Considerations for Plastic Food Packaging

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Considerations for Plastic Food Packaging PET Packaging Materials Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is a commonly used plastic in the packaging industry. Common PET products include: • Take-out containers • Baked goods containers • Bottled water • Ketchup • Jars (peanut butter and mayonnaise) • Juices and carbonated drinks • Frozen foods • Cosmetics • Household products Composition of PET Plastic PET is a thermoplastic polymer resin from the polyester family. It is a polymer that is formed by combining modified ethylene glycol and purified terephthalic acid or dimethyl terephthalate. Although its name contains polyethylene, PET does not contain polyethylene. PET Plastic Characteristics • High clarity • Good chemical resistance • Good gas and moisture barrier • High impact resistance • Medium rigidity (semi-rigid to rigid) • Medium scratch resistance • Food contact safety • Temperature tolerance of -50 degrees F to 110 degrees F Origins of PET Plastic Although PET plastic was patented in 1941, the first PET bottle was not produced until 1973. How are PET plastics made? There are two primary processes for producing a PET package. • Thermoforming – a process by which a sheet of PET plastic is heated and shaped using a mold into the desired shape. • Blow Molding – typically used to make containers with narrow mouths Thermoforming vs. Blow Molding PET Plastics Thermoforming allows for custom shaping of PET plastic into any desired shape. PET plastic is often used to produce clamshells, bakery containers or take-out containers. Blow molding is primarily used to create bottles. Why PET Plastic? PET plastic has a variety of characteristics that make it desirable for use as packaging material. • PET is suitable for varied uses. Some of the factors that make it so versatile include: • Transparent color • Lightweight nature • Strength • Shatterproof qualities • Inherent barrier-like qualities • Food safe material • Recyclability Consumer Benefits of Using PET Plastic Containers PET plastic continues to be a prevalent material used by packaging companies for other properties including: • Ease of storage • Easy cleaning • Portability • Ability to re-seal Benefits of Using PET Plastic for Packaging Your Products In addition to being highly convenient for consumers, PET plastic is easy to use allowing for creativity when it comes to packaging design. PET allows for: • Distinctive brand packaging • Innovative packaging designs • A wide-array of applications Benefits of Using PET: Barrier-Like Properties PET’s inherent barrier properties protect and preserve packaged products against moisture (oxygen migration) and carbon dioxide. • Advanced technologies can increase protection for packaged products. These include: • Oxygen scavenger additives • Multi-layers and laminate with additional oxygen and carbon dioxide barrier properties • Silicon oxide (glass) coatings • Carbon coatings Benefits of Using PET: Lightweight Nature PET packaged products: • Increase efficiency in packaging and shipping • Enable lighter secondary shipping • Reduce fuel needs for shipping • Minimize greenhouse emissions Benefits of Using PET: Strength & Integrity PET plastic can be made to be semi-rigid to rigid. It is often the number one choice for small consumer products and food packaging due to it’s • Impact resistance • Scratch resistance PET’s natural ability to resist scratching and overall strength and integrity allow manufacturers to strive for lighter-weight packaging designs. Benefits of Using PET: Barrier-Like Properties PET’s inherent barrier-like properties make PET highly suitable for a variety of product packaging. Most importantly, PET’s protection against oxygen transmission increases shelf life and freshness. In comparison: • PET is ~9 times more effective as a barrier against oxygen transmission • PET is over 40 times more effective as a barrier against oxygen transmission Benefits of Using PET: Food Safety PET is a food-safe material, making it a convenient choice for packaging of food products. A few food safety elements of PET: • FDA approved for food and beverage contact • Low hazard (handling or inhaling) • Does not contain BPA • Does not contain heavy metals • Extremely low toxicity Benefits of Using PET: Recyclability Recycling of PET is well established, making it the most widely recycled across the world. About PET recycling: • PET can be recycled more than once • Almost all recycling programs accept PET bottles, and many accept PET thermoforms • PET can be recycled into fiber, fiberfill, carpeting, strapping, food and non-food bottles and PET packaging Benefits of Using PET: Recyclability PET recycling results in: • Conservation of raw materials • Reduced energy use • Reduced greenhouse gas emissions Applications of PET Packaging: Food Industry Thermoformed PET plastic is often used in the food and restaurant industry in the form of baked good packaging and take-out containers. PET plastics in the food industry include: • Clamshells • Deli containers • Microwaveable food trays (frozen food) • Crystallized PET Applications of PET Packaging: Other Industries PET can also be used for product packaging in the following industries: • Cosmetics (Health and Beauty) • Retail (Small Household Goods) The use of PET plastic for other industries usually comes in the form of blisters. Resources PET Basics: Features, Benefits & Information Resources http://www.napcor.com/pdf/v4- 11_NAPCOR_PET_Interactive.pdf Plastic Ingenuity Plastic Ingenuity is one of the largest custom thermoformers in North America, with in house thermoforming, tooling and extrusion capabilities. The PI team specializes in creating innovative packaging solutions through vertical integration, with unmatched speed to market. A member of the Thermoforming Institute, and a multi-plant manufacturing operation with facilities across North America, PI is committed to being an employer of choice and preserving the environments and communities we call home. Visit www.plasticingenuity.com for more information. .
