New additive enables recyclability of plastic waste without losing material’s valuable properties

In order to increase the reuse of manufacturing waste in packaging films, Swiss-based material supplier Clariant has introduced its AddWorks PKG 906 Circle for polyolefin film.

“The addition of this polymer stabilizer allows producers to significantly increase the reuse of waste materials in their polypropylene (PP) and polyethylene (PE) films, recycling their own reground scrap without any loss of performance or processing efficiency,” Clariant said in a statement.

Photo Credit: Clariant

AddWorks PKG 906 Circle was unveiled at the K 2019 show in Dusseldorf, Germany.

“It is particularly suited for biaxially-oriented polypropylene (BOPP) manufacturing but is also applicable to cast and blown film processes,” Clariant said. “With [this] additive, the reuse content of post-production waste in the final film can be increased by as much as 30 per cent.”

The additive is also proven to protect the resin so that film quality remains excellent with significant reduction of gel formation and prevention of additional yellowing at the same high line speeds, the company added.

AddWorks PKG 906 is the first Clariant product to carry the “Circle” designation, which was introduced to highlight products and solutions that have been specifically designed to deliver significant benefits to the re-use or recycle process.

“Three hundred million tons of plastic waste are generated every year and only two per cent are effectively recycled,” Stephan Lynen, head of Clariant’s BU additives division, said in the statement. “Closing the loop for plastics starts with designing materials that are easier and economically efficient to recycle. Our additives can help to increase recycling yields, and avoid degradation, odor and discoloration.”