INEOS invests in state-of-the-art technology to design recyclable flexible packaging film to prevent one million tonnes of waste going to landfill each year
- INEOS Olefins & Polymers Europe announces multi-million Euro investment in state-of-the-art multilayer, blown line technology with Machine Direction Orientation (MDO) supplied by Hosokawa Alpine, a pioneer in MDO technology
- The business will bring its polymer expertise to develop, design and produce new, recyclable flexible packaging films in partnership with converters, brands and retailers
- The investment creates the potential to prevent approximately one million tons of waste per year1 from being sent to landfill or incineration
INEOS Olefins & Polymers Europe has announced today a multi-million Euro investment in state-of-the-art technology that will enable it to work with converters, brands and retailers to develop simpler, more recyclable flexible packaging film. The investment could help to prevent around one million tonnes of waste from being sent to landfill each year1.
Using new multilayer, blown line technology with Machine Direction Orientation (MDO), INEOS and partners will work together to develop, design and produce polyethylene and polypropylene-based flexible packaging film using fewer polymers, increasing the recyclability of the product.
Flexible packaging films are a low carbon solution for transporting food and other goods; and they increase food shelf life, helping consumers to manage household bills. However today’s multi-material products combine polymers from different chemical families, making them difficult to recycle. Reducing the number of polymers used to produce packaging film will make packaging that is designed to be recycled.
INEOS is the only raw material supplier to have invested in an inline MDO-multilayer line from Hosokawa Alpine, a pioneer in MDO technology, which heats and stretches polymer films to improve their physical and barrier properties, enabling them to be used in different product applications.
The new line will be installed in INEOS’ R&D labs in Brussels, Belgium, in 2023, where INEOS will develop new, mono-material flexible film packaging products. INEOS will leverage this capability and its expertise in resin design to work alongside partners on new generations of resins specially engineered for their flexible packaging products.
Rob Ingram, Chief Executive, INEOS O&P Europe North, said: “This investment is further evidence of our commitment to taking action across the value chain to create a more sustainable future. Flexible packaging films keep our food fresh and safe to eat, but we recognise and share people’s concerns about plastic waste.”
“I’m excited about the prospect of working closely with our partners to use this world-leading technology to develop new capabilities and a more recyclable solution for this important product.”
ENDS.
Media Contacts:
Richard Longden (Richard.longden@ineos.com) 0041 21 627 7063 or 0041 7996 26123
Andrew McLachlan (andrew@mediazoo.tv) 07931 377162
Alex Williams (alex.williams@mediazoo.tv) 07793 207325
About INEOS: INEOS is a global manufacturing company making the raw materials and energy used for everyday life. Its products make an indispensable contribution to society by providing the most sustainable options for a wide range of societal needs. For example, preservation of food and clean water; construction of wind turbines, solar panels and other renewable technologies; for construction of lighter and more fuel-efficient vehicles and aircraft; for medical devices and applications; for clothing and apparel; and for insulation and other industrial and home applications.
INEOS businesses have put in place the plans and actions needed to ensure that they lead the transition to a net zero economy by no later than 2050, whilst remaining profitable, and staying ahead of evolving regulations and legislation. As part of its greenhouse gas emission reduction strategy, there is widespread goal to move to a more circular economy, in which materials are re-used to their maximum extent.
Other examples of concrete action being taken across the value chain include:
- Building Project One, the most environmentally sustainable cracker in Europe and largest investment in the European chemical sector in a generation
- Conducting a feasibility study into the construction of a 100-megawatt water electrolysis plant for producing green hydrogen at our site in Koln, which could cut CO2 by more than 100,000 tonnes per year
- The Recycl-IN polymer range, which compounds post-consumer recycled plastic with new highly engineered virgin polymers to meet the demand for recycled products that meet high performance specifications
- Recycling investments that will drive up recycling levels and produce food-grade certified recycled content
This is just a small sample of the action being taken across the global INEOS business to deliver net zero emissions and develop a circular economy in which valuable materials stay in use. Go to https://www.ineos.com/sustainability/ for more.
1) Source: Circular Economy for Flexible Packaging, 2016. CEFLEX is a collaboration of over 180 European companies, associations and organizations representing the flexible packaging value chain