Recycled material in PE film without line downtime
A brief introduction to viable recycled material blends for food packaging.
Recycled material on the production line without downtime: it’s possible, provided you choose the right blend
The pressure to be sustainable is mounting. Retailers are demanding recycled material. EU legislation requires recycled material. Your own ESG reporting calls for recycled material. But the first time you tried to incorporate PCR (post-consumer recycled) into your film, your production line came to a standstill. Breaks, gels, poor seals. Understandable. And solvable.
Why recycled material is challenging on a production line
Recycled material is not a single material. It is a spectrum. PCR grades vary in purity, MFI (melt flow index), colour consistency, content of foreign polymers and level of degradation. A low-cost PCR grade can contain up to five per cent foreign substances. These manifest on your production line as gels (visible specks), variation in sealing behaviour and susceptibility to breakage at high speeds.
The right blend for your application
Not every application can tolerate the same recycled material blend. Three scenarios:
Food packaging with direct contact. You cannot simply use PCR here. EU regulations and food safety requirements stipulate that virgin material must be used in the contact layer. A multilayer construction with PCR in the outer layers and virgin material in the contact layer is, however, permitted and sustainable.
Food packaging with indirect contact (secondary packaging, shrink sleeves). PCR blends of up to thirty per cent are generally achievable without line modifications, provided the PCR grade is sufficiently pure.
Industrial packaging, logistics, construction. This is where the greatest opportunities lie. PCR blends of up to fifty per cent and higher are realistic. For some applications, we use one hundred per cent PCR.
What to test before you adapt your production line
Before you switch your existing order to a recycled material blend, carry out these three tests:
One: a small test batch on your own line. Not in the lab. On your own machine, with your operator, at your actual production speed.
Two: compare the MFI and tensile strength with your current film. If the deviation exceeds ten per cent, expect production line issues.
Three: request the traceability documentation for the recycled material. Mechanically or chemically recycled? Which waste stream? Which certification (such as EuCertPlast)? Cheap recycled material without documentation is asking for trouble.
The benefits for your business
A successful switch to a recycled blend delivers three benefits: a lower carbon footprint per kilogram of film, a stronger position in tenders where sustainability criteria are taken into account, and, in many cases, a lower material cost per tonne, as PCR is currently cheaper than virgin material for some grades.
Do you want to use recycled material on your production line without breakages or downtime? That starts with the right blend for your specific application. Discuss your packaging requirements.