Living Proof recently tested the recyclability of the packaging of some hair care products.
The Plastic Recyclers Association recently recognized the recyclability of three packaging innovations: 100% plastic aerosol cans, EVOH barrier tubes, and copolymer-coated HDPE bottles.
APR 于12 月17 日向宝洁公司(P&G) 发布了一份关于其新的100% 聚合物气溶胶容器的重要指导信。 APR 于12 月17 日向宝洁公司(P&G) released an important guidance letter regarding its new 100% polymer 气涁躸化合. 17 декабря APR выпустила важное руководство для Procter & Gamble (P&G) в отношении своих новых 100% полимерных аэрозольных контейнеров. On December 17, APR issued important guidance to Procter & Gamble (P&G) regarding its new 100% polymer aerosol containers. On December 10, the hair care brand Living Proof received a letter regarding its high-density polyethylene bottle with a copolymer coating. Albéa Group received an APR letter dated December 6 on its tube with a barrier layer.
In December, representatives from all three companies attended a webinar explaining how their packaging passed recyclability tests.
Jennifer Hosmer of P&G noted during the webinar that aerosol containers have long been made strictly of steel or aluminum. Jennifer Hosmer of P&G noted during the webinar that aerosol containers have long been made strictly of steel or aluminum. Дженнифер Хосмер из P&G отметила во время вебинара, что аэрозольные баллоны уже давно изготавливаются строго из стали или алюминия. P&G’s Jennifer Hosmer noted during the webinar that aerosol cans have long been made strictly from steel or aluminum. Дженнифер Хосмер из Procter & Gamble отметила на вебинаре, что аэрозольные баллоны уже давно изготавливаются строго из стали или алюминия. Jennifer Hosmer of Procter & Gamble noted in a webinar that aerosol cans have long been made strictly from steel or aluminum. Plastic versions have been developed more recently, but the plastic bottle still has a metallic value. But she notes that the different materials are not easy to separate.
P&G developed a plastic version with a unique weld that provides a seal without the use of metal, Hosmer said. P&G developed a plastic version with a unique weld that provides a seal without the use of metal, Hosmer said. По словам Хосмера, P&G разработала пластиковую версию с уникальным сварным швом, обеспечивающим герметичность без использования металла. Hosmer says P&G has developed a plastic version with a unique welded seam that seals without the use of metal. По словам Хосмера, P&G разработала пластиковую версию с уникальным сварным швом, обеспечивающим герметичность без использования металла. Hosmer says P&G has developed a plastic version with a unique welded seam that seals without the use of metal. The bottle is made from PET, while the dip tube assembly, valve and actuator are made from plastic with a polyolefin backing, she says.
To test recyclability, P&G enlisted the help of independent R&D and testing company Plastics Forming Enterprises (PFE). To test recyclability, P&G enlisted the help of independent R&D and testing company Plastics Forming Enterprises (PFE). Чтобы проверить возможность вторичной переработки, P&G заручилась поддержкой независимой исследовательской и испытательной компании Plastics Forming Enterprises (PFE). To test recyclability, P&G enlisted the help of independent research and testing company Plastics Forming Enterprises (PFE). Для проверки возможности вторичной переработки P&G обратилась за помощью к Plastics Forming Enterprises (PFE), независимой компании, занимающейся исследованиями, разработками и испытаниями. To test recyclability, P&G turned to Plastics Forming Enterprises (PFE), an independent research, development and testing company, for help. According to Hosmer, the tests included milling, washing, laundering, extrusion and injection molding. PFE checks the weight and percentage of floating plastic, the percentage of agglomerates and the intrinsic viscosity of particles and plaques.
PFE also tested the molded panels for black spots, haze and discoloration. According to her, they all meet the requirements of the APR.
Hosmer says P&G uses aerosol cans in five of its product lines: fabric care, home care, cosmetics, hair care and personal care.
Tube manufacturer Albéa Group has upgraded its laminated tube to make a version that can be recycled in the HDPE bottle stream. The tube is used for oral care and packaging of cosmetic products.
Gilles Swingedau, the company’s VP of Marketing, Innovation and Sustainability, told the webinar audience that the company has moved from aluminum barrier laminate (ABL) to plastic barrier laminate (PBL) in Greenleaf pipe production. In PBL, EVOH is used to create a barrier rather than a layer of aluminum foil.
Swyngedauw said the Albéa Group has developed an extremely thin layer of EVOH that maintains high barrier properties to oxygen and water vapor.
According to the presentation, Albéa Group offers a choice of two different sleeve designs: a single layer of EVOH, a bonding layer and a polyethylene layer, as well as a high barrier option with two layers of EVOH, a bonding layer and a polyethylene layer. In the pipe, the polyethylene layer is typically high-density polyethylene or medium-density polyethylene, the tie layer is polyethylene, and the polymer chains are modified by 2 to 10 percent to improve adhesion between the EVOH and polyethylene, according to Swingedau. During the recycling process, the tie layer acts as a compatibility component between the EVOH and PE layers, he says.
During PFE recyclability testing, he says, experts experimented with what was considered the worst-case recovery scenario: Albéa GL250IB low-arm MFI tubing. According to him, the product has a melt flow index of 0.73, a density of 0.974, an EVOH content of 5.8%, and a bond coat of 4.4%. PFE shreds, washes and extrudes plastic, he says, and the reclaimed pellets meet APR’s expectations.
PFE then used the pellets to shape the bottle, which was tested for bottle weight, capacity, size, thickness, and “fall and crush,” he said.
Since the second quarter of this year, Albéa has been working on replacing polypropylene pipe caps with high-density polyethylene caps, he said. According to him, Albéa tested the processing of tubes with HDPE caps, and due to the high melt flow of HDPE caps, the recycled resin passed all measurements except for the melt index.
According to Barbara Spakowski, Vice President of Packaging Development at Living Proof, Living Proof has been using soft-touch coated HDPE bottles for its hair care products for a decade. Coatings not exceeding 10% by weight of the container are ethylene/propylene copolymers. Cover PP.
During the webinar, Spakowski said that the feel of a clear coat is an important part of a brand’s identity. Living Proof also works with PFE for recyclability testing.
During the webinar, PFE’s Christy Hansen explained that they started by testing the NIR optical sorter to make sure the packets could be sorted correctly. Tests by optical sorter company MSS showed a capture rate in excess of 95 percent after five runs of the optical sorter separating color HDPE, Hansen said, adding that the sorter was not pre-modified to identify a specific package.
The plastic is then shredded, refined, extruded into pellets and molded under pressure, according to Hansen. PFE Using samples from Living Proof 25% and 50% bottles, the pellets were examined for melt index, density, % volatiles, % polypropylene, ash content, DSC, and color, and measured frit pressure.
PFE then analyzed the molded parts for melt index, flexural modulus, tensile yield strength, elongation at break, and notched Izod impact strength.
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