While many companies are improving the recyclability of their products in light of the new packaging law, Buergofol GmbH is taking a different approach. The company, headquartered in Siegenburg, has increased the proportion of recycled material in its monofilms to almost 100 per cent.
Monofoils of Buergofol are based on APET (amorphous polyethylene terephthalate). They are made from Recyclate which is obtained from consumer products such as granulate from plastic bottles. At the Buergofol site in Ingolstadt, the granulate is processed using Vacurema technology in a recycling plant from Erema. This process also ensures that the recycled PET is food-safe, unlike regranulate.
Monofilms are combined with high-barrier films
The monofilms are used at Buergofol in the production of food packaging films. In-house High barrier films are characterised by Thermal lamination with the monofilms without the need to use adhesive. The proportion of recycled material in the composite film is around 70 per cent of the total weight because the monofilm is heavier than the barrier film.
Buergofol emphasises that increasing the proportion of recycled material would create more opportunities for using recycled products. Paragraph 21 (2) of the Packaging Act incentivises the increased use of recyclates and thereby gains concessions on participation fees. Other companies tended to act in accordance with Section 21 (1) of the Packaging Act and improved recyclability.
