AMHERST, NH [May 3rd, 2021]

Scholle IPN also announced that the bag-in-box packaging passed the Association of Plastic Recyclers’ FPE-CG-01 testing, which evaluates the compatibility of flexible packaging with film-to-film recycling processes. The package is the first bag-in-box format to pass this testing protocol. The testing was completed by Plastics Forming Enterprises (PFE).

Scholle IPN’s new flexible bag-in-box format reduces plastics use by up to 80% per liter of water and has up to 63% less greenhouse gas emissions in production when compared to traditional water bottles.

PFE tested a bag made with two layers of film and a PE closure. The outer layer, made of Scholle IPN’s RecShield®, is a barrier film specifically designed to keep unwanted flavors from migrating through the film into the water. The inner layer consists of Scholle IPN’s proprietary film technology, known as 2Pure™, which contains scavenging technology that protects the taste of the packaged water.

Teresa Bernal-Lara, Ph.D., Film Development Manager for Scholle IPN, said of the recyclability testing protocols, “A new film technology cannot simply be put out in the world and touted as recyclable—it must go through testing to be recognized as such. The testing performed by PFE compared an all-polyethylene film and closure to Scholle IPN’s innovative RecShield® and 2Pure™ option along with a polyethylene spout and tap. The samples were reduced to flakes which were then extruded into pellets and successfully re-blown into film that can be used to produce new flexible packaging, a truly circular solution. Scholle IPN’s water packaging performed beyond the minimum threshold for compliance set forth in APR’s Critical Guidance Protocol for PE Film and Flexible Packaging (FPE-CG-01) and we have received a letter of recognition from APR for this achievement.

“Delivering liquid products in the best, most efficient way possible is what Scholle IPN does,” stated David Bellmore, Director of Global Film and Package Development for Scholle IPN. “Our bag-in-box bag and tap make up less than 5% of the overall package weight—with corrugate making up the balance. According to the EPA, corrugate packaging is recycled at a 96.5% rate while PET and HDPE bottles are recycled just 29% of the time. That means our package will not only offer a recycle-ready bag and tap, but around 95% of the overall package by weight is likely to be recycled. Environmentally speaking, plastic water bottles simply don’t match up with bag-in-box.”

Link to full article by Packaging World https://www.packworld.com/design/flexible-packaging/product/21415280/scholle-corporation-recyclable-baginbox-packaging-for-water

AMHERST, NH [April 28th, 2021]

On March 5, APR awarded a letter to P&G for the company’s 100% plastic base-cup-free, bag-in-bottle aerosol container.

During a March 5 webinar, Scott Smith, research fellow at P&G, explained that the company has developed two recyclable all-plastic aerosol containers to replace metal ones. The most recent one to undergo recyclability testing is a bag-in-bottle design, where the product is inside a bag in a bottle. A propellant, which is located between the bag and the bottle, collapses the bag and ejects the product when the valve is opened. The other more-common design is a dip-stick aerosol, where the propellant and product are mixed together in the bottle and the product is ejected up the dipstick when the valve opens.

The 100% polymer bag-in-bottle aerosol underwent recyclability testing by Plastics Forming Enterprises (PFE), which confirmed it met APR requirements for PET bottle recycling.

During the webinar, Smith explained that the only non-PET components are a polyolefin in the valve stem and elastomers that are used in the valve stem and to replace a metal spring. He estimated they make up less than 3% of the package weight, and they all float away from PET during the recycling process.

“P&G is very excited to be able to work with the APR to bring this new innovation to the aerosol marketplace,” Smith said. “We’re very excited to bring a completely recyclable aerosols container through to the PET recycling industry.”

In December, P&G received an APR critical guidance letter for the dip-tube and bag-in-bottle aerosols with base cups. The base cups are sometimes needed to ensure the bottle doesn’t crack during six-foot drop tests.

The latest letter was the same bag-in-bottle package without the base cup. The dip-tube version without a base cup received an APR letter in December 2019.

