Cover Story Modern
Cover Story Modern laminates Multiayer packaging offer an unprecedented number of packaging options The development of laminates has progressed rapidly in recent years. These advances in multilayer technology have also further expanded the application possibilities for this type of packaging. Modern laminates are the answer to the rising demand for alternatives to conventional multilayer packaging that is often difficult, or even impossible, to recycle as it is commonly comprised of layers made from different raw materials. The traditional packaging used for potato chips is a case in point. But the combination of laminate with, for example, Paperwise paper made from agricultural waste also offers new opportunities for producers. A good example of this is the tea packaging for Tea-by-me. The Paperwise bag is provided with a laminate on the inside so that the product is visible through a window and the shelf life is guaranteed. Endorsement without limitations for brand identity Today’s compostable laminates can be processed just as easily as traditional packaging. They are printable in up to 8 colours. Brand owners can therefore easily make the switch to a more sustainable option. As compostable laminates can be easily printed with whatever design is desired, brand identity remains unaffected. A suitable laminate for every product Although the number of products packaged in laminates is huge, and each product requires a fit-for-purpose solution, finding a suitable laminate should not present a problem. At the moment there are 33 different types of certified compostable two-layer and multilayer laminates available. A particularly interesting example is that of the laminate used for packaging coffee beans, which is even provided with a compostable valve. The possibilities are almost unlimited and will only continue to grow in the coming years. MT www.bio4pack.com 20 bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/19] Vol. 14
Films/Flexibles/Bags Compostable courier bags in Latin America www.biopsa.com Latin America’s e-commerce giant, Mercado Libre, headquartered in Buenos Aires, Argentina is introducing a new compostable courier bag to forward the company’s ambitious sustainability goals, and has partnered with bioplastics specialist Biopsa (San Isidro, Buenos Aires) to develop and launch the product. With a presence in 18 countries, Mercado Libre is seeing e-commerce grow at blistering rates. Aware of the environmental implications always present in the logistics of e-commerce, the company is expanding strategies to reduce and mitigate emissions and the impact of single use plastics, with continent-wide investment in renewable energies, a specific sales platform for sustainable products, and compostable packaging for deliveries. Mercado Libre has chosen to partner with regional enterprises to fast-track the solutions they need, and in this case the company partnered with Argentina-based Biopsa, a specialist in compostable solutions for businesses. Biopsa worked with Mercado Libre’s Brazilian operations team to develop an envelope with the look & feel of a standard courier bag, and most importantly, the mechanical specifications that will allow fulfillment centers in Brazil and Argentina to maintain current productivity rates. Next, Mercado Libre’s courier bags will reach new markets and will also be offered online so third-party vendors can use compostable packaging to ship their products. Producing the multilayered bag involved the use of different blown film compounds, all certified OK-Compost by TÜV Austria Belgium, to meet adequate mechanical properties, welding, masterbatch dispersion, and adhesive strength. Biopsa also worked with Mercado Libre’s existing supply chain in Brazil and Argentina to help them adopt the use of compostable bioplastics and produce the new envelope now in demand by Mercado Libre. With no legal requirements yet in place to use compostable resins for single use plastics in Argentina or Brazil, film converters are only beginning to become familiar with bioplastics. Therefore, Mercado Libre is promoting the use of this solution among other Latin American companies to scale up and improve this technology’s competitiveness and mainstream compostable bioplastics. MT cellulose-fibres.eu Organiser nova-institute.eu New International Conference on Cellulose Fibres, the fastest growing fibre group in textiles, the largest investment sector in the bio-based economy and the solution for avoiding microplastics • New Technologies & Applications • Cellulose Market – Status & Development • Supply and Demand – Market Trends and Data • Sustainability • Strategies • Policy Framework Contact Dominik Vogt dominik.vogt@nova-institut.de Tel.: +49 2233 / 48 14 49 www.cellulose-fibres.eu bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/19] Vol. 14 21
