At Masterpack we are continuously looking for ways to make our products more sustainable. As we use plastic bags, recycling seems like the most straightforward solution - yet this isn't always possible.
Why can’t Big Bags be recycled?
While the PP our Big Bags are made from can be recycled, some bags come with liners, and those liners often contain layers of AL or PA. These materials cannot be recycled, which makes it impossible to recycle the entire liner and bag. But we’re working on changing that.
Aluminum in liners
Aluminum has been used for decades because it has a low water vapor transmission rate, as well as a low oxygen transmission rate. Moisture and oxygen are big risks for some products, so we needed to find a solution that offers at least the same level of protection, if not more.
Our research and development team has been working hard to find sustainable alternatives for aluminum-containing liners, and we found the solution in PE.
PE as the solution
Tests with specially developed blends have shown promising results, with protection levels that are 5 to 8 times better than the standard barrier liners. We’ve been testing our liners thoroughly with the products of multinational clients, and we’re expecting to launch our first official line of recyclable liners soon.
The next challenge: replacing PA in liners
We also work with bags that have liners that contain PA, which makes the liner unrecyclable. These are liners used for nuts and seeds where sharp edges can result in punctures, so they need an extra-strong liner. We are currently also developing alternatives for this, and these will be in use by the end of the year as well.
Are you on board?
If you are interested in testing these fully recyclable liners and bags for your products, reach out to our team and we will look at the possibilities together.