- Trade fair for packaging from May 4 to 10, 2023 in Düsseldorf, Germany
- BASF continues “Plastics Journey” for a more sustainable plastics industry
- New projects and solutions for customers and partners on the three phases of the “MAKE-USE-RECYCLE” life cycle in the packaging sector
After the virtual event two years ago, the international trade fair for packaging interpack will be held again at Messe Düsseldorf from May 4 to 10, 2023. BASF will be represented together with BTC Europe, its European distribution organization, at Stand B43 in Hall 10 and will present numerous solutions and new projects in the packaging sector to customers and partners. The focus is on sustainability: Whether market-leading products or new technologies – on the way to a more sustainable plastics industry, BASF will continue its “Plastics Journey” with the three phases “MAKE-USE-RECYLE” in the life cycle of plastics at interpack.
Ultramid Ccycled as sustainable solution for packaging
One example is BASF’s sustainable polyamide Ultramid® Ccycled® – a future-oriented mass-balanced product that supports the use of alternative raw materials from the chemical recycling of plastic waste. Chemical recycling currently uses plastic waste that is difficult to recycle, such as end-of-life tyres or mixed household packaging, thus keeping it in the material cycle. The recycled raw material is fed into the beginning of the BASF production Verbund and allocated to Ultramid Ccycled products via a mass-balance approach. Fossil raw materials are thus replaced and saved. This solution is used in many segments, such as textiles and packaging. Since Ultramid Ccycled has the same quality as the conventional product, the sustainable polyamide is also ideally suited for highly regulated applications such as food packaging.
PE/PA multilayer films are recyclable
BASF has also done a lot with regard to polyethylene/polyamide multilayer films: Since fall 2022, coextruded PE/PA film structures have been considered mechanically recyclable. Based on the studies of Institute cyclos-HTP GmbH, the Stiftung Zentrale Stelle Verpackungsregister (Central Agency Packaging Register) has reclassified the recyclability of polyamides in the minimum standard. This is an important first step towards incorporating the benefits of polyamide-containing packaging and the latest findings on the recyclability of polyamides into the legal basis. As a major producer of Ultramid® extrusion polyamides for multilayer films, BASF is involved in projects for objective categorization of polyamides in flexible packaging applications.
Elastostat enables the use of PE blown film in potentially explosive areas
The film innovation DUO EX-TRA by film manufacturer DUO PLAST AG in Lauterbach is equipped with the static dissipative polymer Elastostat®. The result is the first stretch film suitable for use in potentially explosive atmospheres (EX zones). The newly developed film avoids the ignition source electrostatics. Thus stretched pallet units no longer pose an explosion hazard.
Conventional stretch films are not approved for hazardous areas due to static charge and pallets must be repacked before entering. The effort involved in unpacking and packing incoming and outgoing goods with conventional stretch film is enormous. Therefore, the stretch film with Elastostat is particularly suitable for companies in the chemical industry and their suppliers, who can be supplied directly to hazardous areas in the future. The packaging delivery process becomes more efficient, sustainability improves and costs are reduced at the same time.
