Recycling initiatives continue to be one of the most active sustainability areas, driven by challenging Plastic Pacts around the world that are part of a three-pronged objective to deliver 100% recyclable packaging by 2025. Pending packaging taxes that require 30% recycled content are influencing change as well as the focus on stretching recycling targets. We are seeing more chemical recycling initiatives as well as recycled PS and PP developments coming to our attention.
Learn more about ThePackHub's Innovation Zone here.
WestRock CanCollar X fiber-based can multipackThePackHub
US packaging giant WestRock has announced the launch of CanCollar X, the latest addition to the CanCollar family of fibre-based beverage can packaging solutions. WestRock says that this new solution offers a similar fiber-based, glue-free, minimalist design preferred by many consumers as it maximizes visibility and is comfortable to handle. According to the company, using CanCollar X can reduce materials by as much as 50% compared to conventional fully enclosed board options. CanCollar X is also aimed at replacing the quantities of PE (polyethylene) shrink film currently used worldwide for soft drinks, beer, or sparkling water. CanCollar X is packed using the CanCollar Fortuna platform, which is a newly patented beverage packaging machine that uses a series of star wheels and metering screws, along with a highly innovative linear drive system to seamlessly move containers through a travel path in the machine at high speeds.
Lactalis Nestlé dairy packaging with Reciclex.ThePackHub
European dairy manufacturer Lactalis Nestlé is to use Reciclex in some of its Spanish and Portuguese products. Reciclex, manufactured by Spanish petrochemical company Repsol, uses advanced recycling technology for PE (polyethylene) that allows the resulting polymers to be used for food and makes it possible to reuse plastic waste not suitable for mechanical recycling, which is then transformed into new circular materials with the same quality and functionality as virgin plastic. Since June, bottles of the Nestlé Kefir range produced in Guadalajara for Spain and Portugal have been manufactured with 30% recycled PE. Also, the material used for the Yoggi brand drinking yoghurt bottles, marketed in Portugal, contain 10% recycled material. This collaboration makes Lactalis Nestlé the first refrigerated dairy company to use recycled plastics in its packaging.
Mitsubishi Hitec Paper and SN Maschinenbau Barricote recyclable paper barrier packaging.ThePackHub
Two German companies have collaborated to bring packaging solutions made of paper to the market. Mitsubishi Hitec Paper has been offering a range of recyclable barrier papers called Barricote for flexible food and non-food packaging for some time. SN Maschinenbau is known for its horizontal form, fill and seal machines for various products. Following extensive testing across a wide variety of products, especially food, the companies have now proven that the water-based coated Barricote papers can be processed on the pouch packaging machines from SN Maschinenbau just as reliably as plastic-based films. Expensive retrofitting of the machine technology is therefore said to be not necessary. Barricote papers offer barriers against water vapor, grease, oil, oxygen and aroma, and also against mineral oil migration. They can also be recycled in the waste paper cycle, are made from renewable raw materials, can be heat-sealed and are FSC and PEFC certified.
Learn more about ThePackHub's Innovation Zone here.
