BREAKING DOWN THE PLASTICS USED IN FLEXIBLE PACKAGING 

As consumer spending continues to increase and brands strive to meet all-time highs in product demand, the flexible packaging industry has grown significantly in both influence and importance. Consumers consistently seek out more niche versions of products, such as specialty food items, beauty supplies, and pet products, leading to a greater variety and volume of packaging than ever before. However, as the amount of single-use plastic packaging increases, so too do concerns surrounding the effects of plastic on the environment, especially regarding how long it takes certain materials to break down. 

Plastic packaging, be it rigid or flexible, serves two key purposes: protection and promotion. Both functions are crucial in ensuring products can be delivered to consumers while preserving quality and safety. For this reason, it is reasonable to assume that packaging will continue to play a part in the life of the average consumer for many years to come. With all these factors considered, many brands are striving to find a healthy balance between packaging that protects their products and materials that minimize the brand’s impact on the environment.  

HOW DOES SINGLE-USE PLASTIC PACKAGING AFFECT THE ENVIRONMENT? 

As mentioned previously, plastic packaging plays an important role in protecting products from contaminants and spoilage during transit. A thin bag can keep food fresh for weeks or months at a time, which is a testament to the durability and usefulness of the plastics included in the package’s structure. Because flexible packaging is light weight and takes up less space than rigid packaging, it can even reduce the amount of energy needed to produce and ship products, helping many brands reduce their carbon emissions. 

However, the same qualities that are beneficial in preserving a product’s freshness quickly become negative when the single-use packaging has fulfilled its purpose and becomes waste. Current recycling systems typically cannot process multi-layered packaging, which means most single-use plastic flexible packaging ends up in one of two locations: the landfill or the environment.  

When plastic packaging ends up in the landfill, it is usually shielded from heat, moisture, and other forces that encourage decomposition. Many studies analyzing the lifespan of plastics assume the plastic will be in a landfill without exposure to the elements. Even though plastic does not break down well in a landfill, sending plastic packaging through the public waste system is still the most responsible choice when throwing it away as the alternative is littering and allowing plastic products to proliferate the natural landscape. 

Although the effect is hardly noticeable compared to organic matter, such as food or paper products, plastic packaging does gradually break down over time. The true issue lies in the fact that plastics do not break down into useful materials in the same way organic matter does. Instead, plastic packaging very slowly decomposes into tiny particles called microplastics. These microplastics eventually enter our water systems, food supplies, and bodies.  

Plastic packaging currently poses a significant problem for brands and consumers that want to be more environmentally conscious because this slow leaching of microplastics is a long-term issue that is difficult to counteract. Many brands are now demanding information about how different plastics decompose in order to make more informed choices that help them meet their sustainability goals.  

DECOMPOSITION FOR DIFFERENT TYPES OF PLASTIC IN PACKAGING 

Let’s take a look at some of the most popular packaging materials and how long it takes them to decompose once they become waste products. 

OPP is one of the most commonly used materials in the flexible packaging space and the most common material for food and beverage packaging due to its low cost, high melting point, and excellent tensile strength and clarity. It can be found everywhere, from chip bags and granola bar wrappers to sealed bags and resealable pouches. It helps prevent moisture from passing through the packaging structure and damaging the product.  

OPP has one of the shorter degradation cycles among common plastics, taking as much as 30 years to break down in a landfill, although it will degrade more quickly in ideal conditions. Flexible packaging converters who want to focus on sustainability efforts should consider how their products might be disposed of when deciding if OPP will help them in their environmental goals.  

This high-viscosity thermoplastic maintains its properties even when exposed to high temperatures, which makes it excellent as a protective packaging layer but quite resistant to decomposing. Nylon is hygroscopic, which means humidity and moisture are able to pass through it freely. However, it is perfect for keeping oxygen and sharp objects from damaging packaged goods.  

Nylon comes in many different forms in the retail space, including fibers and fabric, the latter of which has been found to decompose in a landfill after about 30 to 40 years. Unfortunately, studies concerning its effect in the packaging industry are scarce. Due to nylon’s specialized qualities, it is unlikely that the material will fall out of fashion in packaging in the near future.  

Highly durable and comparatively rigid in film form, PET is used in a wide range of print and packaging applications, particularly stand-up pouches and industrial-grade packaging. Because polyester is highly resistant to tearing and puncturing, it is often used for sharp objects and frozen foods. It can also be combined with a metallic coating to prevent the transmission of moisture and gas. 

PET takes a considerable amount of time to break down in a landfill setting, with many reports stating that it will potentially take centuries for a PET package to decompose without intentional intervention in a controlled environment. Fortunately, PET is one of the plastics that is more likely to be successfully recycled, although, in flexible packaging applications, this is only feasible with products made from a single type of material.  

While PE is known for being comparatively weak among plastic used for packaging, its elasticity can actually enhance the durability of a packaging structure when combined with other, more durable materials. PE typically comes in two compositions: high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and low-density polyethylene (LDPE). Each type has its own distinct properties and uses, ranging from a heat seal layer to a chemical barrier that prevents both highly basic and highly acidic products from leaching through packaging.  

Regardless of its construction, most PE in film form is estimated to decompose anywhere from about 20 years (assuming the bag is reused and exposed to the elements) to 1,000 years if buried in a landfill, hidden from heat, moisture, and microorganisms. However, some recyclers currently accept PE in the form of thin plastic bags, including shopping bags, bread bags, and other mono-layer single-use packaging.  

A MORE SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING SOLUTION 

Whether plastic packaging is thrown into a landfill or ends up as pollution in the environment, experts and laypeople alike acknowledge that the print and packaging industry will ultimately need to begin using alternative materials if humanity wants to reduce the amount of microplastics we currently produce. Fortunately, scientists have made headway in recent years in the development of more sustainable packaging materials. One of the more promising materials, known as cellulose, is becoming a popular option for the print and packaging industry. 

EcoElement CLS is a cellulose film that enables flexible packaging converters to reduce or completely eliminate the plastic in their packaging. The cellulose in this film is derived from wood pulp harvested using PEFC-certified practices, which means it is sustainable in both its construction and manufacturing. Additionally, film that is leftover as a by-product in the manufacturing process is reused in later batches, ensuring that as little material is wasted as possible.  

By far the most exciting part of EcoElement CLS is the fact that it is a bio-based film that breaks down at a comparable pace to organic matter. For the adhesive-free film version of this material, that means it can be considered both industrial and home compostable. So long as the label or flex pack converter uses EcoElement CLS Film with other compostable materials, the final product can be placed in a home compost bin alongside vegetable scraps and leaves to decompose. After the packaging breaks down, it can be added to soil in a home garden or simply scattered across the ground with no negative impact to the earth. EcoElement CLS Films can be used to create compostable, easy tear stick packs, stand-up pouches, three-sided sealed bags, sachets, and much more.  

Although the laminate version of EcoElement CLS is not compostable due to its plastic EVA adhesive backing, the base material is made from the same processes as the film, which means it still helps reduce the amount of plastic in various packaging applications. Both the laminate and film versions of this product are available in a crystal-clear gloss and flat matte finish, and both accept a wide range of embellishments to support creative marketing in addition to sustainability.  

WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT SUSTAINABLE FILMS? 

If you are interested in learning more about EcoElement CLS Laminate/Film, be sure to contact us to place a sample order and validate it for your application. Our solutions experts are available to answer any questions you may have about how these products can support your sustainability efforts, including guidance on application engineering and post-laminate processing.  


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