Recommended publications
  • Blow Molding Solutions Selection Guide
    FRESH SOLUTIO FOR BLOW NS MOLDE D CO NTA INE RS YOUR BEST SOURCE FOR BLOW MOLDING SOLUTIONS As the world’s leading polyethylene producer, The Dow Chemical Company (Dow) is uniquely positioned to be your supplier of choice for blow molding materials. By collaborating with customers and other key members throughout the value chain, Dow helps drive innovation and promote sustainability with solutions that successfully address the needs of virtually every blow molding market, including: • Water Juice Dairy (WJD) • Pharmaceuticals (Pharma) • Household & Industrial Chemicals (HIC) • Large Part Blow Molding (LPBM) • Agricultural Chemicals (Ag Chem) • Durable Goods • Personal Care Our rich portfolio of sustainable solutions is backed by industry-leading technical expertise, deep understanding of the marketplace, a highly responsive supply chain, and an unmatched set of global resources. In addition to offering excellent performance and processing, Dow solutions are integral to developing containers that help reduce costs, improve retail visibility, and enhance shelf life. 1 The following pages provide an overview of Dow plastic resins designed for use in blow molded rigid packaging applications: • UNIVAL™ High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) Resins are industry standard, “workhorse” materials for everything from food and beverages to household, industrial, and agricultural chemicals. • CONTINUUM™ Bimodal Polyethylene Resins offer opportunities for increased competitive advantage with enhanced performance that creates the potential for lightweighting, incorporation of post-consumer recycle (PCR) content, and more. • DOW HEALTH+™ Polyethylene Resins deliver the high levels of quality, compliance, and commitment needed to meet the stringent requirements of healthcare and pharmaceutical applications. • DOW™ HDPE Resins are available in bimodal and monomodal grades that offer Dow customers in Latin America excellent top load strength, ESCR, and more for a wide range of applications.
    [Show full text]
  • A Guide to Polyolefin Blow Molding Z Bellows-Shaped Shields and Doublewall Instrument and Tool Carrying Cases
    A Guide to Polyolefin Blow Molding z Bellows-shaped shields and doublewall instrument and tool carrying cases. Polyolefins for Blow Molding H H This book contains extensive Polyolefins are the most widely used information on polyolefin blow molding; plastic for blow molding. This book, “A C = C however, it makes no specific Guide to Polyolefin Blow Molding,” recommendations for the processing of contains general information LyondellBasell Chemicals’ resins for H H concerning materials, methods and specific applications. For more detailed equipment for producing high quality information, please contact your polyolefin blow molded products at LyondellBasell polyolefins sales optimum production rates. Figure 1. Ethylene monomer representative. molecular structure Blow-Moldable Polyolefins and Other Products from LyondellBasell Applications Chemicals offers an extensive range of Polyolefins that can be blow polyolefin resins, plus polyolefin-based molded include: tie-layer resins not only for blow z Low density polyethylene (LDPE) molding, but also for: z Linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) z Injection Molding z Medium density polyethylene z Film Extrusion (MDPE) z Extrusion Coating z High density polyethylene (HDPE) z Sheet and Profile Extrusion z Ethylene copolymers, such as H H H H H H H H H H z Wire and Cable Coating ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) z Rotational Molding and Powder z Polypropylene and propylene coating C C C C C C C C C C copolymers (PP) z Blending and Compounding In general, the advantages of z Flame Retardant Applications H H H H H H H H H H polyolefin blow molding resins are good z Pipe processability, light weight, good toughness, outstanding chemical LyondellBasell also produces Figure 2.
