Extrusion International 3-2018

21 Extrusion International 3/2018 Use of Regranulated Resin in Flexible Packaging expanded Consumer goods company Henkel is committed to creating more value for its consumers while reducing its environmental footprint at the same time. To reach its stated goal of becom- ing three times more efficient by 2030 – dubbed “Factor 3” – the company will have to improve its efficiency by an average of 5-6%per year. That’s why Henkel turned to long-time part- ner Mondi to help find a solution for incorporating more of its scrap plastic into a highly functional, aesthetically pleasing, flexible laminate packaging material. Henkel has begun selling its Megaperls washing powder in the resulting flexible package – called a “quadro seal bag” – that consists of an OPP/PE laminate. At present, 30% of the pack- age’s PE layer consists of industrial waste reclaimed fromMon- di’s factory in Halle, Germany. That means the overall package structure contains approximately 10% regrind material. Given the technical challenges involved, both companies rec- ognize this as an important initial step to helping ensure that such consumer packaging meets the environmental needs of a more circular economy. Considering the package require- ments – a shiny white exterior, an easy-peel opening, and no compromise in overall functionality – this is already a signifi- cant achievement for a thin, flexible OPP/PE laminate. But the two partners have much more ambitious goals. The resulting end product offers clear environmental ben- efits: Virgin resins are replaced with regrind material and the product’s end-of-life recycling process is simplified as the OPP/ PE laminate structure consists entirely of polyolefin materials, Müller notes. The two partners look forward to significantly boosting the percentage of reclaimed content in more Henkel packaging to contribute further to Henkel’s ambitious Factor 3 sustainability goal. Mondi www.mondigroup.com Henkel www.henkel.com