FachPack 2021: Vermiculite Poland presents pyro-proof mineral powder for industrial shipping

11 Oct 2021 --- At FachPack 2021, Vermiculite Poland presented its exfoliated vermiculite powder, which serves as an explosion-proof shipping material for potentially hazardous industrial goods.

The company has eight years of experience in providing the material to the agriculture and horticulture industries, where it is better known as a feed additive. However, Vermiculite Poland exhibited the powders at FachPack to demonstrate its applications as a protective shipping material.

Car batteries and pyrotechnics, for example, are a fire hazard when exposed to shocks during transport, but vermiculite powder is resistant to temperatures up to 1200℃.

“Battery packaging transport is a very big problem, especially when batteries pass their expiration dates. It happens quite often and there are many fires,” Diana Kuprianow, chairwoman of Vermiculite Poland’s management board, tells PackagingInsights.

The powders can also be packaged in paper cushions for easier shipping.The Portable Rechargeable Battery Association highlights lithium-ion, lithium metal cells and batteries are listed as Class 9 Miscellaneous hazardous materials in the US and subject to specific packaging, marking, labeling and shipping paper requirements.

According to the US Federal Aviation Administration, as of September 23, 2021, there have been 340 air/airport incidents alone involving lithium batteries carried as cargo or baggage recorded since January 23, 2006.

Mother Nature’s packaging
Exfoliated vermiculite is a natural clay mineral from the aluminosilicates group. Chemically, it consists of silicon oxide, magnesium oxide, aluminum oxide, iron oxide, kalium oxide and calcium oxide.

Despite its porous structure, the mineral has a stable layered structure, meaning it does not age or degrade. Moreover, it is biologically sterile and non-toxic. “As a food additive, it’s even edible,” Kuprianow adds.

Vermiculite is available in different sizes, ranging from micron to large.Gardeners often work with vermiculite as it can absorb water and nutrients to fertilize plants. In the same way, vermiculite can absorb dangerous substances should they leak, further preventing fire hazards.

As a free powder, vermiculite is light and therefore does not significantly increase the weight of transported or stored goods. However, the powders can also be packaged in paper cushions. With an unlimited shelf life, vermiculite is also temperature resistant to -260℃.

Prices for vermiculite powder are “comparable” to plastic and paper packaging, Kuprianow continues, but the material is less known.

“We are here to prove more companies can use vermiculite as a shipping material, and we care very much about protecting the environment,” she concludes.

By Anni Schleicher, translated from Polish at FachPack 2021

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