Made from 100% natural content, the new functional barrier solution is capable of reducing the absorption of water, oil and grease on plate stock intended for direct food contact
The latest UniNATURE Water-Oil Barrier Coating is suitable for use in single-use paper plates. (Credit: Siegwerk Druckfarben AG & Co. KGaA)
German printing inks and coatings provider Siegwerk has unveiled its new water-based coating UniNATURE Water-Oil Barrier Coating for use in single-use paper plates.
Made from 100% natural content, the new functional barrier solution is capable of reducing the absorption of water, oil and grease on plate stock intended for direct food contact.
The company has designed the UniNATURE barrier coating to maintain its recycling through the paper recovery cycle.
As per the Single Use Plastics Directive (EU 2019/904), the new barrier coating provides a sustainable replacement for restricted coatings on disposable paper plates.
The solution, which is in line with a circular economy, contributes to resource conservation by improving the recyclability of disposable paper plates, the company said.
The functionality of paper-based packaging maintains safety during food contact by employing the appropriate barrier coating.
It also supports the circular economy by reducing the use of resources and increasing the chance to recover them after use, Siegwerk added.
Additionally, the presence of natural materials in barrier coatings aids in the creation of biodegradable packaging and prevents problems with microplastics and bio-accumulation. This adds value to the end-of-life of paper packaging.
Siegwerk Global Sustainability & Circular Economy head Alina Marm said: “Saying so, UniNATURE Water-Oil Barrier Coating is another proof of how inks and coatings add functional properties to renewable materials like paper, enabling their use for an even wider range of packaging applications and thus paving the way for new mono-material structures in the sense of a Circular Economy.”
Last month, the UniNATURE Water-Oil Barrier OPV was certified for adding a barrier against grease and liquid to paper plates intended for direct food contact. The coating meets the technical criteria required for use on paper plates.
The German company said that the new product also works as a stand-alone barrier coating in single or multiple layers, eliminating the need for a primer.