TRANSDUCERS, TRANSMITTERS & SENSORS
ANALYSING YOUR SUSTAINABILITY GOALS
Packaging manufacturers are using VOC analysers to ensure sustainability goals are not achieved at the expense of other environmental targets
adhesives and many other products can be manufactured from fossil fuels, chemicals, catalysts and recycled materials, but many of the processes by which these materials are transformed into packaging result in VOC emissions. During polymerisation, for example, unreacted monomers and residual catalysts can be released as VOCs.
James Clements, Managing Director, Signal Group, says gas analysers are performing a vital role for packaging manufacturers, as they seek new ways to develop sustainable packaging
ignal Group has seen a particular increase in demand for its continuous VOC measurement instruments in the packaging sector. VOCs (volatile organic compounds) are emitted during the manufacture of many packaging production processes, but these harmful pollutants are tightly regulated so continuous monitoring is necessary. In addition, it would not be possible, for example, to label a recyclable product as more sustainable if it caused an increase in VOC emissions.
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“The packaging industry is currently under enormous pressure,” explained James Clements. “Firstly, most of the major players have made commitments under their ESG policies to improve the sustainability of their products. They are doing this because their customers demand it, consumers want it, and of course it’s the right thing to do, but sustainability means different things to different people,” he said. “Secondly, new regulations such as the UK’s Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) and the EU's Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) are strongly encouraging packaging manufacturers to increase the use of recycled materials and to develop
12 JANUARY 2026 | PROCESS & CONTROL
recyclable and reusable products.” According to a recent McKinsey report: “The global packaging sector continues to be attractive and is expected to grow faster than global GDP. Industry demand for — or at least interest in piloting — sustainable packaging is also rising as a result of pledges by companies across the value chain to reduce material use, increase circularity, and make more use of recycled materials.”
However, as Clements explained: “It’s not as simple as that. Yes, waste reduction is enormously important, but the development of new packaging products can be a bit like ‘whack-a-mole’ because sustainability objectives also include other important factors such as carbon footprint and environmental emissions.
“Whilst seeking to develop new, more sustainable and recyclable products, packaging companies are also looking to ensure that they do not inadvertently increase their emissions of pollutants such as VOCs, and this is where we are seeing a large increase in demand for continuous analysers,” he added. VOCs are released by a variety of packaging manufacturing processes. Plastics, resins, fibres, textiles, elastomers, solvents, pigments,
The manufacture of some food packaging involves the application of a plastic membrane (PET, HDPE, LDPE, PP etc.) to cardboard or paper. This is a good example of a process that releases VOCs which have to be abated. Typically, a Regenerative Thermal Oxidizer (RTO) is used to destroy the VOCs and other industrial pollutants in exhaust gases by oxidizing them into harmless substances like carbon dioxide and water vapour. RTO abatement systems have to be controlled by a gas analyser. For example, a Signal Flame Ionisation Detector (FID) can take samples from both ends of the RTO to check abatement performance and demonstrate regulatory performance. A FID offers the standard reference method for the analysis of VOC emissions. The FID method is specifically designed to detect carbon-hydrogen (C-H) bonds, making it highly selective for VOCs.
Signal manufactures two main types of FID –
fixed and portable. The fixed analysers are permanently deployed to measure VOC emissions in one location, and the portable analysers can be used at multiple sites, where discontinuous monitoring is permissible. In many countries, the monitoring of VOCs for regulatory compliance requires certification to specific performance standards. For example, Signal’s latest FID, the SOLAR CEMNEX, recently passed a rigorous program of tests at TÜV in Germany. As a consequence, this monitor has MCERTS approval verifying that it complies with the performance and uncertainty requirements specified in the UK’s Environment Agency Guidance: MCERTS for stack emissions monitoring equipment at industrial installations - Continuous emissions monitoring systems (CEMS) Updated 28 August 2024, EN 15267-1:2023, EN15267-2:2023, EN 15267-3:2007 and QAL 1 as defined in EN 14181: 2014.
Signal Group
www.signal-group.com
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