Amcor has today launched Eco-Tite R in Europe, a solution it says is the first recyclable, PVDC-free shrink bag for meat, poultry, and cheese.
Eco-Tite has been designed with the aims of maximising shelf-life, maintaining food safety, and reducing food waste and can be recycled in existing polyethylene (PE) plastic recycling streams in several European countries.
According to Rosalia Rosalinova, marketing manager for meat and fresh produce at Amcor: “Through our packaging expertise and commitment to sustainability, the team has overcome a challenge for the industry; developing a high-performance shrink bag that’s PVDC-free and recyclable, while maintaining food safety.
“This is a great step forward for consumers and an example of how the removal of problematic materials from packaging – something the industry is increasingly focussed on delivering – can provide us with safe, secure, and recyclable packaging.”
The solution is a multi-layer, mono-PE packaging that, according to Amcor, maintains a high barrier to oxygen and water vapour even when exposed to high-moisture environments, such as cooler cases and refrigerators.
The company is marketing the product to European meat and cheese producers as an alternative to PVDC packaging – which it says is not recyclable in mechanical or chemical recycling systems.
To validate recyclability in real-world conditions, Amcor Eco-Tite R has been certified by the cyclos-HTP institute, an independent testing lab.
Consumers can today recycle the bag where suitable infrastructure is in place, including Germany, France and Italy, The Netherlands, Norway, Austria, and Spain. Amcor hopes that recyclability of the new shrink bag will grow as infrastructure develops in additional countries.
