Smurfit Kappa’s newly developed Vitop tap features a translucent body, making it more likely to be recycled

Natural-Vitop_Web

Smurfit Kappa’s new Vitop tap. (Credit: Smurfit Kappa)

Paper-based packaging solutions provider Smurfit Kappa has expanded its Bag-in-Box range with the launch of new Vitop tap, as part of its sustainability activity.

The absence of carbon black pigment makes the Natural Vitop tap, which is used for Bag-in-Box wines across the world, as an unwanted component by many recycling facilities due to the failure of detection by its optical sorting near-infrared (NIR) scanners.

Smurfit Kappa’s new Vitop tap features a translucent body

The new tap, which features a translucent body, has been designed to address the issue related to recyclability. It has tamper-proof design and high oxygen barrier intended to significantly increase the shelf life.

Smurfit Kappa Vitop CEO Didier Pontcharraud said: “We are always looking at how we can make Vitop taps more sustainable and introducing a product that is easier to recycle is a strong first step.

“In countries where flexible packaging is widely collected, sorted and recycled, the Natural Vitop increases the probability that our bags are correctly sorted and recycled.”

Smurfit Kappa said it offers a complete Bag-in-Box packaging system with films, accessories, bags, taps and filling lines.

Smurfit Kappa Bag-in-Box CEO Thierry Minaud said: “Our priority is to minimise our impact on the environment throughout every aspect of our operations; from supply to manufacturing to distribution and recycling.

“Our Bag-in-Box packaging uses fewer raw materials and streamlines transport leading to reduced CO2 emissions and a smaller carbon footprint.”

Smurfit Kappa offers sustainable Bag-in-Box products for industries such as wine, juice, liquid eggs, dairy and also non-food applications such as motor oil and chemicals.

In December 2019, Smurfit Kappa has launched new sustainable ekolife toys made from paper.

Launched in time for Christmas, the new ekolife range serves as a sustainable alternative for shoppers to replace the extensive amounts of non-recyclable toys that are sold in shops every year.

The new sustainable ekolife toy range includes planes, cars, jigsaws, build-your-own shops and castles. It also includes canvases, which can be coloured in by their new owners.