Green materials: Dow/Thong Guan bio-PE stretch cling film; Versalis to produce new PS products with up to 75% recycled raw material

US chemical firm Dow and Malaysian stretch cling film producer Thong Guan have introduced a new range of bio-based polyethylene (bio-PE) in Asia Pacific.

In a joint effort, Thong Guan will be using Dow’s bio-based resin derived from renewable feedstock. The feedstock comes from tall oil, a residue of paper production, from sustainably managed forests. Unlike other alternative renewable feedstocks, it does not compete with the human food chain, and no extra land is required for its production. Dow says it uses a mass balance approach, which encourages the use of renewable feedstock, by supporting sustainable systems for producing plastic.

Nano Bio, the new range of stretch cling films by Thong Guan, will be made using Dow’s linear low-density polyethylene, Elite 5230GC R Enhanced Polyethylene Resins.

The Nano Bio range of stretch cling film is produced by nanotechnology, downgauged with increased strength, flexibility, and durability. In addition to being environmentally friendly, this optimised packaging ensures pallet load stability and curtails damages and accidents during transportation, say the companies.

Meanwhile in other news, Italy’s Versalis (Eni) and recycler Forever Plast are to develop and market a new range of solid polystyrene (PS) products made from recycled packaging.

The new Versalis Revive PS series Forever products, PS-based compounds containing up to 75% of recycled solid PS, are able to meet the requirements of multiple applications such as thermal insulation, non-food packaging and household items.

The recycled PS comes from separate household waste collection, including yoghurt pots and disposable dishes that will be supplied by the Corepla network, the National Consortium for the Collection, Recycling and Recovery of Plastic Packaging.

With this range, Versalis, Eni's chemical company, expands its portfolio of products from mechanical recycling in addition to those based on expandable polystyrene (Versalis Revive EPS) and polyethylene (Versalis Revive PE) already on the market.

(PRA)

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