on MIRAFLEX II, a W&H flexo printing press with a downstream unit. Applying industrial hot-washing conditions enables delamination and deinking of the pouch.High oxygen barrier properties was achieved using the new Loctite Liofol BC 1582 RE 1-component barrier coating from Henkel and CIRKIT OxyBar BC 1582 from Siegwerk. The coating’s compatibility with recycling is confirmed by Cyclos HTP and it also meets Critical Guidance by American Plastic Recyclers (APR).The de-inkable, recyclable mono-material pouch is the result of collaboration across the value chain. To improve recyclability, the partners used Henkel’s new solvent-free, 2-component polyurethane (PU) laminating adhesive. The system was designed for mono-material structures and is recognized for its compatibility with recycling as certified by RecyClass.Outstanding packaging integrity was achieved using ExxonMobil’s latest generation of performance PE such as Exceed S and Exceed XP in combination with Exact materials in the sealant layer. The MDO-PE films was developed by ExxonMobil and Kraus Folie, employing ExxonMobil HDPE and Enable performance PE, and produced on their VAREX II extrusion line with inline MDO unit.New mono-material PP-pouch fully compatible for mechanical recycling Collaborating with value chain partners, Borealis has developed a new mono-material pouch containing over 95% PP. Thanks to the mono-material packaging format, it can help meet ambitious recycling and waste reduction targets.In the extrusion lamination process, laminating PP cast and BOPP films yields mono-PP laminates with advantageous properties, including high barrier and stiffness for good sealing performance.Using conventional adhesion lamination structures, pouch laminate materials containing approximately 90% PP can be obtained. However, the partners went beyond by boosting the share of PP to over 95%.The high barrier pouch made of over 95% PP demonstrates good sealing performance. When processed in dedicated mechanical recycling streams for PP, the mono-material pouch yields greater volumes of high-quality recyclate fit for use in non-food, flexible PP packaging applications.The high barrier pouch made of over 95% PP demonstrates good seal strength and hermetic sealing properties. Commercially available PP in Borealis’ extrusion coating and lamination grade portfolio offers stable processability and good laminate bond strength. These were used in tandem with tie layers contributed by Mitsui Chemical Group.Jindal Films, a leading manufacturer of specialty BOPP films, contributed to this innovative solution for recyclable packaging. Profol, known for its innovative cast PP films and lightweight composites, produced the cast films. Huhtamaki Flexible Packaging contributed innovative laminates to the new pouch.* source : https://www.adsalecprj.com/web/news/article_details?id=63442&lang=1* edit : handler

editor 2023-11-05

PET recycling coalition sets $25M funding target for technical grants

Plastics News, June 09, 2022 An industry coalition wants to boost the recycling rate of PET thermoforms like these from their current rate of about 10 percent in the U.S. An industry coalition wants to boost the recycling rate of PET thermoforms like these from their current rate of about 10 percent in the U.S.A new industry coalition that aims to provide technical grants to improve PET recycling has set an initial target of raising $25 million. The PET Recycling Coalition, which includes major PET resin makers and beverage companies, said in a June 8 launch announcement that it will focus on making grants to recycling facilities for sorting equipment and other capital spending. The group had a preliminary launch at an industry conference in March but it did not including financial details at that time. It said in a staement that it hopes to use grants and technical assistance to increase recycling of PET, particularly to meet the "skyrocketing demand" for recycled content set by major manufacturers and being spelled out in U.S. legislation. One of the targets will be recycling more non-bottle packaging like PET egg cartons and fruit clamshells. "We are excited to partner with leaders across the value chain to catalyze the change that will get all forms of PET, not just clear bottles, into our recycle stream," said Scott Ballard, president of plastics and circular at Eastman Chemical Co., a founding member. "Together, we can create a circular economy, leave fossil feeds in the ground, and do it with a lower carbon footprint." The coalition said only 54 percent of U.S. residents have access to recycling non-bottle PET containers like egg cartons in their local programs. Figures from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency show that only 9.6 percent of non-bottle PET packaging was recycled in 2018, the last year figures are available. The group also said it wanted to fund work to reduce the amount of PET lost to contamination, noting that up to 17 percent of PET bottles that are collected in curbside bins and brought to materials recovering facilities are lost because of challenges in sorting, it said. The initiative has set an initial funding target of $25 million over five years but it did not provide additional details. In its statement, it outlined four priorities: increasing the capture of PET bottles; broadening acceptance of PET trays and other non-bottle packaging in community programs; unlocking new supplies of recycled PET for packaging manufacturers; and strengthening recycling of pigmented and opaque PET. The coalition noted that only 26.6 percent of PET bottles were recycled in 2021 in the United States. The group will operate as part of The Recycling Partnership's Pathway to Circularity Initiative. Founding members of its steering committee include Eastman, Indorama Ventures, Procter & Gamble and the Walmart Foundation.

