Mono-material Packaging -The Future of Recyclable Packaging

Environmental Trend: With increasing awareness and concern for the environment, recyclable packaging has become a crucial means to reduce plastic pollution and promote the recycling of resources.

Sustainability Demand: Enterprises and brands are paying more and more attentions on sustainability. By adopting recyclable packaging, companies enhance their corporate social responsibility image and meet consumers' demands for eco-friendly products.

Regulatory Pressure: Several countries and regions have strengthened regulations on packaging waste management, pushing businesses to adopt more eco-friendly packaging and encouraging the widespread use of recyclable packaging.

Technological Innovation: Ongoing developments in recyclable packaging technologies and materials provide the packaging industry with a broader range of choices, improving the practical feasibility and effectiveness of recyclable packaging.

Coverage Region:

Europe: European countries have been at the forefront of promoting recyclable packaging. Many nations have implemented strict regulations on packaging waste management, encouraging enterprises to use recyclable materials. (e.g., Europe Packaging and packaging waste，94/62/EC)

North America: Countries such as the United States and Canada are intensifying efforts to promote recyclable packaging. Some states and provinces have enacted regulations to boost the recycling of packaging materials. (e.g., California's Packaging Bill)

Asia-Pacific Region: Several countries in the Asia-Pacific region, including Japan, South Korea, and Australia, are actively promoting recyclable packaging through regulations and incentive measures, urging businesses to adopt more environmentally friendly packaging. (e.g., Japan's Act on Promotion of Recycling and Proper Disposal of Waste)

An increasing number of countries and regions are considering and driving the development of recyclable packaging around the word. The formulation and implementation of relevant policies play a crucial role in the widespread adoption and promotion of recyclable packaging. As time progresses, the outlook for the application of recyclable packaging is expected to continue expanding. 

What is mono-material?

Mono material is a product that is made of just one type of material. Thus, mono polymers are products that are made of a single type of polymer (for example, mono PE or mono PP).

Mono materials are increasingly popular in many areas, including the packaging industry, as a report from Smithers Research confirms: mono-material packaging are expected to grow at a CAGR of 3.8%, reaching $71 Billion in 2025. This growth will be especially relevant in industries such as the food, confectionery and pharmaceutical sectors.

The growth of mono material packaging responds to a main benefit: mono materials are easier to recycle than other products made of multiple plastics, or mixed with other materials such as cardboard or glass.

Until recently, packaging has been made from different packaging materials and polymers, as companies prioritised versatility. However, recycling them isn’t easy or efficient: materials must be separated in order to follow their own recycling processes or else the recycled plastic product will not present a high quality.

On the contrary, a mono-material product uses less energy in the recycling process (as dividing materials is not necessary) and creates higher-quality recycled products.

Choosing mono materials and facilitating the recycling process also means companies can comply with urgent regulations. This includes the European Strategy for plastics, which is pushing companies to join circular-economy models and guarantee that all plastic packaging must be recyclable by 2030.

Mono-materials used for packaging solutions

PE

Polyethylene or PE is a thermoplastic polymer that today represents half of the global packaging market, according to the Smithers report mentioned above. Typically found in film packaging, its characteristics include:

• Lightweight
• Thermal insulation
• Resists moisture
• Durable
• Flexible (not stiff)

PP

Polypropylene (PP) is also a thermoplastic and widely used in the packaging industry because of its excellent features in terms of:

• Lightweight
• Thermal insulation
• Resists moisture
• Transparent

PET

Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is widely used for packaging food and beverages and is also lightweight and transparent. Developments in this material have allowed to achieve full mono-material packaging made just from this mono polymer.

PO

Polyolefin (PO) is a thermoplastic widely used as a solid plastic and foam. It is very popular due to its low cost and wide range of applications

• Resistant to UV light and low temperature
• Flexible
• Recyclable

Functional limitations of the mono-material packaging

LD PACK has traditionally relied on designing packaging that includes several types of polymers. For instance, in the case of flexible packaging, it typically presents three layers with differentiated functions: sealing, barrier and printing.

