Sustainable pasta packaging rolled out

SABIC has rolled out a novel pasta packaging project as part of its TRUCIRCLE program to accelerate the circular plastic economy. Garofalo, an Italian pasta manufacturer, has introduced the packaging made by GT Polifilm and Polivouga using SABIC’s certified circular polypropylene (PP). The material is derived from advanced recycling and converted into a biaxially oriented polypropylene (BOPP) film for this application, which contains 30% post-consumer recycled (PCR) content.

The PCR content in the bags is based on used plastics, which is then turned into pyrolysis oil in an advanced recycling process. The oil is then used in the production of new polymers with the same specifications as virgin plastics from conventional feedstock. Polivouga, a flexible film manufacturer, then produces the basic BOPP film for the pasta packaging. GT Polifilm, a specialist in the production of flexible polypropylene products for automated packaging in the food industry, adds a cast PP film to the BOPP film to create a mono-material structure, which is then converted to tailor-made pasta bags. The bags, once used, can be recycled again in existing PP waste streams.

Abdullah Al-Otaibi, General Manager, ETP & Market Solutions at SABIC, said these solutions will only work in the long term if the companies involved in creating them continue to collaborate.

Flexible plastic packaging is a sustainable alternative to traditional packaging; however, a lot of food items are packaged in paper/plastic combinations or laminates which are difficult to recycle and may have a bigger carbon footprint due to higher resource consumption.

Ragionier Talamo, Sole Director at GT Polifilm, said, “The incorporation of recycled content has been a key area of focus for us over the past few years. By supporting the circular economy, adding value to plastics and promoting their recycling into new packaging products, we hope to make a significant contribution to solving the enormous challenge of improving recycling rates and minimising plastic waste.”

Tiago Barros, Executive Manager at Polivouga, said, “As a producer of flexible films, we are well aware of our responsibilities in turning our own and our customers’ sustainability goals into reality, and we are very committed to the challenge. Our new BOPP product demonstrates the determined journey we have embarked on with SABIC. We welcome the advanced recycling route offered by SABIC as an opportunity to make a meaningful contribution to the circularity of plastics in BOPP films. In collaboration with strong global partners, this breakthrough project is demonstrating the feasibility of reusing plastic waste in safe food-grade packaging rather than losing its value to landfill or incineration.”

SABIC’s TRUCIRCLE portfolio also includes design for recyclability, mechanically recycled products, certified renewable polymers from bio-based feedstock and closed loop initiatives to recycle plastic back into high-quality applications and help prevent valuable used plastics from becoming waste.

A sample of this first mono-PP pasta packaging material will be on display at Interpack 2023.

Image supplied.