Development of functional barriers for the use of recycled materials in flexible packaging

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Brittany Dickerson
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Vicent Martinez AIMPLAS vmartinez@aimplas.

1 Development of functional barriers for the use of recycled materials in flexible packaging Vicent Martinez AIMPLAS AIMCAL Conference Munich, March 23rd 2017 Follow AIMPLAS

2 Overview Circular economy vision Functional barrier concept BANUS Project Cases study Conclusions

3 MARKET ORIENTED > R&D INNOVATION PROJECTS > TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE > ANALYSIS & TESTING > COMPETITIVEINTELLIGENCE > TRAINING 8.4M +2, Over 8,500 m 2 facilities with state-of-the-art equipment REVENUES CUSTOMERS MEMBERS Valencia Parc Tecnologic (SPAIN)

perishable goods contributing food waste

4 Benefits flexible packaging Multilayer laminates and specialty coating films offer optimal barrier properties that lead to extended shelf-life for perishable goods contributing food waste reduction Lightweight and compact packaging formats allow lower environmental impacts due to weight reduction and transport cost savings

Drawbacks: difficult recycling Packaging waste

combination of different materials (foil, paper,

to: Energy recovery from plastic incineration

5 Drawbacks: difficult recycling Packaging waste features low bulk density, thin gauge fluffy films, combination of different materials (foil, paper, plastics ) Usually this type of waste is diverted to: Energy recovery from plastic incineration Plastic mechanical recycling for low value products including bin bags, pipes, pots, etc. Paperboard for recycled pulp poses some concerns on mineral oils hydrocarbons (MOHs)

Circular economy Strategy to develop a sustainable, low carbon, resource efficient and competitive economy Key actions: Innovative and more efficient production processes Improve waste

6 Circular economy Strategy to develop a sustainable, low carbon, resource efficient and competitive economy Key actions: Innovative and more efficient production processes Improve waste management to increase use secondary materials Avoid scarcity of resources and raw materials volatile prices Closing the loop of product lifecycles through greater recycling and re-use

7 Use of recycled plastic for food packaging 1. Offcuts and scraps from production of food contact plastics (Regulation EC 2023/2006) 2. Recycled plastics from processes authorised by EFSA (Regulation EC 282/2008) 3. Recycled plastics used behind a functional barrier (Regulation EU 10/2011)

8 Functional barrier Layer (or multi-layer of any type of material) which prevents the migration of substances from behind that barrier into the food (including set-off during storage of stackable packaging) NON-AUTHORISED MATERIALS FUNCTIONAL BARRIER X FOODSTUFF

Functional barrier Behind a functional barrier, non-authorised substances can be used, provided they fulfil certain criteria and their migration remains below a given

9 Functional barrier Behind a functional barrier, non-authorised substances can be used, provided they fulfil certain criteria and their migration remains below a given detection limit: 0.01 mg/kg in foodstuff (10 ppb) Substances not covered by the functional barrier definition: Nanoparticles Toxic to reproduction Mutagenic Carcinogenic

Functional barrier The effectiveness of the functional barrier depends on: Concentration and diffusion coefficient of contaminants in the recycled layer Chemical nature and thickness of the barrier

10 Functional barrier The effectiveness of the functional barrier depends on: Concentration and diffusion coefficient of contaminants in the recycled layer Chemical nature and thickness of the barrier layer Conditions of use: o Type of food o Temperature and time of use A functional barrier must also be efficient under processing conditions, to prevent diffusion of substances when the polymer layers are in contact at high temperatures

11 BANUS project Definition and development of functional barriers for the use of recycled materials in multi-layer food packaging Duration: 24 months July June 2016 Funded by Partners: 9 partners from 6 countries

12 BANUS project - Goals Develop new multilayer structures for food packaging applications (using conventional polymers to achieve new functionalities) Evaluate their properties as functional barriers Open new potential markets for the traditional recycling companies in Europe The ultimate objective is to increase the technical knowledge about materials and technologies used in functional barrier development 12

BANUS project - Objectives Substitution of a percentage of virgin material by recycled material (paper or plastic) in the selected structures in order to develop more environmental friendly food

13 BANUS project - Objectives Substitution of a percentage of virgin material by recycled material (paper or plastic) in the selected structures in order to develop more environmental friendly food packaging structures The main objective is to ensure highly efficient functional barriers to guarantee food safety when using recycled materials (plastic and paper) even coming from non-authorized recycling processes in food packaging structures A key point is the evaluation of the functional barriers performance when positioned between recycled materials and foodstuffs 13

