PACKAGING
“We’ve had plastic springs on the agenda for about two years. We currently use metal springs in pumps and triggers. You can compress them and they’ll return to their original shape a minimum of 2,000 times before losing their compression strain. Plastic springs, on the other hand, typically last only 250 compressions. For some people, that reduced lifespan is acceptable. However, it can be a nightmare.
“For instance, with hand soap, you get about adds another 160 uses, but the spring starts to lose its power after that. If it’s a plastic spring, it will wear out quickly. So, we had to design a polymer spring robust enough to handle multiple last up to 2,000 uses. That’s a pure polymer engineering challenge.
recycled content. Unless a biopolymer can be recycled through mainstream processes, it’s not as useful.
“We’ve evaluated them all and there are issues. PLA, for instance, is often praised, but it contaminates the waste stream. PVOH and PVA are alternatives, but they’re still polymers, is that biopolymers are great at the front end, but problematic at the back end. Only certain types really work well and they are good for replacing within components, coating trays or coatings on boxes, for example. They work well in these cases because they get washed away in the recycling process at paper mills, which use chemicals like alcohol and acids to break things down. “In my opinion, biopolymers have their place, recycled.”
A SOLUTION FOR EVERY MARKET At this point, it is easy to start questioning what the ideal solution actually is or if it even exists at all. Martin argues looking for one magic bullet solution is the wrong approach. “I always tell my team, don’t approach everything with blinkers on. Look at it in terms of what is the best material for you’re targeting because not everything will work in every market. It’s as simple as that. “So, we have to balance all these factors. You have to keep an open mind, with no preconceptions, because there’s always something new and unexpected. We’ve even seen old technologies like casein, which is milk
the early 1900s, make a comeback because it’s a natural source that can replace synthetic polymers in glues for laminating bottles, labels, etc.
“We also look at polymers derived from other natural sources, like chitosan, which is made from crustacean shells, the second most abundant polymer source in the world. A company in Scotland has developed a process to turn it into a usable material that’s now going commercial. It’s great, but the price is still high, and everyone’s testing to see where it could be used.”
Does Martin think this is likely? “It’s a promising would ask any innovator is, ‘What’s the end-of-life solution for this material?’ If it creates a waste You have to think about both the business needs and the environmental impact. It’s great if a startup offers something better than what we have now, but if the end-of-life solution doesn’t align, there’s an imbalance, and the material’s application becomes limited. This is why, while many bio-based materials may look fantastic, the key question is: what’s the end of life?”
A PAINSTAKING PROCESS OF INNOVATION Sometimes, working through these issues can take years of R&D, a rigorous process that can yield unexpected results. “From every hundred forward for testing, and out of those, perhaps only says Martin.
“We’ve even reached out to manufacturers of plastic springs used in airplane landing gear due to the technical complexity involved. Then there’s the issue of testing. When we started incorporating post-consumer recycled (PCR) materials, we found that people often thought, ‘Oh, we can just throw in some PCR, and it’ll be material characteristics, affecting how the plastic As Martin explains, these frequent reality checks are needed to ensure packaging can still ultimately, consumers. “As part of my role, I step in to ask, ‘Have we tested this to see if it’s viable? Can we blow a bottle, cup or spoon out of it? Will it pose any risks to the consumer?’ It could be the most sustainable product in the world, but if it has even one negative impact on the consumer, it’s a problem.
“My team and I look at these materials and come up with innovative ideas. We will test everything, absolutely everything. We evaluate physical characteristics, material properties and how they interact with the product. We assess whether they can withstand transportation and e-commerce transit, the impacts on shelf life and any risks to the consumer. All of these factors are encapsulated in what we do.
“This reality is why our work encompasses material science, engineering, consumer science and commercial strategies. All of these elements combine to give us a clearer picture of what’s feasible.”
As a relentlessly forward-thinking industry, this kind of pragmatism can be a bitter pill make the strongest steel, the most painstaking development processes often result in the best packaging. Ideas and inspiration are vital ingredients, but reality remains the ultimate test. Martin Settle’s eagerly anticipated appearance at the Packaging Innovations and Empack 2025 will dive deeper into this very challenge, offering unique insights from his extensive experience in polymer science and sustainable packaging. His participation promises to shed light on the practicalities and trade-offs essential for meaningful progress in sustainable materials.
Easyfairs
www.easyfairs.com FACTORY&HANDLINGSOLUTIONS | DECEMBER/JANUARY 2024/25 31
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