    [Show full text]
  • Cosmetic Packaging to Save the Environment: Future Perspectives
    cosmetics Review Cosmetic Packaging to Save the Environment: Future Perspectives Patrizia Cinelli 1,*, Maria Beatrice Coltelli 1,* , Francesca Signori 1, Pierfrancesco Morganti 2 and Andrea Lazzeri 1 1 Department of Civil and Industrial Engineering, University of Pisa, Largo Lucio Lazzarino 2, 56126 Pisa, Italy; [email protected] (F.S.); [email protected] (A.L.) 2 Dermatol Unit, Campania University L.Vanvitelli, Via Pansini 5, 80131 Naples, Italy; [email protected] * Correspondence: [email protected] (P.C.); [email protected] (M.B.C.); Tel.: +39-050-221-7869 (P.C.) Received: 18 March 2019; Accepted: 11 April 2019; Published: 15 April 2019 Abstract: Consumer awareness about the damages that plastic packaging waste cause to the environment, coupled with bio-economy and circular economy policies, are pushing plastic packaging versus the use of bio-based and biodegradable materials. In this contest, even cosmetic packaging is looking for sustainable solutions, and research is focusing on modifying bio-based and biodegradable polymers to meet the challenging requirements for cosmetic preservation, while maintaining sustainability and biodegradability. Several bio-based and biodegradable polymers such as poly(lactic acid), polyhydroxyalkanoates, polysaccharides, etc., are available, and some first solutions for both rigid and flexible packaging are already present on the market, while many others are under study and optimization. A fruitful cooperation among researchers and industries will
    [Show full text]
  • S.B. No.3W Jan I8 2019 a Bill for an Act
    THE SENATE THIRTIETH LEGISLATURE, 2019 STATE OF HAWAII S.B. NO.3W JAN I8 2019 A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII: 1 SECTION 1. The Hawaii Revised Statutes is amended by 2 adding a new chapter to be appropriately designated and to read 3 as follows: 4 "CHAPTER 5 PLASTIC STRAWS, PLASTIC BAGS, POLYSTYRENE FOAM CONTAINERS, AND 6 EXPANDED POLYSTYRENE FOOD SERVICE PRODUCTS 7 S -1 Definitions. As used in this chapter: 8 "Carryout bag" means a bag provided by a store or food 9 service business to a customer at the point of sale for the 10 purpose of transporting groceries or retail goods. 11 "Department" means the department of health. 12 "Expanded polystyrene" means blown polystyrene and expanded 13 and extruded foams that are thermoplastic petrochemical 14 materials utilizing a styrene monomer and processed by a number 15 of techniques, including, but not limited to, fusion of polymer 16 spheres (expandable bead polystyrene), injection molding, foam 17 molding, and extrusion-blow molding (extruded foam polystyrene). SB LRB 19-0090.doc 1 Page 2 S.B. NO. 367 1 "Expanded polystyrene food service product" means a product 2 made, in whole or in part, of expanded polystyrene that is used 3 for selling or providing a food or beverage, and includes, but 4 is not limited to, a food container, plate, hot or cold beverage 5 cup, meat or vegetable tray, or egg carton. 6 "Expanded polystyrene food service product" does not 7 include a product used to package raw, uncooked, or butchered 8 meat, fish, poultry, or seafood for off-premises consumption.
    [Show full text]
  • Consolidating Plastic Suppliers?
