Green Dot Bioplastics, a Kansas-based producer of biobased and compostable plastics has obtained OK Compost Home certification from TUV Austria for its Terratek BD3003 film resin.
Designed to require less raw material, thus allowing for a thinner gauge film in many flexible packaging applications, the resin provides the durability, flexibility, and other performance attributes needed to meet the application requirements, according to the company.
“Our goal is to continuously add new, high-performance resins to our line card for compostable packaging and single-use disposable applications”, said Mark Remmert, the CEO of Green Dot. “We are proud to say our products are TÜV certified, the highest standard third-party verification.”
The resin offers a film alternative to low density polyethylene (LDPE) and linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) blown and cast films and can be processed on existing equipment, with only minor adjustments required. These include lowering the processing temperatures and adjusting line speeds.
It can be utilised as either a sealant in a lamination to a compostable print web such as Green Dot Bioplastics’ Terratek BD100100 or polylactic acid (PLA) structures. Alternatively it could function as a stand-alone web that can be surface printed and used in Horizontal Form Fill and Seal (HFFS) as well as Vertical Form Fill and Seal (VFFS) applications with lower seal initiation temperatures.
While polypropylene and polyethylene run from 180 degrees Fahrenheit to 220 degrees Fahrenheit, the seal initiation temperature for bioplastics is between 150-160 degrees Fahrenheit.
The material exhibits excellent dart and puncture properties, allowing the film to be used as an alternative to traditional PE films without sacrificing performance and meeting the demands of numerous flexible packaging applications. Film flatness, bubble stability and consistency in processing have also been identified as manufacturing benefits.
“We specifically wanted to create a film resin that is approved for home composting while retaining the versatility and durability we are known for,” said Dave Szink, Chief Commercial Officer. “Having passed TÜV’s rigorous certification process, we are excited to see how our customers utilise Terratek BD3003 to produce high-quality, sustainable products.”
TÜV Austria Group is a leading independent testing, inspection, and certification company covering industry, energy, infrastructure, transportation, certification, training, and digital services with more than 2,600 experts in more than 30 countries.