Improving the sustainability and performance of multilayer barrier containers with PEF Innovation is needed to
successfully enable the circular economy
Elizabeth Eaves Technical Application Manager Francesco Acquasanta Product developer and R&D Project Leader
AVANTIUM | Amsterdam | Netherlands
O ver the past few years, there has been a concerted move throughout the entire packaging value chain towards implementing a circular economy. Brand owners are committing to using more recycled materials and are advertising broader sustainability programs. Converters and material suppliers propose new technical solutions for the intelligent design and production of packaging. Recyclers also play a pivotal role in the newly vitalized market for post-consumer recycled materials, although at the same time face increased challenges when dealing
with contamination issues arising from poorly recyclable items that enter their facilities. The issue of contamination is also problematic for PET, despite it often being considered the champion amongst plastics when it comes to recyclability. Although PET is the material of choice for beverage packaging, it often needs help to overcome its limitations when it comes protecting products that are particularly sensitive or that require a longer shelf life, which cannot be achieved by mono- material PET packaging alone.
This is where barrier technologies like those implemented in multilayer bottles play a role. Offering some of the functional advantages of a PET bottle, an interstitial layer within the bottle wall adds barrier protection that enables the necessary performance to satisfy the demands of the market. Current, commonly used barrier materials like polyamides, however, pose the problem of their poor recyclability when combined with PET, and their use is often conditionally limited to colored bottles. Even when such polyamide barrier layers are tolerated in the recycling stream, recyclers must
CONNECTING COMPETENCE | ONE:21
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