Technological watch

Dutch science-based company Royal DSM has partnered with Germany-based packaging waste treatment firm APK to recycle multilayer food packaging films using its new recycling process.This will allow both companies to enhance the sustainable benefits of multilayer films by building on the primary function of reducing food waste in making the products recyclable.Generally, multilayer barrier films for food packaging include a combination of PE and PA6 intended to increase the shelf life of the packaged food.
PE prevents the entry of moisture, while PA6 acts as a barrier for oxygen, reduces the total layer thickness and ensures less rupture of the films during transportation and logistics.Using APK’s Newcycling process, the companies will address the end-of-life stage of the lifecycle of a multilayer PE/PA6 packaging film.“The re-granulates, generated from multilayer PE/PA6 packaging waste can be used again in demanding flexible packaging which contributes to the target of a circular economy.”Newcycling is a solvent-based process that enables the recovery of high-quality re-granulates with properties almost similar to virgin plastics, from complex mixtures and multi-layer composites.It also allows the pelletised recyclates to be used in flexible packaging again.APK Business Development head Florian Riedl said: “Moreover the Newcycling process works highly cost-efficient and offers a competitive, sustainable material source.“The re-granulates, generated from multilayer PE/PA6 packaging waste can be used again in demanding flexible packaging which contributes to the target of a circular economy.”APK is building a plant to recycle multilayer PE/PA6 packaging using Newcycling process.The plant is expected to start up in the fourth quarter of this year.Founded in 2008, the company manufactures plastics (LDPE, HDPE, PP), plastic mixtures and compounds reclaimed from post-consumer and production sources.