Recyclable packaging

Recyclable packaging can be collected after use, sorted into the right stream and reprocessed into new raw material. Being made of a recyclable polymer is not enough; the whole design has to suit the recycling process.

The challenge for flexible packaging

Classic pouches bond different materials together, such as PET outside, foil in the middle and PE inside. This multilayer structure protects well, but the layers cannot be separated, so the pack cannot be reprocessed as a single material.

Designing for recycling

• Use a single polymer family, as in mono-material PE or PP pouches
• Replace foil with low levels of EVOH, thin metallisation or clear barrier coatings
• Choose zips, spouts and caps from the same polymer family
• Keep inks and adhesives compatible with recycling
• Consider paper-recyclable paper-based packaging

Recyclable is not the same as recycled

Whether a pack is actually recycled depends on consumer behaviour, local collection and sorting, and an end market for the material. Flexible plastics are still collected less widely than bottles in many areas. Any "recyclable" claim should be backed by technical evidence, and clear material labelling with recycling codes helps consumers dispose of the pack correctly.