Constantia launches recyclable laminate with high chemical resistance for pharmaceuticals

30 Jun 2022 --- Constantia Flexibles is introducing a recycle-ready laminate with high chemical resistance for pharmaceutical products. The flexible packaging leader supplies the substrates for conversion into packaging. 

“The recyclability is an attribute that can only be assigned to the final product or packaging based on different criteria. One of the criteria is the material. Choosing the right material composition is where Constantia Flexibles comes in,” Agnieszka van Batavia, sustainability manager pharma at Constantia, tells PackagingInsights.

Perpetua Alta can withstand hydro-alcoholic gel under accelerated aging conditions, similar to aluminum-containing multi-material laminates compliant with high chemical resistance (HCR) requirements. 

Compared to a conventional laminate solution, this innovative laminate offers optimal product protection from oxygen, water vapor and light at a reduced weight and increased yield. 

Perpetua Alta can withstand hydro-alcoholic gel under accelerated aging conditions.Achieving chemical resistance 
Constantia, the world’s third-largest flexible packaging manufacturer, says traditional multilayer packaging for pharmaceutical products is not recyclable due to the combination of different materials. 

Alternatives, such as recyclable mono-PE or mono-PP laminates, fulfill the recyclability factor but do not provide the required performance for chemical resistance. 

“It was a challenge. Our R&D and product management team worked hard to get where we are today: a full PP recyclable solution with HCR toward aggressive filling goods,” says Roberto Martin, head of innovation laminates at Constantia’s plant in Logroño, Spain. 

Perpetua Alta is a drop-in solution for existing packaging formats based on laminates like stick packs, sachets and strip packs. The packaging machines do not have to be replaced, which is essential for production. The existing equipment can be used.

Recycle-ready 
“Ready-to-be recycled” means that, on the one hand, the material fulfills the recyclability criteria based on the official Design-for-Recycling (DfR) guidelines. On the other hand, the material has passed the physical recyclability test at an industrial recycling plant, explains van Batavia.

“Recyclability of materials depends on factors like the size of the pack, choice of printing design and printing inks, use of labels and closures, and availability of collection and sorting systems in the geographical areas where the packed product is sold,” she says. 

“Since we do not put the final packed product on the market, we cannot influence all factors that define packaging recyclability. However, we design our materials for compliance with the DfR guidelines,” she adds. 

Through platforms like CEFLEX and RecyClass, Constantia actively engages with stakeholders from the entire flexible packaging value chain and works toward increased sorting, collection and recovery of all flexible packaging.

By Natalie Schwertheim