BANUS project - Stages Methodology to asses the

contamination of a packaging material with a

(challenge test) Incorporation of contaminated

the functional barrier Migration testing with

14 BANUS project - Stages Methodology to asses the effectiveness as functional barrier Intentional contamination of a packaging material with a known concentration of surrogate substances (challenge test) Incorporation of contaminated material within the packaging structure behind the functional barrier Migration testing with food-simulating solvents under worst foreseeable conditions of use

BANUS project Case Studies Case Study 1: Semi-rigid multilayer

Study 3 Coated paperboard packaging Current structure Current

Paperboard/Coating Co-extrusion Lamination adhesives Coating

15 BANUS project Case Studies Case Study 1: Semi-rigid multilayer plastic packaging Case Study 2 Flexible multilayer packaging Case Study 3 Coated paperboard packaging Current structure Current processing technology PP/EVOH/PP Paper/PET met/pe Paperboard/Coating Co-extrusion Lamination adhesives Coating Recycled material proposed Recycled PP Recycled paper Recycled paperboard End users Applications 15

BANUS project- Partners roles RTD/DEMO resources mobilisation

Pilot plant processing Testing MTM(SME) Plastic recycler

co-extrusion HELIO (SME) Lamination DELTA (SME) Paper coating

Pilot plant processing Testing CTC (OTH) End-user Cluster + AVEP

16 BANUS project- Partners roles RTD/DEMO resources mobilisation and integration AIMPLAS Plastic materials and processes expert Pilot plant processing Testing MTM(SME) Plastic recycler BUMAGA(SME) Paper recycling expert + BOBINÓ (SME) Plastic co-extrusion HELIO (SME) Lamination DELTA (SME) Paper coating INNVENTIA Paper and coatings materials and processes expert Pilot plant processing Testing CTC (OTH) End-user Cluster + AVEP (OTH) Plastic industry association Value chain resources mobilisation and integration 16

17 Case Study 1 Thermoformed PP/EVOH/PP tray 17

CASE STUDY 1: Thermoformed PP/EVOH/PP trays Requirements Final

evaluated Barrier properties Mechanical properties: compression, impact

ºC-115 min)+long term storage at room T or below Assymetric: PP+tie /

18 CASE STUDY 1: Thermoformed PP/EVOH/PP trays Requirements Final application Type of food t-t contact conditions Structures to be evaluated Barrier properties Mechanical properties: compression, impact resistance Fatty liver (foie gras) Sterilization (80ºC- 60 min or 90 ºC-115 min)+long term storage at room T or below Assymetric: PP+tie / Recycled PP+tie / EVOH / PP+tie Symmetric: PP+tie/ EVOH / Recycled PP+tie / EVOH / PP+tie

19 CASE STUDY 1: Thermoformed PP/EVOH/PP trays SELECTION OF SURROGATES FDA Guidance for Recycled Plastic EFSA Opinion on submission a dossier for safety evaluation of recycling processes Substance Chloroform Toluene Benzophenone Phenylcyclohexane Copper(II) 2-ethylhexanoate Properties Volatile Polar Volatile Non-Polar Non-Volatile Polar Non-Volatile Non-Polar Heavy metal

CASE STUDY 1: Thermoformed PP/EVOH/PP trays CONTAMINATION OF PP - Virgin PP + Surrogate contaminants cocktail - 40ºC under continuous stirring - Several times of contact (since

20 CASE STUDY 1: Thermoformed PP/EVOH/PP trays CONTAMINATION OF PP - Virgin PP + Surrogate contaminants cocktail - 40ºC under continuous stirring - Several times of contact (since 10 days) until maximum concentration was achieved - Rinse twice with water for elimination of surface contamination - Drying - Quantification of contamination level (chromatography)

/ EVOH / / Contaminated PP+tie / PP+tie Symmetric

21 CASE STUDY 1: Thermoformed PP/EVOH/PP trays PILOT PLANT CO-EXTRUSION+THERMOFORMING Asymmetric structure: PP+tie / EVOH / / Contaminated PP+tie / PP+tie Symmetric structure: PP+tie / EVOH / / Contaminated PP+tie / EVOH / PP+tie

Vegetable oil simulant and alternative simulants (Iso-octane and Ethanol 95%) for Chloroform,

22 CASE STUDY 1: Thermoformed PP/EVOH/PP trays MIGRATION STUDIES Exposure - Filling - Conditions: 2h/100ºC + 10d/60ºC - Simulants: - Simulant B (Acetic acid 3%) for Copper(II) 2- ethylhexanoate - Vegetable oil simulant and alternative simulants (Iso-octane and Ethanol 95%) for Chloroform, toluene, benzophenone and phenylcyclohexane Quantification of specific migrants - Chromatography techniques - ICP-AES

23 CASE STUDY 1: Thermoformed PP/EVOH/PP trays MIGRATION STUDIES Migration results in all cases are above 0.01 ppb (except for Cu) IT CANNOT BE PROVED THAT ANY OF THE TESTED STRUCTURES ACTS AS FUNCTIONAL BARRIER