    Consolidating Plastic Suppliers? Flambeau Gives You: Experience You Can Trust • Contract Manufacturing Since 1947 • Injection Molding/Blow Molding/Mold Making • Stainless Steel Overmolding • Catheter Overmolding • Insert Molding • Class 7 Cleanroom Molding, Assembly & Packaging • Turnkey Program Management Speed to Market • Prototyping & Value Engineering • Domestic and Offshore Tooling a division of Flambeau INC. • DFM and Product Development a Nordic Group Member Company Global Footprint 1-800-628-1672 • www.flambeaumedical.com • 10 Locations on 3 Continents • ISO13485:2016 Certified • FDA Registered • • Worldwide Logistics • Class 7 Cleanroom Molding, Assembly & Packaging • • Regional Customer Support • cGMP Compliant • LU03092020 Copyright © 2020 Flambeau Medical Markets Group, a division of Flambeau, Inc. All Rights Reserved a division of Flambeau INC. Headquartered in Baraboo, Wisconsin www.flambeaumedical.com 1-800-628-1672 • E-mail: [email protected] USA: Baraboo, WI • Columbus, IN • Madison, GA Middlefield, OH • Phoenix, AZ • Sharon Center, OH International: Ramsgate, Kent, UK • Saltillo, Coahuila, Mexico Company Description Flambeau Medical Markets Group is a diverse manufacturing company providing a complete product fulfillment service for medical device and equipment industries. Quality, traceability, speed to market, and economic value are all important factors to better enable you to compete in the rapidly evolving medical world. Our Phoenix, Arizona facility is an ISO 13485:2016 (CFR21 820 Compliant) Certified Contract
    [Show full text]
  • A Guide to Polyethylene Blow Moulding
    POLYETHYLENE BLOW MOULDING 08 – TECHNICAL GUIDE Front Cover The Qenos Technical Centre operates a range of commercial and laboratory scale extrusion and moulding equipment for the injection moulding, blow moulding (pictured), fi lm extrusion, pipe extrusion and rotational moulding markets. Qenos produces a full range of Alkatane HDPE grades for blow moulding applications ranging from thin walled high speed milk and juice bottles to high molecular weight 1000L cubes. Alkatane – Super Clean. Super Safe. Qenos, the Qenos brandmark, Alkathene, Alkatuff, Alkamax, Alkadyne and Alkatane are trade marks of Qenos Pty Ltd. A GUIDE TO POLYETHYLENE 8 BLOW MOULDING 8 A GUIDE TO POLYETHYLENE BLOW MOULDING CONTENTS EXTRUSION BLOW MOULDING AND EXTRUSION BLOW MOULDING MACHINES 6 Basic Processing Principles 6 Plastication Systems 6 Basic Design of Plastication Systems 6 Shear Rate 7 Throughput Efficiency 7 Basic Requirements for the Plastication System 7 Single-screw extruders 8 Slow Running Extruders of Conventional Design 8 Specific Power Requirement 8 Output 8 Reciprocating Screw and Reciprocating Barrel Extruders 9 Reciprocating Screw Machines 10 Reciprocating Barrel Machines 10 High Speed Extruders 10 Twin-screw Extruders 10 Ram Extruders 11 Extrusion Dies for Continuous Parison Production 11 Axial Flow Crosshead with Spider Support 11 Radial Flow Crosshead with Through Mandrel 12 Design with Circular Groove 13 Design with Heart-shaped Channel 13 Parison Dies 14 Dies with cylindrically parallel annular gap 15 Design with Conical Inflow Zone 15 Expansion
    [Show full text]
  • Download Plastic Research
    ABS Color-Full Filament FILABOT Filabot has created a 3D printing filament made of recycled materials and a mix of leftover colorants. The Filament is 1.75mm or 3mm in diameter and the diameter tolerance is +/-0.05mm, compatible with most 3D printers. The color filament is made from a virgin base resin (ABS) and is mixed with random colorants to produce this color. Once a user prints with the material they can recycle it in Filabot systems. Filabot uses the highest quality recycled plastic, colorants and base ABS, from suppliers in the US. Filabot’s manufacturing practices are very conservative. They do not like to waste and look at many options for the best possible solution when they are produce filament for their machines. A MSDS is not available for this product yet. There are no known carcinogens for the filament. Filabot has a upcycling system in which they collect plastic utensils from their partner’s, Ben and Jerry’s and Citi Market (a co-op foodstore), and turn them into materials. Filabot produces all ABS Filaments in house, in the United States. 802.505.7610 www.filabot.com Tyvek DUPONT Tyvek is made from 100% high-density polyethylene fibers. It is lightweight, flexible, smooth, particulate-free, opaque and resistant to water, rot, chemicals, abrasion and aging. Tyvek is equally strong in wet or dry conditions. It has a high strength-to-weight ratio and neutral pH. Tyvek is made from petroleum-based high density polyethylene (HDPE) strands formed into a sheet, and Titanium Dioxide. A unique flash-spinning process eliminates the use of binders.
