Plastic Packaging

Recycling of Flexible Plastic Packaging presents thorough and detailed information on the management and recycling of flexible plastic packaging, focusing on the latest actual/potential methods and techniques and offering actionable solutions that minimize waste and increase product efficiency and sustainability. Sections cover flexible plastic packaging and its benefits, applications and challenges. This is followed by in-depth coverage of the materials, types and forms of flexible packaging. Other key discussions cover collection and pre-treatment, volume reduction, separation from other materials, chemical recycling, post-processing and reuse, current regulations and policies, economic aspects and immediate trends. This information will be highly valuable to engineers, scientists and R&D professionals across industry. In addition, it will also be of great interest to researchers in academia, those in government, or anyone with an interest in recycling who is looking to further advance and implement recycling methods for flexible plastic packaging. Presents state-of-the-art methods and technologies regarding the processing of flexible plastic packaging waste Addresses the challenges currently associated with both waste management and available recycling methods Opens the door to innovation, supporting improved recycling methods, manufacturing efficiency and industrial sustainability

The increasing importance of plastic materials in packaging makes it mandatory for everyone in this industry to command a basic understanding of the properties of the common packaging plastics.

Plastics have developed into the most important class of packaging materials. Their relative impermeability for substances from the surroundings has great influence on the shelf life and the quality of the packed goods. At the same time the interaction between the contents and the various components of the packaging plays a decisive role. This particular book is indispensable in the search for the optimal plastic packaging. It facilitates the estimation of the influence on the goods which come from the surroundings and from the packaging. The authors do not restrict themselves only to the description of the phenomena of diffusion or transport in theory, but they show what they mean for practical applications. Food represents the central theme as main area of application for plastic packaging. It can be considered to be the "model substance" and the findings are to be applied to many other products and systems. The main rules and regulations for food packaging of the European Community and the United States are presented in this book. Furthermore the authors emphasize the testing methods for proving the mass transport and the sensory check of the quality of the products.

Plastics are the most important class of packaging materials. This successful handbook, now in its second edition, covers all important aspects of plastic packaging and the interdisciplinary knowledge needed by food chemists, pharmaceutical chemists, food technologists, materials scientists, process engineers, and product developers alike. This is an indispensable resource in the search for the optimal plastic packaging. Materials characteristics, additives and their effects, mass transport phenomena, quality assurance, and recent regulatory requirements from FDA and European Commission are covered in detail with ample data.

Tests of plastic packaging in Finland and Norway exposed products that are lost in the sorting process and are not recycled. Products that proved challenging to sort or recycle were then presented to their producers. To assist producers in making favourable decisions, fact sheets with design guidelines were developed for common plastics, HDPE, PP, LDPE and bio-based and biodegradable plastics, to highlight which design choices best help improve recyclability. These also include Norway-specific information on the downstream value chain for plastics. Producers have shown a willingness to improve their products to increase the level of recyclability. These developments show how higher recycling rates of plastic packaging can be achieved by supporting Nordic producers in implementing design for recyclability principles when designing their packaging.

This report starts with a simple overview of materials, processes and application for rigid plastics packaging and progresses to the latest developments. Processing methods are described briefly in the review with an overview of each type accompanied by a discussion of forthcoming developments. The properties of the different polymers and polymer grades related to packaging applications are also discussed. The review is accompanied by over 400 summaries of papers from the Rapra Polymer Library on developments in polymers, processes and applications for rigid packaging.

The value of the groceries purchases in the USA is over $500 billion annually, most of which is accounted for by packaged foods. Plastic packaging of foods is not only ubiquitous in developed economies, but increasingly commonplace in the developing world, where plastic packaging is instrumental in decreasing the proportion of the food supply lost to spoilage. This new handbook is a combination of new material and updated chapters, chosen by Dr. Sina Ebnesajjad, from recently published books on this subject. Plastic Films in Food Packaging offers a practical handbook for engineers, scientists and managers working in the food packaging industry, providing a tailor-made package of science and engineering fundamentals, best practice techniques and guidance on new and emerging technologies. By covering materials, design, packaging processes, machinery and waste management together in one book, the authors enable the reader to take a lifecycle approach to food packaging. The Handbook addresses questions related to film grades, types of packages for different types of foods, packaging technologies, machinery and waste management. Additionally the book provides a review of new and emerging technologies. Two chapters cover the development of barrier films for food packaging and the regulatory and safety aspects of food packaging. Essential information and practical guidance for engineers and scientists working at all stages of the food packaging lifecycle: from design through manufacture to recycling Includes key published material on plastic films in food packaging, updated specifically for this Handbook, and new material on the regulatory framework and safety aspects Coverage of materials and applications together in one handbook enables engineers and scientists to make informed design and manufacturing decisions