Polyethylene/polyamide composite packaging before recycling
Monomers

Monomers

Mechanical recycling of polyamide-containing multilayer structures

Recycling of polyethylene/polyamide composite packaging is already state-of-the-art.

Multi-layer packaging combines the best properties of different materials and thus achieves the best product protection with minimal material use. Polyethylene/polyamide packaging is used in applications with high mechanical and thermal demands (such as sausage, cheese or meat packaging).

Multi-layer food packaging

BASF welcomes reclassification of recyclability of coextruded polyethylene/polyamide film structures

The „Stiftung Zentrale Stelle Verpackungsregister” (Central Agency Packaging Register) has reclassified the recyclability of polyamides in the minimum standard for assessing the recyclability of packaging subject to system participation pursuant to Section 21 (3) VerpackG: Since September 1, coextruded polyethylene (PE)/polyamide (PA) film structures have been recognized as mechanically recyclable.

Institute cyclos-HTP GmbH has proven and certified the recyclability of polyamide 6 (PA6, Ultramid® B) as well as Polyamide 6/6.6 (PA6/6.6, Ultramid® C) in coextruded polyethylene (PE)/PA6-multilayer film structures for the PE film stream. This was analyzed for PA contents of up to 30 percent in the original packaging based practice-relevant conditions.

The research details and results related to this work have been summarized in an updated publication to provide detailed answers to a wide range of questions on this issue. This publication is available for download here.

Cyclos HTP certificates

Certificates: recyclability of co-extruded PE/PA (PA6 and PA6/66)

Polyamide 6_PA6 (pdf, 207.17 KB)

LDPE films with 30% PA6 (pdf, 259.71 KB)

LDPE films with 30% PA6 and compatibilizer (pdf, 261.15 KB)

Co-Polyamide_PA6-66 (pdf, 208.90 KB)

PE-LD films with 30% PA6-66 (pdf, 261.48 KB)

Certificates: recyclability of co-extruded PE/PA6/EVOH

PA6 and EVOH in coextruded PE films (pdf, 207.59 KB)

LDPE films with 30% PA6_5% EVOH_compatibilizer (pdf, 258.47 KB)

PA6 + EVOH + compatibilizer_valuable material_cyclos HTP (pdf, 207.96 KB)

Certificates: recyclability of laminated PE/PA6

PA6 (laminated) + compatibilizer recycling (pdf, 231.43 KB)

Recyclability of coextruded polyethylene/polyamide films 

Why is this topic important?

Due to the currently very pronounced focus on the mechanical recycling of packaging waste from households and here on the so-called "monomaterials" desired by the recycling industry and politics, the advantages of polyamides for high-performance and flexible packaging are being pushed into the background. Certain criteria, such as the reduction of the used plastic due to lower material thicknesses ("downgauging"), the associated reduction in plastic waste volumes or the improved utilization of foodstuffs due to extended shelf life in barrier packaging with polyamide, are not adequately taken into account. Yet these criteria play an important role when it comes to supplying food to a continuously growing world population and reducing packaging waste and food wastage.

The currently realized update concerning compatibility of coextruded PE/PA multilayer films in the category “LDPE and films” of “Minimum standard for determining the recyclability of packaging subject to system participation pursuant to section 21 (3) VerpackG of ZSVR in Germany is a first and extremely important step to consider the advantages of PA containing packaging structures as well as the latest state-of-technology in terms of recyclability of Polyamides into legislation basics. Due to the fact, that there are a lot of things to do, especially with focus to the still ongoing finalization of EU legislation, we as BASF will continue to work and argue for a serious categorization of Polyamides in flexible packaging structures.

“Film-to-film” approach for PE/PA waste blends is a real recycling option including manufacturing of  “new” monolayer films:

Compatibilizer added as dry blend during 2nd blown film process. 
PE/PA mix pur (pellet)
Monolayer PE/PA blown film 1.
PE/PA mix, pre-compatibilized (pellet) 
Direct processing of pre-com-patibilized PIR to 2nd blown film.
Monolayer PE/PA blown film 2.

Get in contact

Simone Schillo
BASF SE, Senior Manager Market Development Polyamides & Precursors Europe