Evaluation of the recyclability of plastic packaging according to RecyClass(TM) criteria
Emmi AG is one of the leading Swiss companies for high-quality dairy products. As part of the Swiss Resource Efficiency Network (Reffnet.ch), we advised Emmi in the areas of packaging design and circular economy and supported them in finding a sustainable strategy for packaging films for cheese, so-called tubular bag films. For this purpose, tubular bag films made of two different material blends were examined and compared with each other in order to [...]
cycleworks - Closing the loop PS Switzerland
Plastics have become an integral part of our everyday lives, but their use also has a massive impact on the environment. One promising solution for reducing these effects is material recycling. This is exactly where our exchange comes in: Since 2020, stakeholders along the entire value chain have been committed to a closed loop for polystyrene (PS) food packaging. At the "Closing the loop" round table [...]
ScreenFood research project - for safe food and packaging
As an associated partner, we are supporting the European research project "Metrology for Food Safety in the Circular Economy: Targeting and Screening Methods for Contaminants in Food and Recycled Packaging", or "Screen Food" for short, for three years. The project aims to make food and food contact materials safe in the long term. To this end, measurement methods for the detection of contaminants in food [...]
Workshop Made in Zurich initiative on recyclable packaging
As part of the "KLW konkret - Verpackungen optimieren" event, we shared our know-how on the circular economy and packaging optimization with the members of the "Made in Zurich Initiative". While the participants developed creative solutions, we supported them with technical expertise. Keynote speech on the concrete implementation of the circular economy for packaging With a keynote speech, Melanie Haupt introduced the [...]
Using life cycle assessments to create a sustainable shopping cart
Background to the project Weita AG distributes consumables in Switzerland as part of the internationally active Bunzl Group. Its range includes around 100,000 products in the categories Foodservices, Cleaning, General, Safety & Hygiene and Healthcare. The topic of sustainability is also becoming increasingly important here, with sustainable product alternatives being demanded. Various sustainability indicators can be used [...]
Life cycle assessment and evaluation of the recyclability of food packaging
As part of her Bachelor's thesis in Environmental Engineering at the ZHAW, Lea Schneider is working on the recyclability and life cycle assessment of food packaging. Problem definition The substitution of plastic packaging with paper, cardboard or other fiber packaging (fiber-based packaging) is a trend in the food sector. Packaging should be recyclable, as resource-efficient and environmentally friendly as possible while at the same time protecting the contents. The idea is [...]
Use of PS recyclate behind a functional barrier
The use of secondary materials in food packaging is a key element in the implementation of a circular economy for packaging. The use quotas for secondary materials required in other European countries make the use of recycled plastics necessary in the food sector too. However, this is associated with uncertainties regarding the quality of secondary polymers and the migration behavior of impurities. With the new regulation [...]
Construction of closed circuits for food contact rPP (FCMrPP)
In our new, recently approved, Innosuisse project we are researching a closed loop for post-consumer food packaging made of polypropylene (PP) - together with our research partners, KATZ (Plastics Training and Technology Center) and the Institute for Technology Management of the University of St. Gallen (HSG-ITEM) and our industrial partners BASF Schweiz AG, Coop Genossenschaft, Emmi Schweiz AG, Greiner Packaging AG, InnoPlastics AG, Migros Industrie AG, Silac AG and Säntis Packaging AG. The project will start in October [...]
Industrial and commercial packaging survey
Packaging is responsible for 40% of plastic consumption and for a large part of cardboard consumption. However, while consumer goods packaging has been in the spotlight in recent years and various projects are underway to optimize it, there is a lack of corresponding knowledge about industrial and commercial packaging (I&G packaging). So far, there are no overarching statistics of the volume flows or quantities used [...].
Circular Economy for Polypropylene (CE4PP)
Polypropylene (PP) is one of the most important types of plastic used today. Unfortunately, it has not yet been possible to establish a closed cycle for PP food packaging. However, the latest investigations by realcycle GmbH (formerly REDILO GmbH) and the Plastics Training and Technology Center KATZ show promising results with regard to the technical possibilities. From this, clear requirements for a future collection and recycling system can be derived. In [...]