The new home-compostable paper laminate is designed to extend the end-of-life options for flexible packaging
The new laminate is home-compostable as per the official European certification schemes for home-composting. (Credit: BASF SE)
Swedish packaging manufacturer BillerudKorsnäs has partnered with German chemical company BASF to develop a multi-layer paper laminate for flexible packaging applications.
The laminate, which is home-compostable as per the official European certification schemes for home-composting, is designed to extend the end-of-life options for flexible packaging.
BASF said that the new film retains the performance such as processing, sealing, printability and strength of same as conventional traditional laminates.
The new flexible packaging film has an outer layer consisting of BillerudKorsnäs’ home-compostable kraft paper ConFlex Silk while the inner sealing layer is made of a blown film out of BASF’s particular ecovio grade.
Moreover, the sealing is laminated to the paper layer which is made of BASF’s water-based adhesive Epotal Eco 3675 X.
BillerudKorsnäs business development manager Markus Saari said: “With BASF’s certified home-compostable biopolymer and adhesive, we found the ideal components to take the next step towards another sustainable solution for flexible packaging in our portfolio.
“Our joint development represents a shift to paper-based and compostable material in order to replace traditional laminates for food packaging – meeting hygiene and barrier requirements, maintaining form and enabling many design possibilities just like conventional packaging but with the decisive added benefit that it is home-compostable.”
Additionally, the food-contact approved film can be used to produce wraps with individually adjusted barrier properties as well as wrappers for fish, meat and cheese, among others.
The new development complies with the ‘European Strategy for Plastics in a Circular Economy’ target to make all plastic packaging recyclable or reusable by 2030, the companies said.
Earlier this year, BASF signed a binding joint development agreement with Security Matters to accelerate the progress of the plastics industry towards a circular economy.