Using mono-materials without an adequate re-designing process might impact some of these functions, especially the barrier function and the mechanical properties. However, new developments in mono materials means that LD PACK increasingly overcoming these technical limitations and will soon be able to cover these needs.

Alternatives to counteract some of mono-materials’ limitations include incorporating resin solutions as coating. This eliminates the need to add additional materials or multiple layers and enhances the mono-materials’ performance in terms of barrier protection.

Causes and Solutions for Recyclable Packaging Causing Seepage, Air Leakage and Liquid Leakage

Seepage, Air Leakage and Liquid Leakage in Recyclable Packaging

1. Causes of Seepage:

• Material Issues: Uneven thickness or aging of packaging materials can lead to seepage.

Solution: Ensure material quality and suitability by selecting appropriate materials and conducting necessary tests.

• Printing Process Issues: During printing, excessive pressure or bad ink quality can cause seepage.

Solution: Optimize the printing process, control printing pressure and ink quality, and perform necessary tests.

• Environmental Factors: Extreme temperature or humidity conditions during storage and use can deform or cause seepage in packaging materials.

Solution: Ensure suitable storage and usage conditions to avoid the impact of extreme environmental factors.

Solutions:

• Replace Materials: Consider replacing materials if quality are identified.
• Optimize Printing Process: Adjust printing process parameters, use appropriate printing pressure and ink to ensure print quality.
• Control Environmental Factors: Maintain suitable storage and usage conditions, avoiding the influence of extreme temperature and humidity.

2. Causes of Air Leakage:

• Poor Seal Performance: Defects in the sealing performance of mono-material packaging, such as insecure sealing or incompatibility between sealing material and content, can cause leakage.

• Material Issues: Defects or aging in packaging materials can lead to a decline in seal performance.

Solution: Ensure material quality and suitability by selecting appropriate materials and conducting necessary tests.

• Production Process Issues: Flaws or errors in the production process can lead to a decrease in packaging seal performance.

Solution: Strengthen the control and supervision of the production process to ensure quality and accuracy at each stage.

• Improper Storage and Usage: Improper handling or environmental factors during storage and use can damage packaging or reduce seal performance.

Solution: Ensure suitable storage and usage conditions, avoiding improper operations and the impact of extreme environmental factors.

Solutions:

• Optimize Packaging Design: Select suitable sealing materials and sealing processes to ensure the seal performance meets requirements.
• Replace Materials: Consider replacing materials if quality issues are identified.
• Strengthen Production Process Control: Enhance the control and supervision of the production process to ensure quality and accuracy at each stage.
• Control Storage and Usage Conditions: Maintain suitable storage and usage conditions, avoiding improper operations and the impact of extreme environmental factors. Additionally, strengthen packaging maintenance and regular inspections.

3. Causes of Liquid Leakage:

• Material Issues: Defects or aging in packaging materials can lead to a decline in waterproof performance.
• Production Process Issues: Flaws or errors in the production process can result in a decrease in packaging waterproof performance.
• Improper Storage and Usage: Improper handling or environmental factors during storage and use can cause packaging damage or a decrease in waterproof performance.

Solutions:

• Replace Materials: Consider replacing materials if quality issues are identified.
• Strengthen Production Process Control: Enhance control and supervision of the production process to ensure quality and accuracy at each stage.
• Control Storage and Usage Conditions: Maintain suitable storage and usage conditions, avoiding improper operations and the impact of extreme environmental factors. Additionally, strengthen packaging maintenance and regular inspections.
• Provide User Guidance: Instruct users on correct measures to prevent liquid leakage, ensuring proper use and maintenance of the packaging.

In conclusion, addressing issues of seepage, air leakage and liquid leakage in recyclable mono-material packaging requires a multi-faceted approach. This includes selecting suitable materials, enhancing production process control, maintaining appropriate storage and usage conditions, providing user guidance for proper use and maintenance, and conducting regular inspections. These measures collectively improve the quality and performance of packaging, reducing the probability of leakage and ensuring product safety and reliability.