Huhtamaki integrates recycled-content LDPE into flexible packaging

Finland-based packaging firm Huhtamaki and its subsidiary Huhtamaki Flexible Packaging Europe say they are using recycled-content low-density polyethylene (LDPE) in a flexible laminated packaging tube it uses in several applications.

A technique provided by Germany-based APK AG has been part of the process. Mersalen, produced by APK’s solvent-based Newcycling technology, is made from polyethylene/polyamide multilayer film scrap often considered difficult to recycle. “The quality and purity of our LDPE [Mersalen] shows properties close to virgin plastics and is suitable for a wide range of packaging applications,” says Florian Riedl, APK’s director of business development. 

“We recently succeeded in integrating the first quantities of recycled plastics into one of our standard plastic barrier laminates for tubes,” says Thomas Stroh, R&D manager at Huhtamaki Flexible Packaging Europe, regarding the firm’s use of Mersalen. “This development brings us a major step closer to contributing to the EU’s packaging recycling targets for flexible packaging formats.”

The inclusion of recycled plastics into diverse packaging formats is a challenge, as material performance, performance of the packaging product and protection of the content need to be guaranteed, according to Huhtamaki. The firm says it nonetheless is “strongly committed to meeting this challenge for flexible packaging and, specifically, for laminated tube applications.”

The  tube produced by Huhtamaki’s contains 19 percent Mersalen, and its performance is nearly identical with the standard referenced plastic barrier laminate structure produced with virgin LDPE, according to the companies. Huhtamaki Flexible Packaging Europe says it plans to further increase the percentage of recycled content in its products, and will test recycled-content products based on different feedstock streams. 

“When it comes to our [scrap] feedstock streams, APK is looking into all options,” says Riedl. “We are producing [recycled-content resins] from post-industrial material; we research compounds of post-industrial and post-consumer streams; and, of course, we ultimately aim to provide excellent quality from post-consumer mixed plastic [scrap],” he adds.

APK says it was founded in 2008 with the vision of producing polymers from plastic scrap with properties close to virgin plastics. The company employs around 130 engineers, researchers, and administrative staff and has a recycling capacity of up to 20,000 metric tons per year.