BASF and StePac have collaborated to create sustainable packaging specifically for the fresh produce sector. BASF are Supplying StePac with its Ultramid Ccycled, a chemically recycled polyamide 6.BASF claims it will provide its partner with the flexibility to advance contact-sensitive packaging formats to a higher sustainable standard within the circular economy.
Untitled design - 1
Their two brands Xgo and Xtend are based on MAP technology with built-in humidity control which effectively slows respiration inside the packaging, delays the ageing processes, inhibits microbial decay, and preserves the quality and nutritional value of the produce during prolonged storage and long-haul shipments.
said Gary Ward, Business Development Manager of StePac said: "This alliance will help strike a balance between creating plastic packaging that is as eco-friendly as possible to keep fresh produce longer through more prudent use of lean plastic films,these upgraded packaging formats will continue to maintain their role of significantly reducing food waste, a most important task considering that global food waste is responsible for about 8% of anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions."
explained Dr. Dominik Winter, Vice President of BASF's European polyamides business said: "In a thermochemical process, our partners obtain recycled feedstock from these end-of-life plastics, which is then fed into the BASF Verbund. Using a mass balance approach, the raw material can be attributed to specific products, such as Ultramid Ccycled European polyamides business. This helps to replace fossil raw materials and is an important step towards circularity. As chemically recycled plastics have the same quality and safety as virgin material, the scope of plastics that can be recycled for fresh produce packaging is widened."