    [Show full text]
  • Sonoco Produces Plant-Based Plastic Blow-Molded Bottles for Ecover Green Cleaning Line in North America
    Sonoco Produces Plant-Based Plastic Blow-Molded Bottles for Ecover Green Cleaning Line in North America December 2, 2014 7:30 AM ET HARTSVILLE, S.C., Dec. 2, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sonoco (NYSE:SON), one of the largest diversified packaging companies, is producing plant-based plastic bottles for Ecover's new home care line. After joining forces with Method in 2012 to become the world's largest green cleaning company, Ecover® has launched its popular green brand in North America with a fresh new look in celebration of the company's 35th birthday, while maintaining a focus on sustainability, efficacy and best-practice manufacturing. "As a leader in the green cleaning space, Ecover sought a packaging partner who could collaborate on sustainable packaging solutions and meet an aggressive commercialization timeline," said Andrew Moreno, procurement director, Ecover North America. "We also required responsive service and a near-site manufacturing facility to minimize lead times and environmental impact. Sonoco has the ability to provide all of this and perfectly meet our needs. We feel this new line of packaging will help Ecover reach more consumers while continuing to be deeply rooted in nature-based science." Ecover's new look hit store shelves across the U.S. in August 2014 in Sonoco's extrusion blow-molded bottles made from Plantplastic, Ecover's proprietary blend of bio-sourced high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and post-consumer recycled (PCR) resin. The bio-resin, which is produced using plant-based feedstock and recycled resin collected from municipal curbside programs across the U.S., uses up to 90% less energy and emits 75% less greenhouse gases compared to petroleum-based virgin resin, and is recyclable in most curbside recycling programs.
    [Show full text]
  • Comparison and Analysis of Biobased/Biodegradable and Petrochemical Cutlery Flexibility" (2011)
    Iowa State University Capstones, Theses and Graduate Theses and Dissertations Dissertations 2011 Comparison and analysis of biobased/ biodegradable and petrochemical cutlery flexibility Brian J. Demmer Iowa State University Follow this and additional works at: https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/etd Part of the Bioresource and Agricultural Engineering Commons Recommended Citation Demmer, Brian J., "Comparison and analysis of biobased/biodegradable and petrochemical cutlery flexibility" (2011). Graduate Theses and Dissertations. 12136. https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/etd/12136 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Iowa State University Capstones, Theses and Dissertations at Iowa State University Digital Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in Graduate Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Iowa State University Digital Repository. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Comparison and analysis of biobased/biodegradable and petrochemical cutlery flexibility by Brian John Demmer A thesis submitted to the graduate faculty in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF SCIENCE Major: Industrial & Agricultural Technology Program of Study Committee: David Grewell, Major Professor Steven Freeman Carolyn Heising Iowa State University Ames, Iowa 2011 Copyright © Brian John Demmer, 2011. All rights reserved. ii DEDICATION This paper is dedicated to my loving family and friends iii TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF TABLES ....................................................................................................................v
    [Show full text]
  • Blow Molding Design Guide
    For Engineers, By Engineers. BLOW MOLDING DESIGN GUIDE geminigroup.net/Regency BLOW MOLDING DESIGN GUIDE: INTRODUCTION How to Use This Guide If you’ve been tasked to design a hollow part for high-volume production (3,000+ parts per year), you’ve come to the right place. Blow molding allows for complex hollow parts with tight tolerances to be produced at a lower cost and with faster cycle times than other molding methods such as rotomolding. It’s no wonder so many engineers are turning to blow molding to solve their high-volume production needs. Design is the key driver of the cost and quality of blow molded parts. It has the power to give your company a competitive advantage or it can bring your project to a screeching halt. But where do you begin? You may have questions such as: • Will blow molding work for my part? • What does the blow molding process look like? • What special design considerations do I need to make? We were there once, too. That’s why we created this guide. It provides the basic guidelines for designing blow molded plastic parts – from the perspective of an experienced molder. It is not exhaustive; the amount of information available is simply too great. However, it serves as a starting point to better understand what goes into the blow mold design process. If you’re new to blow molding, start with the Understanding Blow Molding section. It outlines the benefits of blow molding, provides an overview of its applications, and illustrates the blow molding process. If you have an understanding of the blow molding process and just need to learn how to optimize your design, jump to Blow Molding Design to learn design principles for the most critical aspects of blow molding.
