BIOPLASTICS | MATERIALS
New compostable and bio-based plastics continue to hit the market – with applications ranging from mulch film to coffee packaging. Lou Reade reports
Natural selection: latest advances in bioplastics
Applications in bio-based plastics continues to grow rapidly, as users demand sustainable materi- als with properties that compete with those of traditional polymers. Fabbri has used compostable Ecovio polymer
from BASF to produce its transparent Nature Fresh stretch film.
It can be used to wrap meat, seafood and fruit and vegetables – either manually or with automatic packaging equipment. Industrial stretch packaging is also possible. “By combining Nature Fresh with our Automac
NF wrappers, the food packaging industry can benefit twice: from an innovative cling film; and from easy film processing,” said Stefano Mele, CEO at Fabbri.
“In this way, our compostable cling film can be used with trays and labels of the same kind in order to have a complete compostable packaging.” BASF says this is the first certified compostable cling film that combines optimal breathability for an extended shelf life of fresh food with high
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transparency and good mechanical properties for automatic packaging. As well as offering an alternative to PVC or PE
wrap, Ecovio has better water vapour transmission than PE, says BASF. Nature Fresh is food-contact approved accord- ing to US and European standards. After use, it can be composted with food waste either at home or in industrial facilities. Carsten Sinkel, from global business develop-
ment of biopolymers at BASF, added: “The market is looking for alternatives to PVC – which is today’s performance standard for most cling film packag- ing of fresh produce. PE films are lacking in performance, often leading to a reduced shelf life of packed fresh food. This results in considerable greenhouse gas emissions from food waste.” Nature Fresh is available in four formats: as rolls for manual or automatic packaging machines; for cutter boxes in hotels and catering; as jumbo rolls for converters; and as rolls for end consumer hand-wrapping applications.
Main image: BASF’s Ecovio has been used to make biodegradable mulch film
� January/February 2020 | FILM & SHEET EXTRUSION 13
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