One key to improving recyclability in flexible packaging will be advancements in adhesive solutions for mono-material structures, an executive with an adhesive and coating company said during a presentation at PACK EXPO Las Vegas earlier this month.
Michael Reed, president of Morchem in the U.S., said his company has developed products that reduce material and energy usage in the laminating process while minimizing post-production waste.
His September 12 presentation titled “Laminate with Less: Adhesives for Material and Energy Reduction” covered steps the company is taking to advance mono-material structures. Multi-material structures are too challenging for current recycling processes, so the development of barrier technologies that improve the functionality and technical performance of mono-material laminates improve recyclability, Reed says.
Morchem, a member of the Flexible Packaging Association, specializes in solvent-free and solvent-based laminating adhesives as well as functional coatings and ink binders.