The Need: Problem to be solved: Develop a monomaterial PET film with enhanced sealing capabilities.
Driver: Recyclable solution.
Why was the action necessary: There is a need to replace the usual PE layer of multilayer films and develop an APET film with enhanced sealing capabilities. This means that food companies, and other packaging applications, can package their products with a monomaterial APET tray, that is fully recyclable in the PET stream.
The Solution: ECOSEAL film – Replaced the PE layer with a specialty polyester with enhanced sealing capabilities, creating a monomaterial film that is 100% recyclable in the PET stream.
What makes it particularly smart or circular? Perfect solution for brand owners looking to switch to a fully recyclable APET monomaterial food packaging tray with enhanced sealing capabilities.
Results, Benefits, and Outcomes to Date: We partnered with a supplier of a main raw materials, to develop the specialty resin needed to replace the PE layer and maintain the same sealing capabilities expected by our clients. This reinforced our regenerative value of collaboration with suppliers, and we expect this to happen with other suppliers.
Which of the Pact’s 4 Targets does your work help achieve? Primarily target 2, as we have developed a solution that is 100% recyclable. Nonetheless it also helps achieve target 1, as it is a measure to eliminate problematic packaging, target 3 as it is an action that increases the recyclability of plastic packaging, and target 4 given that packaging made from this film can be recycled and reincorporated back into film production.
How are you communicating your success? With all our stakeholders through our Sustainability Report. Specific communication to our clients through presentation of new solutions for a circular economy. To our suppliers, through pro-active search for new raw materials that improve circularity of our products.
What’s Next? We will encourage clients to take decisions based on product´s environmental impact and help them understand and communicate the environmental benefit to end users.
Roadblocks & Lessons Learned: We had a trial-and-error phase with our raw material supplier until we developed the specialty resin. We overcame this by our determination to develop a fully recyclable solution. We would want others to learn that through collaboration and synergies we can find solutions to environmental challenges.
Core Team, Partners, & Participants: Innovation, Business Development and Sustainability Departments. Stakeholders: supplier, clients, end-consumers.
Time Frame: 12 months
Budget: Main resource was the time people took in developing the product, and the cost involved in the trial-and-error period. There was no outside funding.
Quote: “There should be no compromise between food preservation and circularity of packaging. Our mission is to develop films with a high recyclability rate. – Chief Sustainability Officer
Company/Organization Information: 1959 Santo Tirso, Portugal. 524 Evertis headcount