Neopac has now received recycling approval from RecyClass for its Polyfoil MMB 545/645 tube. The tube is therefore compatible with the European recycling stream for rigid high-density polyethylene. The tube is particularly suitable for cosmetic, dental and pharmaceutical applications.
RecyClass tested the laminated Polyfoil MMB 545/645 tube with a white HDPE cap and direct printing. The Barrier properties of the tube are guaranteed by a new type of organic coating technology, which is applied to the MDO-PE centre film protected in the tube structure and is based on a small amount of a modified PVOH composition - this property was the focus of the tests carried out.
According to laboratory results from the Institute of Plastics Technology and Recycling (IKTR) in accordance with the RecyClass Recyclability Evaluation Protocol for HDPE containers, the Polyfoil MMB 545/645 product complies with the current European recycling stream for coloured HDPE containers, provided it is used under certain conditions. The tests have shown that up to 25 per cent of the plastic from the recycling process is reused in high-quality or even closed-loop applications such as HDPE blow-moulded bottles can be realised.
These results add to the list of Neopac approved tubes and illustrate the plastics industry's efforts to develop high-performance HDPE barrier tubes that are compatible with their specific recycling streams. In addition, the presence of a 100 per cent PE tube shows that it is possible to achieve a mono-material design that enables optimal performance of the packaging in terms of its recyclability.
„The tests with new thin-film barriers in tubes are another important step for the tube industry as they open the door to alternatives to EVOH, which has mainly been used in plastic barrier tubes to date. It increases the mono-material efficiency of barrier tubes and thus the quality of the recycled plastic and helps to close the packaging loop.“
Philippe Kern, Director of Research and Development and Quality at Hoffmann Neopac AG
Source: Neopac
