MATERIALS | TECHNOLOGY ADDITIVES


Clariant wins approval for wax additives in EU


Clariant has gained EU Commission approval for its renewable rice bran wax additives in food-contact plastics, based on an EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) positive safety assessment. This authorisation covers the Licocare RBW 100-300 series, including Licocare RBW 360 Vita and RBW 560 Vita, authorising their use at up to 0.3% in PET, PLA and rigid PVC materials and articles intended for contact with non-fatty foods. “This authorisation opens significant opportu- nities for European manufacturers to transition to renewable alternatives while maintaining full compliance with food safety regulations,” said Diederik Goyvaerts, segment manager for


BIOPLASTICS European project makes PHA from brewery waste


BioSupPack, an EU-funded project, has shown that brewery waste can be converted into bioplastic packaging. Partners in the five-year project – which was led by Aimplas of Spain – have developed and validated polyhy- droxyalkanoate (PHA and PHB) materials and production processes that offer an alternative to fossil-based plastics while supporting compliance with the EU’s PPWR. “BioSupPack has scaled up innova-


tive biorefinery processes and devel- oped bio-based materials for rigid packaging for food and non-food


www.filmandsheet.com


applications,” said Rosa González Leyba of Aimplas, who coordinated the project. “Our packaging prototypes are very close to the current counterparts on the market.” One key achievement was to develop a scalable biorefinery process for PHB production from brewery spent grains. This involved “an innovative plasma pretreatment and microbial fermenta- tion” – transforming a low-value waste stream into a functional biopolymer. The process has now reached TRL6. � www.aimplas.es � www.biosuppack.eu


April 2026 | FILM & SHEET EXTRUSION 31 POLYPROPYLENE


PP grade aimed at flexpack


LyondellBasell (LYB) has introduced Pro-fax EP410C, a new polypro- pylene (PP) grade for rigid and flexible food packaging. “This new grade is a


additives at Clariant. The approval comple-


ments existing food contact authorisations from the US FDA and the Japanese food safety authority. The timing is said to be


particularly significant as the industry faces mounting challenges with traditional montan wax supply, which is extracted from lignite coal deposits.


As well as addressing supply challenges, Licocare


RBW Vita additives offer biodegradability and industrial compostability, supporting end-of-life sustainability goals for packaging materials, says Clariant. The rice bran wax additives also deliver processing benefits, including effective lubrica- tion, mould release, nuclea- tion effects and enhanced dispersion properties, it added. � www.clariant.com


direct response to what our customers need most – versatility, strength and durability,” said Derek Dever, commercial manager at LYB. The material combines high impact strength, cold temperature durability and high melt strength, making it ideal for demanding applications such as rigid packaging and sheet extrusion. With its low odour and


general-purpose additive package, it also supports consumer products with reliable performance, says the company. � www.lyondellbasell.com


IMAGE: CLARIANT


IMAGE: AIMPLAS


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