Editor 2022-06-12

Consumer brands see value in chemical recycling

Editor 2022-05-16

Case Western researchers develop process to recycle thermoset plastics

Case Western researchers develop process to recycle thermoset plasticsResearchers at Case Western Reserve University are working on a simple way of turning scrap thermoset plastics into new thermosets with similar properties.Their process involves mixing scrap thermoset with a catalyst and then pulverizing the mixture. In the process, the catalyst bonds at the cross-linking sites where it can break the cross-link bonds and then form new ones into a new thermoset. They call the technology vitrimization.Researcher Liang Yue said in a phone interview the research stems from the desire to recycle tough thermoset scrap rather than landfill it.“These are strong materials and resistant to impact, but until now they were single use. We’re trying to change that,” Yue said.Wind turbine blades, auto parts and a host of other industrial and commercial products are made of tough thermosets such as epoxies, polyurethanes and reinforced unsaturated polyesters. These products can end up in landfills or be incinerated, which are undesirable outcomes at the products’ end of life.Much work has been done on grinding up thermoset scrap and adding the resultant powder as a filler in virgin thermoset resin, but this approach is frustrated by poor bonding between the filler and virgin resin.Yue and others began work on the concept at Cleveland-based Case Western’s School of Engineering laboratory two years ago when he joined with lead researcher Ica Manas-Zloczower, professor of advanced materials and energy. Their team, which included several other Case Western researchers, first announced its discovery recently in journal ACS Macro Letters.The team reported on recent work with thermoset epoxy materials and a zinc-based catalyst. It created a material with so-called dynamic cross-links. The “permanent” cross-links in the scrap bond with zinc ions, which under heat and pressure catalyse the formation of new cross-links.The powder they made can be compression molded into a new thermoset part. The process does not rely on solvents and in theory such scrap could be infinitely recycled. These benefits call to mind the ability to recycle thermoplastics through many cycles.Yue said the researchers want to expand on their work with more thermoset polymers. He said it should be applicable to elastomeric thermosets like rubber, which then could be injection molded. Down the road, even polyolefins might be applicable to vitrimization-based recycling.Various approaches to vitrimization have been studied by several research groups for more than a decade. The Case Western work seems more promising and economically feasible than other approaches tried so far, Yue said.The team’s paper sparked interest in industry, according to Yue. He and Manas-Zloczower are negotiating with potential industry partners to scale up their process via mechanical-chemical ball milling of scrap to make thousands of pounds of reusable powder resin.“We can recycle tons of epoxy waste in a matter of hours,” he said.source : https://www.plasticsnews.com/news/case-western-researchers-develop-process-recycle-thermoset-plastics