24 CASE STUDY 1: Thermoformed PP/EVOH/PP trays RESULTS - Specific substances have been selected to cover a wide range of contaminants in a worst-case scenario for challenge test - Migration tests methods have been optimized to perform a correct evaluation - High levels of contaminants in the simulants after the exposure stage do not permit to prove that any of the structures tested acts as functional barrier - Further research proposed to study diffusion of contaminants between layers during co-extrusion and thermoforming process

25 Case Study 2 Flexible multilayer multimaterial packaging 25

CASE STUDY 2: Flexible multilayer packaging

conditions Structures to be evaluated Barrier

strength, CoF, tear resistance Preparation for soups in

26 CASE STUDY 2: Flexible multilayer packaging Requirements Final application Type of food t-t contact conditions Structures to be evaluated Barrier properties Mechanical properties: delamination strength, CoF, tear resistance Preparation for soups in powder form Long term storage at room T Coating / Recycled Paper / Metallized PET / PE

27 CASE STUDY 2: Flexible multilayer packaging CONTAMINATION OF PAPER - Spike 1: Mixture of chemicals - Spike 2: Recycled dirty paper - Spike 3: Mineral oils - Spike 4: Boric acid and metal salt Maximum concentration was achieved and verified in used contamination conditions

28 CASE STUDY 2: Flexible multilayer packaging PILOT-PLANT LAMINATION PROCESS Recycled Paper / Metallized PET / PE

29 CASE STUDY 2: Flexible multilayer packaging MIGRATION STUDIES - Within a range from t=0 at 20 o C to 10 days at 60 o C with simulant A and E - B, C, D2 and substitute simulants at the worst case scenario of 10 days 60 o C SPIKE 1 - Worst-case scenario - Below 0.01 mg/kg foodstuffs for 9 substances SPIKE 2 - Met PET/PE behaves as a functional barrier for a nonfood contact approved recycled paper

30 CASE STUDY 2: Flexible multilayer packaging MIGRATION STUDIES - Within a range from t=0 at 20 o C to 10 days at 60 o C with simulant A and E - B, C, D2 and substitute simulants at the worst case scenario of 10 days 60 o C SPIKE 3 - Met PET/PE behaves as a functional barrier for mineral oils SPIKE 4 - Water soluble compounds are normally not migrating through the gas phase and are therefore not a problem for migration to dry food

31 CASE STUDY 2: Flexible multilayer packaging RESULTS - Exaggerated worst case conditions have been applied by means of 4 different spiking procedures performed - Migration tests methods have been optimized to perform a correct evaluation - Met PET/PE could be considered as a functional barrier when laminated to real recycled paper - Further research proposed in order to prevent set-off diffusion during roll laminate storage by means of a barrier coating

32 Case Study 3 Coated paperboard packaging 32

CASE STUDY 3: Coated paperboard packaging Requirements Mechanical properties; flexibility, resistance to abrasion Final application Type of food 1.

33 CASE STUDY 3: Coated paperboard packaging Requirements Mechanical properties; flexibility, resistance to abrasion Final application Type of food 1. Fast food (high fat content) 2. Cereals t-t contact conditions Structures to be evaluated 1. Short term storage of hot foodstuffs 2. Long term storage at room T Coating / Recycled Paperboard / Coating

CASE STUDY 3: Coated paperboard packaging SELECTION OF COATINGS - Up to 120 different coatings were selected for trials at laboratory level SCREENING

34 CASE STUDY 3: Coated paperboard packaging SELECTION OF COATINGS - Up to 120 different coatings were selected for trials at laboratory level SCREENING CRITERIA Dry coat weight TAPPI 454 test (penetration resistance to fats and oils) - After screening 9 coatings subjected for verification performing migration test

35 CASE STUDY 3: Coated paperboard packaging MIGRATION STUDIES RESULTS - 2 hours at 70 o C and 10 days at 60 o C - Simulants B and E SPIKE 1 SPIKE 2 SPIKE 3 SPIKE 4 - Only one coating show lower migration values and could be considered as a functional barrier for mineral oils

36 BANUS project General conclusions Considerable advance in the knowledge on methodologies of contaminating materials with representative surrogates (challenge test) Optimization of methods for migration evaluation of substances in selected packaging structures for each case study Co-extrusion and thermoforming are critical processes that can promote diffusion of contaminants between layers, affecting functional barrier behavior Paperboard coatings evaluated have not been able to act as a functional barrier to all selected contaminants Further work is needed in order to optimize barrier effectiveness on a commercial product

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Food Safe Packaging Hotmelt Adhesives Everything you need to know. Ralf Eberhardt & Philippe Cordier June 19, 2015

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