Mondi and Pacoon collaborate to offer a roadmap for making packaging more sustainable

Mondi and Pacoon, a packaging strategy and design consultancy have joined forces to better educate both businesses and consumers on more sustainable packaging.

The companies will also deliver information on recycling behaviour including an interactive map demonstrating differing waste approaches across the globe.

Pacoon displayed several concepts at the ProSweets 2019 fair focusing on features such as recyclability, renewably sourced materials, bioplastics, coated paper and mono-material package constructions. This includes Mondi’s mono-material BarrierPack Recyclable, a stand-up pouch which is 100 per cent recyclable.

Thomas Kahl, Project Manager EcoSolutions for Mondi Consumer Packaging explained: “BarrierPack Recyclable is constructed from two layers of polyethylene (PE). The material is stiffer, stronger and lighter than a conventional PET/PE laminate of the same thickness, and it can be used for pre-made packaging as stand-up pouches, or formed directly on form/fill/seal (FFS) machines.”

Researchers are increasingly developing paper and fibre-based packaging that offer barriers to replace plastic foil, which can render mixed-material packages unrecyclable.

This functional paper is a challenge for our industry, but also a great opportunity if they are suitable for fibre recycling streams, says Kahl.

“It is possible to produce effective packaging for products such as biscuits or chocolate without using a foil layer. This still amazes people,” added Peter Désilets, Pacoon’s General Manager.