Dow, Macchi, and ITP have teamed up to create a new prototype pouch made of over 50% chemically recycled material. This innovative product aims to be recyclable and suitable for snacks and other regulated items.
Their approach uses a mass balance credit system to integrate recycled content, which could enable recycling opportunities that traditional methods can’t handle. This could help reduce the demand for new resources while still providing a moisture- and gas-resistant packaging solution for food.
The trio of companies aligns their project with the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation, which sets a minimum recycled content quota of 10% for certain plastic food packaging. Each partner plays a specific role: ITP focuses on selecting the film material and overseeing production, while Macchi brings advanced multilayer extrusion technology to improve flexibility and reduce thickness. Dow supplies various high-performance resins that enhance both processing and the final product’s effectiveness.
According to Carlo Poggi, managing director at ITP, this collaboration showcases their expertise in producing films that meet future regulatory demands. Macchi CEO, Anthony Michael Caprioli, emphasized that this partnership marks an important step for the plastics industry’s future.
Visitors can check out this pouch at the upcoming K 2025 event from October 8 to 15.
In a related development, Volpak, Amcor, and Menshen are also working together on a different type of mono-PE pouch aimed at food and personal care products. Their design is not just lighter but also helps reduce carbon emissions compared to traditional bottles and is recyclable.
Moreover, Südpack recently displayed their mono-PE stand-up pouches for dry snacks at the Fachpack trade show. These feature an integrated zipper and are designed to keep products fresh while avoiding the use of aluminum or metallized materials.
As the focus on sustainable packaging grows, innovations like these could significantly impact both consumer habits and industry practices. Companies are increasingly realizing that environmentally friendly solutions can also meet performance standards, leading to a shift in how products are packaged.
For ongoing insights into packaging sustainability, you can follow updates from reliable sources like Dow and Amcor.