    [Show full text]
  • Blow Mould Tool Design and Manufacturing Process for 1Litre Pet Bottle
    IOSR Journal of Mechanical and Civil Engineering (IOSR-JMCE) e-ISSN: 2278-1684,p-ISSN: 2320-334X, Volume 8, Issue 1 (Jul. - Aug. 2013), PP 12-21 www.iosrjournals.org Blow Mould Tool Design and Manufacturing Process for 1litre Pet Bottle K. GiridharReddy, K. Rajagopal M.Tech, Ph.D M. Tech Student, Dept of Mechanical Engineering, K.S.R.M College of Engg, Kadapa, A.P (Professor, Dept of Mechanical Engineering, K.S.R.M College of Engg, Kadapa, Andhra Pradesh, India) Abstract: the concepts of Blow molding is a process used to produce hollow objects from thermoplastic. The basic blow molding process has two fundamental phases. First, a parson (or a perform) of hot plastic resin in a somewhat tubular shape is created. Second, compressed air is used to expand the hot perform and press it against mould cavities. The pressure is held until the plastic cools. Blow molding process is used for which has thin wall sections.In this thesis, blow mould design is to be done for a bottle having 0.5mm thickness. This thickness cannot be filled in pressure injection molding. So blow molding is considered for pet bottle design. The mould is prepared by first modeling the part, extracting core & cavity and generating CNC program. Blow mould tool design is done in Pro/Engineer according to HASCO standards. A prototype of the pet bottle using blow mould design is also included. I. Introduction 1.1 Bottle A bottle is a rigid container with a neck that is narrower than the body and a "mouth.Bottles are often made of glass, clay, plastic, aluminum or other impervious materials, and typically used to store liquids such as water, milk, soft drinks, ink, chemicals and etc.
    [Show full text]
  • Oncap™ Additives for Blow Molding
    Pr ocess #APABILITIES"ULLETIN Color & Additives /N#AP™ Additives for "LOW -OLDING Enhancing the functional performance and processing efficiency of blow molded thermoplastic parts "LOW -OLDING Blow molding is a highly dynamic process, with small changes in operating variables and specifications making the difference in overall program success. PolyOne understands these dynamics and comes prepared to solve a variety of processing problems with a complete toolbox of OnCap™ polymer additives. From raw material blending to molding operations, from packaging to distribution and out to the retail shelf, PolyOne representatives can help you reduce operating costs and improve the marketability of your finished product. 1 4 2 3 5 7 1 4 5 2 3 6 /VERCOME BLOW MOLDING PROCESS CHALLENGES WITH /N#AP™ additive concentrate solutions 1. Challenge – Reduce polymer 8. Challenge – Bottles stick content without the use of filters. together due to electrostatic Solution – Add Polyfoam™ blowing forces during filling. agent to back out prime polymer Solution – Add antistat to reduce from part. This leads to reduced static charge in the parts. The part weight and cost without improved filling efficiencies result affecting physical properties. in higher throughput and lower cost of product. 2. Challenge – Excessive scrap generated during startup and 9. Challenge – Product goes shutdown. obsolete in storage due to content Solution – Use Multi-Purge™ fading in transparent containers. concentrate between color runs to Solution – Add UV filter to thoroughly clean machine internals, reduce the impact of light on which facilitates rapid color package contents, ultimately changeover with minimal scrap, decreasing inventory carrying reducing operating costs. costs and improving production efficiencies (larger batch sizes).
    [Show full text]