Technological watch

Dow and stretch film manufacturer Doxa Plast together announce the commercialization of a family of bio-based high-performance stretch films aimed at addressing the increasing demand for more sustainable solutions that use alternative renewable feedstocks helping to reduce carbon footprint.

Reborn, the new range of stretch films by Doxa Plast, integrates Dow’s bio-based linear low- density polyethylene, ELITETM 5230GC R Enhanced Polyethylene Resin, which is produced from renewable feedstock.

The feedstock comes from residues of paper production from sustainably managed forests in Finland. Unlike other alternative renewable feedstocks, it does not compete with the human food chain, and no extra land is required for its production.

The films are produced in Doxa’s factory in Sweden, which due to the short supply chain also contributes to reducing carbon footprint.

“This joint effort is the latest example of Dow’s ambition to work with industry partners to enable a shift to a circular economy for plastics by integrating recycled content and renewable feedstocks into production processes”, said Carolina Gregorio, marketing manager at Dow Packaging & Specialty Plastics EMEA. “We are continuously exploring alternative feedstocks to reduce the amount of fossil fuel resources required for production. We’re proud to see these solutions helping converters and brand owners meet their sustainability packaging goals.”

The new bio-based stretch film range is optimized for downgauging without compromising on functionality. Using a patented technology, Doxa Plast offers thin stretch films down to four microns of thickness, while maintaining high level performance for improved load pallet stability and reducing overall packaging material.

“Our vision for 2020 is to offer our customers the option to choose carbon neutral versions of all our products. Dow’s bio-based resins are a major contributor to help us achieve this because they enable us to move towards a carbon neutral stretch film,” said Sandra-Stina Vesterlund, managing director at Doxa Plast.

“Our new Reborn family of sustainable solutions make it possible to reduce, reuse, recycle and redefine plastics without compromising performance and therefore meet our customer’s business and sustainability needs. At Doxa Plast we do not compromise, we stretch the possibilities”

Dow’s bio-based polyethylene portfolio is produced using bio-naphtha from tall oil, which is a by-product of paper pulp production. This new supply chain from bio-feedstocks enables  a significantly lower carbon footprint compared to standard fossil-derived PE resins. In addition, the PE resins production is certified by ISCC (International Sustainability & Carbon Certification) based on a mass balance approach. This approach helps industries become more sustainable by supporting the sourcing of sustainable ingredients within complex manufacturing or production systems, meaning all steps meet traceability criteria.

Source: Bioplastics MAGAZINE, 2020-05-05.