Recyclable Meat Shrink Bags
Affiliated company: Amcor (Australia and New Zealand)
Type of packaging: food
Barrier shrink bags have been the primary form of packaging for raw protein packaging for decades. This is also the largest number of non-returnable flexible packaging formats. As part of Amcor's plan to ensure their packaging is 100% recyclable, reusable or compostable by 2025, Amcor ANZ invested in local R&D and talent to produce Ecotite R, a new high barrier shrink bag , with performance equivalent to existing bags, but free of polyvinylidene chloride PVDC and other contaminants. This also ensures their domestic and export customers are compliant with proposed recycling legislation in Australia, New Zealand, EU, UK, South Korea and other jurisdictions. Ecotite R is recyclable for store schemes; and will meet future Australian and international recycling requirements for advanced soft plastics. At the same thickness, the bags are 6% lighter than current PVDC-based bags, resulting in an improved carbon footprint.
Ecotite R ensures bulk and retail protein transport is safe, safe for consumers and extends shelf life at low cost. Ecotite R shrink bags can be recycled under return schemes in Australia and New Zealand; from 2024, Amcor in Australia and its industry partners will offer an advanced recycling service. Once this capability is available, Ecotite R has the potential to reduce non-renewable primary energy requirements by more than 60%, reduce carbon emissions by more than 45%, and use less water over its manufacturing lifecycle than an equivalent single-use PVDC bag More than 55%.
