In the quest for ever more sustainable multi-layer packaging solutions, new ties are being forged between companies that are getting together and coming up with novel answers to today’s packaging challenges.
Now BASF and Swedish packaging manufacturer BillerudKorsnäs have joined forces to develop a multi-layer, home-compostable paper-based laminate for flexible packaging.
The new film features three basic components: an outer layer made from BillerudKorsnäs‘ kraft paper ConFlex Silk, an inner sealing layer made from a blown film consisting of BASF’s certified home compostable and partly bio-based biopolymer ecovio and BASF’s water-based adhesive Epotal Eco 3675 X, which joins the film to the paper. The sealable laminate is produced in a wet lamination process.
Each component has been separately approved for food contact applications, enabling the laminate to be used to produce wraps with individually adjusted barrier properties, e.g. for cookies, ice cream, cereal bars and dairy items as well as fish, meat and cheese freshly sold in supermarkets.
All components are certified home-compostable according to official European certification schemes for home-composting. Both the outer and the inner sealing layer are certified according to OK Compost Home by TÜV Austria; the Epotal Eco 3675 X adhesive is certified by DIN Certco as home-compostable according to DIN EN 13432.It can be processed like other adhesives by use of standard lamination machines and shows an excellent performance on different biodegradable substrates.
“We wanted to create a paper-based laminate with good heat-seal properties by using certified home-compostable components only”, says Amir Pourirani, head of global marketing Biopolymers at BASF.
Suitable for mono and co-extrusion, the new film offers the same performance features as conventional multi-layer structures. It is puncture resistant, shows a good printability, excellent heat-seal properties and can be processed on standard packaging machines.
The development represents a shift to paper-based and compostable material in order to replace traditional laminates for food packaging, with no compromise on hygiene and barrier requirements, noted Markus Saari, business development manager at BillerudKorsnäs, all the while maintaining form and enabling many design possibilities just like conventional packaging ‘but with the decisive added benefit that it is home-compostable’.