Editor 2020-07-05

Market trends drive LSR innovations

Market trends drive LSR innovations▲Gifford Shearer, silicone elastomers market manager with Dow Inc., discussed how market trends are driving liquid silicone rubber innovations at the LSR 2019 conference, held Sept. 10-12.Schaumburg, Ill. — Pressure has usually driven some of history's best innovations, and the world of liquid silicone rubber is no exception.Market demands are major drivers of innovation within the LSR market, and Gifford Shearer, silicone elastomers market manager with Dow Inc., shared how the current market is pushing the industry to new limits at the LSR 2019 conference, held Sept. 10-12 in Schaumburg."LSR innovation shouldn't just be done by the chemists in the labs," Shearer said. "Innovation should be driven by changes in the marketplace."The LSR market is projected to grow by 8 percent annually through 2023, which Shearer said is faster than any other silicone elastomer primarily because of the advantages LSR has in the forms of automation and short cycle times.These advantages allow LSR to penetrate many industries, and in turn those industries push compounders to come up with stronger formulations to meet ever-demanding applications. Shearer outlined four in his presentation, including:• The need for higher quality, such as improved processing and lower cycle times.• Improved sustainability, longevity or safety in sensitive applications.• New applications, or combining LSR with new materials.• Changes to specifications, either on the customer or regulatory side."All of these factors or changes are going to drive LSR innovation," Shearer said. "And as we bring new innovations, it's going to enable new applications and bring additional problems to solve."Higher temperaturesElectrification within automotive is driving growth."If you open up the hood of a car these days, all you see is wires going everywhere," Shearer said. "The electrical content is significantly higher in the automobile and will continue to increase as we go toward hybrids and fully electric vehicles."But despite the migration to electric platforms, traditional internal combustion engines are still going to play a major part of the automotive market for at least the next 10 years. Shearer said there is still demand for materials that can handle increasing temperatures for the standard internal combustion engine.As internal combustion engines shrink in size, they will require materials that can withstand higher temperatures. Shearer said to do this, LSR compounders must suppress hydrosilylation reactions and stabilize the silicone compound's backbone to limit thermal oxidative degradation."If we can do this effectively, we see a significant reduction in compression sets," Shearer said. Low volatilesSensitive applications like medical, food, water, consumer/baby products will continue to demand LSR because Shearer said the material has been proven to be safe in these applications and is ideally suited to meet regulatory requirements.These highly regulated industries require low-volatile LSRs to reduce risk. Shearer said there is typically 1 percent of volatile content in LSR after it's been molded and cured, but certain end applications require that those be removed with a post-curing application — heating the part in the oven."It really becomes the job of the fabricator to ensure that they're able to post-cure the part sufficiently, to remove these volatiles for the end application," Shearer said. "This can be a source of variability. There could be variability in the amount of volatiles coming into the LSR, and there could be variability in the effectiveness of the post-curing operation."Post-curing can depend on the type of the oven, the effectiveness of the oven and the part thickness. Shearer said a thicker part is going to be more challenging to post-cure than a thinner part. The fabricator can't just use one set of post-curing operations for every part, which Shearer said injects some risk into the process because they now need to figure out the requirements to meet the end application.Shearer said a solution is to remove the volatiles from the LSR before it's molded by using a no-volatile LSR. These compounds have been stripped out of the A and B parts before being delivered to the molder. Shearer said this guarantees that fabricators will be left with no more than 0.25 percent volatiles, and typically less, after molding and curing, which is well below the threshold limit for sensitive applications."We've eliminated the risk and eliminated the additional processing step of post-curing," Shearer said. "That's really the value that a no post-cure LSR brings."Other driversThe rise of wearable bands and unseen protection on electronic devices is presenting more opportunities for LSR, as is the rise of 3D printing applications.But Shearer said one key hurdle to overmolding LSR with some of these sensitive electronic parts is the temperature. LSR typically has to cure at about 150° C, which is too hot for microchips and other low-temperature plastic compounds. This has pushed the industry to innovate with low-temperature-cure LSR compounds.Shearer said these silicones are ideal for users who want to put thermally sensitive additives into the LSR but couldn't at the high temperature because they'd lose their function if cured at that heat. The low-temperature LSR grades also reduce cycle time and open up new possibilities to be overmolded to other plastics."Low-temperature-cure LSR uses the same chemical reaction, but we've reduced the activation temperature while maintaining the same pot life," Shearer said."It significantly reduces the curing time."Finally, low-volume prototyping LSRs are becoming more prevalent as 3D printing applications begin to enter the silicone market. Shearer said these developments are driven by the need for manufacturers to prototype parts and customize manufacturing in low volumes."The ideal solution is 3D printing," Shearer said. "3D printing is not going to replace injection molding, but it can complement our molding of LSR through the ability to create rapid prototypes of functional materials and give us the ability to do custom manufacturing at low volumes."source https://www.plasticsnews.com/news/market-trends-drive-lsr-innovations

editor 2019-10-26

Bioplastics are Becoming more Diverse

- New Compound Based on Polylactic Acid PLA from FKuRA high dimensional stability under heat and biodegradability are promised by a new compound based on polylactic acid (PLA) from FKuR Kunststoff GmbH, Willich, Germany, with the type designation Bio-Flex S7514. It was developed especially for injection molding applications. Thanks to very good flowability, the compound can also be used in multi-cavity molds and makes complete mold filling possible, even in case of long flow paths. The compound itself is 75 % bio-based. With the combination of high dimensional stability under heat and high flowability, it is predestined for use in products like those in the picure. The desired color can also be obtained using a masterbatch.Thermoplastic elastomers (TPE) under the trade name Terraprene are 40 % to 90 % bio-based. In addition to mechanical properties equivalent to those of fossil-based TPE, they can be processed using conventional injection molding, 2-component injection molding, and extrusion processes. A polypropylene with a bio-based carbon content of about 35 %, available under the trade name Terralene, can also be processed using these methods. It can be used as a drop-in thanks to the properties and processability corresponding to conventional PP.Source: Kunststoffe

