The new sustainable solution will be initially used to produce the collation shrink film, a kind of secondary packaging used in bottles, cans and liquid cartons
Lucro and Dow have collaborated to develop polyethylene film solutions using post-consumer recycled plastics. (Credit: Adam Novak from Pixabay)
Chemical company Dow has entered into a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with an Indian recycling company Lucro Plastecycle for the development and introduction of post-consumer recycled (PCR) based polyethylene (PE) film solutions in India.
The agreement will allow Dow to launch a close-the-loop packaging solution to boost a circular economy in India, in addition to expanding the company’s plastics circularity portfolio in the Asia Pacific region.
The collaboration with Lucro will help Dow to achieve its new sustainability target of collecting, reusing and recycling of one MMT of plastics by 2030.
As part of the MoU, Lucro will use Dow’s material science and application development expertise to develop and manufacture the film structures.
The film structures will be produced by processing plastic waste collected via different recycled streams in combination with Dow’s virgin resins.
The new solution will be initially used to produce the collation shrink films, a kind of secondary packaging generally used in bottles, cans, and liquid cartons. It is expected to be launched in the Indian market by the end of this year.
Dow will also use its team of packaging experts, material scientists, recycling equipment, blown film manufacturing and testing capabilities at Pack Studios Shanghai and Mumbai to support Lucro in the development of the recycled film.
Plast-E-Cycle is Lucro’s trademark process that helps to convert plastic waste into granules for recyclable and compostable products.
It is supported by the Singapore-based investment fund called Circulate Capital’s Ocean Fund (CCOF) that works to avoid plastic waste entering the ocean and advance the circular economy in South and Southeast Asia.
Dow Packaging & Specialty Plastics Asia Pacific commercial vice president Bambang Candra said: “We are delighted to work with sustainability-focused partners like Lucro, who is at the forefront of plastic recycling in India.
“Scrap packaging is one of the country’s highest contributors of plastic waste and we look forward to this collaboration helping to promote the adoption of sustainable solutions amongst brand owners and manufacturers, and contribute to a reduction in plastics entering the environment as waste.”
Last Month, Dow signed a three-way memorandum of understanding with laundry brand Liby and internet environmental tech company LOVERE to address plastic packaging waste and boost a circular plastics economy in China.