HDPE barrier layer tubes

APR on March 22 awarded a letter to GSK confirming tube packaging used by the pharmaceutical company can be recycled in the color HDPE stream. The HDPE tubes, which are provided by global tube packaging producer EPL (previously known as Essel Propack Limited) use the Platina 2515 resin formulation with an EVOH barrier layer that makes up 5% or less of the package.

APR has already recognized EPL’s Platina formulation as compatible with HDPE color recycling processes. During a March 19 APR webinar, Clio Boura of GSK said her company wanted to certify the recyclability of the material as used in GSK’s tube packaging.

The tubes that were tested contained the Platina 2515 laminate with 5% or less EVOH. They were decorated with direct flexographic UV-cured ink and had low-melt-flow-HDPE tube shoulders. Caps were not included.

Testing by PFE showed they’re compatible with color HDPE recycling processes, Boura said.

“Overall, it was a good performance on the tubes and that gave us the confidence that we’re on the right path with the solutions we want to bring out on the market,” she said.

Additionally, GSK had the tubes tested for sortability, to ensure they could be properly separated from the stream of recyclables at a materials recovery facility (MRF). As expected, they found the smaller tubes would fall through screens to become residue at MRFs, but the larger tubes would be properly sorted, Boura’s webinar presentation showed.

PP thermoformed tray with a barrier layer

APR on March 31 issued a letter to Silgan’s plastic food container division for its PP thermoformed tray with up to 8% EVOH barrier layer.

During a March 26 webinar, Jim Lucken, vice president of engineering sustainability at Silgan’s plastic food container division, said the package is meant for shelf-stable retort-packaged food, including soups, pasta/rice dishes, baby food and pet food. The EVOH is important to protect against oxidation in the food.

Silgan tested thermoforms with 5% and 8% EVOH. The 5% EVOH tray represents most of the packaging for human food, which is less prone to oxidation than pet food, he said.

Mostly PP, the trays include a layer of EVOH, tie layers and layers of production scrap regrind. The regrind layers contain an additive to compatibilize the PP regrind and the EVOH, Lucken said. He noted that Silgan hasn’t been able to find post-consumer PP that meets the FDA condition of use A, which is needed for use in this packaging.

Link to full article by plastics recycling update https://resource-recycling.com/plastics/2021/04/28/apr-recognizes-recyclability-of-packaging-technologies/

AMHERST, NH [April 1st, 2021]

Plastics Recyclers Europe, which has developed RecyClass recyclability testing standards, has recognized Plastics Forming Enterprises (PFE),Amherst, New Hampshire, as an accredited laboratory for all four product categories: polyethylene terephthalate rigids, high-density polyethylene rigids, polypropylene rigids and polyethylene flexibles. This makes PFE the first U.S. testing facility to achieve accreditation to perform RecyClass testing as well as the only laboratory in the world to be accredited to perform testing in all four product categories.

A recognized leader in consulting, R&D and recyclability testing in the Americas, PFE has played an instrumental role in developing the prevailing recyclability testing protocols that have been widely adopted in the Americas. PFE has led work with clients to make notable design changes that align packaging with recycling systems, including removing metal springs from pumps and transitioning aerosol cans to all plastic. PFE says its suite of services enables informed design that ensures materials have a chance to be used for many life cycles.   

“We look forward to helping our clientele navigate the testing requirements of RecyClass and offering the services of our pilot operation and complete testing lab on a global scale,” says Kristi Hansen, president of PFE. “With 35-plus years of industry expertise, we have become the only accredited company worldwide to conduct plastic recycling R&D for all Association of Plastics Recyclers (APR), European PET Bottle Platform and RecyClass recycling qualification protocols.”

These protocols are supported by other organizations, such as the Sustainable Packaging Coalition, es una Asociación Civil sin fines de lucro and China Sustainable Plastics Association. 

Companies that work with PFE toward approval to either the Critical Guidance Protocol offered by APR or RecyClass can avoid unnecessary, duplicative testing where possible, saving time and resources for seeking recyclability testing in either market, the company says.  