Aeyoung Park 2018-10-05

Microplastics Found in Global Bottled Water

Thousands of Particles Identified across 11 International BrandsNew Orb Media research and reporting shows that a single liter of bottled water can contain thousands of microplastic particles. Exclusive tests on more than 250 bottles from 11 leading brands worldwide reveal widespread contamination with plastic debris including polypropylene, polyamide, and polyethylene terephthalate (PET).▲ Commissioned by the Washington-based Orb Media,a study has found that a large number of plasticbottled water brands contain microplastics(© Fotolia.com/anibal) Plastic was identified in 93 % of the samples, Orb Media says. The global average was 325 particles per liter. Particle concentration ranged from zero to more than 10,000 likely plastic particles in a single bottle. The study was supervised by Dr. Sherri Mason, Chair of the Department of Geology and Environmental Sciences at the State University of New York at Fredonia, a leading microplastics researcher.Brands tested included Aqua (Danone), Aquafina (PepsiCo), Bisleri (Bisleri International), Dasani (Coca-Cola), Epura (GEPP*), Evian (Danone), Gerolsteiner (Gerolsteiner Brunnen), Minalba (Grupo Edson Queiroz), Nestlé Pure Life (Nestlé), San Pellegrino (Nestlé), and Wahaha (Hangzhou Wahaha Group). Orb Media reporters purchased bottled water in 19 locations across nine countries on five continents, including through Amazon. All purchases made were of a pre-packed case of water (no single bottles). All purchases and shipments to the lab were video documented. Countries included Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Lebanon, Mexico, Thailand, and the United States. The majority of the samples came in plastic bottles though water in glass bottles also held microplastic.Researchers counted plastic particles in the 100 micron (0.10 millimeter) size range or smaller as microplastics. For plastic particles in the 100 micron size range, tests conducted for Orb Media at the State University of New York at Fredonia revealed a global average of 10.4 plastic particles per liter. The tests also showed a much greater number of even smaller particles that researchers have noted are also likely plastic. The global average for these particles was 325 per liter.Researchers analyzed bigger particles, about 100 microns (0.10 millimeters), by Fourier-Transform Infrared spectroscopy (an industry standard infrared microscope), which beams infrared light into an object to read its molecular signature. To quantify the particles, Orb Media developed a counting method that recorded the number of fluorescing objects in photographs of lab filters.The study has not been published by a journal or peer-reviewed and referring to the results of the study. Orb Media says that "What this means for human health is unknown."IBWA ResponseAccording to the International Bottled Water Association, Alexandria, VA/USA, the Orb Media study is not based on sound science, and there is no scientific consensus on testing methodology or the potential health impacts of microplastic particles. IBWA says that microplastic particles are found everywhere – soil, air, and water. And, as the Orb Media report states itself, currently there is no evidence that microplastics can cause harm to consumers. "Orb Media’s position on microplastics seems to be based on the faulty premise that if this substance is found in a bottled water product that it presents a health concern, even if no regulatory standard has been established. Because there is no scientific consensus about the potential health impacts of microplastic particles, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not issued any regulations concerning these substances in foods and beverages."Source: Kunststoffe

Aeyoung Park 2018-03-29

Lego to Launch First Sustainable Bricks in 2018

Cooperation with Braskem Production has started on a range of sustainable Lego elements made from sugarcane-based polyethylene supplied by Braskem. The new sustainable Lego ‘botanical’ elements will come in varieties including leaves, bushes and trees and will appear in Lego boxes already in 2018."This is a great first step in our ambitious commitment of making all Lego bricks using sustainable materials,” said Tim Brooks, Vice President, Environmental Responsibility at the Lego Group. The move is part of the Lego Group’s commitment to use sustainable materials in core products and packaging by 2030.▲ Lego botanical elements such as leaves, bushes and trees will be made from plant-based plastic sourced from sugarcane in the future and will appear in Lego boxes already in 2018 (© Lego) Lego botanical elements such as leaves, bushes and trees will be made from plant-based plastic sourced from sugarcane in the future and will appear in Lego boxes already in 2018 (© Lego) zoomLego botanical elements such as leaves, bushes and trees will be made from plant-based plastic sourced from sugarcane in the future and will appear in Lego boxes already in 2018 (© Lego)The new sustainable Lego elements are made from polyethylene and while they are based on sugarcane material, they are technically identical to those produced using conventional plastic. The elements have been tested to ensure the plant-based plastic meets the high standards for quality and safety that the Lego Group has. Braskem, the world's largest biopolymer producer, will supply the Lego Group with its I'm green polyethylene, a globally certified plastic made from sugarcane. The Green PE is 100% recyclable and contributes to the reduction of greenhouse gases. The production process begins with dehydrating ethanol, which is obtained from sugarcane, to transform it into green ethylene, which then goes to the polymerization units, where it is transformed into polyethylene. The sugarcane plastic then goes to third-generation companies, the so-called converters, which transform it into products.The world's first renewable biobased polyethylene to be produced on an industrial scale, Braskem's I'm green plastic has been produced since 2010 at the Triunfo Petrochemical Complex in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, which is the world's largest industrial plant making ethanol-based ethylene, with annual production capacity of 200 kilotons.The Lego Group has partnered with WWF to support and build demand for sustainably sourced plastic, and has joined the Bioplastic Feedstock Alliance (BFA), an initiative of WWF, to secure fully sustainable sourcing of raw material for the bioplastics industry. The plant-based plastic used to make the botanical Lego elements is certified by the Bonsucro Chain of Custody standard for responsibly sourced sugarcane.Source: Kunststoffe

Aeyoung Park 2018-03-13