ProPak Asia 2022: V-Shapes launches mechanically-recyclable plastic sachets for food
15 Jun 2022 --- V-Shapes is launching fully recyclable PP sachets with high-barrier capability at ProPak Asia 2022 today. Interseroh has ranked the two mono-polymer constructions at the high end of the scale in terms of suitability for mechanical recycling and the provision of secondary products.
While common high-barrier applications, often required for food, contain a plastic or foil layer that renders the packaging difficult, or even impossible, to recycle, V-Shapes has designed a new type of high-barrier substrate certified by Interseroh as recyclable.
The new substrates, reNew oX-100 and reNew oX-500 consist of a sheet of PP copolymers with a high-performance barrier.
Recycle-ready
The sachets are designed to be detected, sorted and recycled in the industrial waste stream. The company explains that the solutions do not add PP or PET to the recycling stream that would downgrade their recyclability, as is the case with other barrier materials, because they are mono-polymer constructions. This construction makes them widely recyclable worldwide.
Innova Market Insights pegged “Monomaterial Mastery” as its second top packaging trend for 2022, highlighting the transition away from hard-to-recycle, multilayer packaging to monomaterial solutions that are recyclable through existing infrastructure.
The new substrates consist of a sheet of PP copolymers boosted by a high-performance barrier.
The 4R concept
The new solutions also maintain the same size and weight as other recyclable materials used by V-Shapes. The reNew-oX materials are available in several widths, ranging from 70 to 340 mm, and suitable for the company’s Prime and Alpha machines, from one to six production lanes.
These new materials reflect the 4R concept – reduce, return, recycle, reward – a critical element of any environmental sustainability initiative, highlights V-Shapes. They are available for use with new and installed V-Shapes single-dose packaging machines.
ProPak Asia 2022
V-Shapes will showcase the new solutions at ProPak Asia 2022 (June 15-18) at BITEC Hall in Bangkok, Thailand.
In related news, Unilever defended its use of hard-to-recycle plastic sachets in developing countries after coming under fire from NGOs, who accused it of exploiting impoverished regions with artificially cheap single-use packaging that causes devastating environmental pollution.
By Natalie Schwertheim