Link to article by Recycling Today https://www.recyclingtoday.com/article/pfe-accredited-recyclass-testing/

Testing has shown that a label for PET bottles and several tube packages are compatible with current plastics recycling processes.

The Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR) issued three critical guidance letters in recent weeks confirming the packaging innovations are either recyclable or can be separated from recyclable plastics.

APR sent letters to Multi-Color Corporation (MCC) for its Roll-On Shrink-On label with MCC Colorfast Inks, to Berry Global for its portfolio of PE tube packages, and to Kim Pack for its HDPE tube with a barrier layer.

Officials from the companies presented their innovations during September APR webinars (APR owns Resource Recycling, Inc., publisher of Plastics Recycling Update). In August, APR issued letters for three PET bottle label innovations.

The following are summaries of the latest products to receive recognition:

Roll-on, shrink-on label for PET bottles

Multi-Color Corporation (MCC) received a Sept. 9 letter for the company’s Roll-On Shrink-On (ROSO) label with MCC Colorfast Inks.

During a Sept. 3 webinar, MCC’s Matthew Thomas said the BOPP film, which comes in roll form, is heated and slightly shrunk when it’s applied to bottles. For recycling testing by independent lab Plastics Forming Enterprises (PFE), MCC submitted a white BOPP monolayer ROSO film with four-color surface printing, plus a varnish.

During testing, the label was successfully removed from the PET during the float-sink and elutriation steps, Thomas said. The inks resulted in slight discoloration of the rinse water but not the wash water, he said.

“The label obviously successfully floated and separated from the PET, which is what we want,” Thomas said.

Berry’s PE tube portfolio

Berry Global on Sept. 17 received an APR letter covering its portfolio of PE tube packages, which can be recycled alongside HDPE bottles.

In a Sept. 10 webinar, officials from Berry Global explained how testing was conducted on several of their tubes. Debra Wilson, Berry’s Consumer Packaging-North America material science director, said the company wanted to test whether its current tube designs could be recycled in the HDPE stream.

According to her presentation, PFE tested five Berry tubes that represented the various aspects of the portfolio. They were a 100% HDPE tube with no EVOH and no decoration; an HDPE/LLDPE blend tube with an HDPE shoulder, EVOH barrier layer and flexo/silk decoration; a 100% HDPE tube with an HDPE shoulder, no EVOH and flexo/silk printing; an HDPE/LLDPE blend tube with an HDPE shoulder, EVOH and a foil decoration covering the tube; and a 100% HDPE tube with an HDPE shoulder, no EVOH and foil decoration (Note: In the samples mentioned above, the HDPE/LLDPE blend was 50% HDPE, the EVOH barrier layer was 7.6% of the package weight, the HDPE shoulder was 100% HDPE, and the flexo/silk printing was all using UV-curable inks).

Wilson said the testing showed the tubes met APR requirements and are compatible with the color HDPE container stream. A problem they encountered was in sorting the tubes covered with foil, she said. Magnetic detection equipment at sorting facilities will remove those packages from the HDPE container stream, she added. That will mean either an alternative decoration will be required for the package to be sortable, or an innovation such as digital watermarking will be needed, Wilson said.

Kim Pack recyclable tube

APR on Oct. 1 issued a letter to Kim Pack covering the company’s Kim Pai Go Green 250 tube, an HDPE direct-decorated tube with 5% or less EVOH barrier layer and a tie layer. The letter covers the tube both with and without a PET shoulder insert.

During a Sept. 25 webinar, Manita Kruthkul, R&D manager at Kim Pai, said testing by PFE in January 2020 and March 2020 showed the tube failed requirements for tensile yield and pellet melt flow index. But the company made changes to the package, and in May, it passed testing at PFE.

The package is a white HDPE tube with a 5% EVOH barrier layer and a low-melt-flow shoulder. It may or may not contain a PET insert. The PET insert is removed during the grinding and float-sink steps, becoming yield loss.

After PFE’s testing showed the pellets and molded plaques passed APR requirements, the recycled plastic was used to mold bottles, which also passed, Kruthkul said.