Recyclable food packaging contributes to a lower carbon footprint

Raindrops on a leaf

How do you balance the need to keep food fresh, safe and optimal while recognising that every piece of packaging has the potential to add to growing volumes of non-recyclable waste? Finding an eco-friendly alternative that maintains the necessary properties for food packaging while enabling recyclability is crucial for reducing the environmental impact of packaging waste. Covestro may have found the answer.

Our new barrier coating resin is a game-changer in addressing this issue. It gives food producers and packaging makers an excellent opportunity to deliver the protection that packaging requires while having less impact on the environment.

Davide Reverdito Bove – Sector Marketing Manager Printing & Packaging at Covestro

Their innovative solution lies in the development of a partially bio-based barrier coating resin called Decovery® CQ 6010 for food packaging applications. The resin uses 37% bio-based raw materials to create a more sustainable and lower carbon footprint packaging material, and thanks to its barrier properties, it can be used to replace materials such as polyethylene and aluminium, often used in packaging applications. Decovery it’s partially made from plant-based materials that are transparently sourced, such as tree bark, castor beans and corn. As well as being more sustainable, bio-based materials substantially reduce the emissions generated compared to virgin polyethylene and fossil-based feedstocks.

Covestro’s Decovery® resin provides a sustainable solution for food packaging by enhancing recyclability while not compromising quality and safety. The resin retains the necessary properties, such as barrier protection against moisture, water, oil and grease, while incorporating renewable resources. This highlights the opportunities for packaging materials that are both eco-friendly and compatible with existing recycling processes.