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In the packaging industry, flexible packaging has become one of the most important packaging forms for shelf sales with its brilliant colors, rich functions and diverse forms of expression
.
However, consumers using flexible packaging face the challenge of sorting and recycling
.
The total consumer market for household flexible packaging in Europe is estimated to be nearly 3.
7 million tons per year
.
1.
Materials of flexible packaging
Polyolefin blends: About 70-80% (3 million tons) of flexible packaging materials are single polyethylene (PE), single polypropylene (PP) or other polyolefin blends
.
Multi-material construction: The remaining 20-30% of flexible packaging materials include other multi-material constructions such as aluminum foil, paper, polyamide (PA), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), ethylene vinyl alcohol (EVOH), and Polymers other than polyolefins
.
At present, the flexible packaging classification and recycling process for polyolefin-based materials is relatively mature and technically feasible, and polyolefin-based flexible packaging is generally considered to be "designed for recycling"
.
2.
The "recyclable design" of flexible packaging
The "recyclable design" of flexible packaging
With the extensive use of flexible packaging, how to do a good job in the later recycling?
If the infrastructure for recycling end-of-life flexible packaging is not widely established, then focus efforts on designing flexible packaging, using flexible packaging designed for recyclability, to provide only the required functionality with minimal resource use, thereby minimizing product and packaging Waste, it makes good business sense
.
For flexible packaging, it starts with designing so that it can be easily sorted when collected at the end of its life cycle, suitable for efficient and high-quality recycling, and ultimately, for those recycled materials that are going to be used
.
Compromising the protective function of the packaging to improve its recyclability often results in higher economic costs and environmental benefits than producing flexible packaging that cannot be recycled but provides product protection
.
This will enable flexible packaging to be collected in a cost-effective manner and develop recyclable and sustainable end markets to ensure that resources are returned to the environment for reuse
.
The recyclability of flexible packaging is designed so that it can be properly handled, collected and efficiently sorted into suitable material parts for recycling
.
These sorted materials are recycled into "new" materials that can be used in market applications, replacing the use of virgin materials
.
As a result, the packaging design process has become the focus of many parties, and it will be the first choice to see packaging design as the best solution for the circular economy, innovating and developing solutions to make flexible packaging meet the needs of the circular economy by addressing design and end-of-life challenges
.
3.
Joint participation of upstream and downstream enterprises in the flexible packaging industry
Every link in the upstream and downstream chain of flexible packaging can play a role, and brands and retailers need to specify "flexible packaging designed and put on the market for recycling" in order to establish a material flow for collection and recycling, sorting, and recycling according to the value of the material
.
Other parts of the value chain can and need to contribute in parallel, including material producers, technology suppliers, film producers, packaging processors, equipment and manufacturers,
etc.
