Recyclable white paper laminate
Grounded's Plantcell™ recyclable range uses a starch based barrier layer that dissolves in water, allowing the paper outer and inner film to seperate during pulping in the paper recycling process. Its high barrier to oxygen and moisture make it suitable for a wide range of applications.
The good?
- Recyclable in the paper recycling stream unlike most high barrier flexible packaging alternatives
- Paper recycling works effectively in most places around the world, with kerbside collection widely available
- There is no limit to the number of times paper can be recycled making it a highly circular material
- More cost-effective than most bioplastic alternatives to flexible packaging
- Durable, highly functional and can be used as a direct replacement for plastic in numerous formats
The bad?
- Flexible packaging formats like pouches are likely to be sorted out of paper recycling streams as the majority are made from plastic with a thin paper outer layer
- The material needs to be thick in order to meet paper recycling standards (120um+) limiting its use to pouches and robust form / fill / seal machinery
- Although still undergoing certification for acceptance in paper recycling streams, it has been successfully trialled and accepted by several recycling facilities
Sustainability Properties
Recyclable Paper
Recyclable in the paper waste stream
Fossil fuel reduction
Reduces the amount of virgin fossil fuel content
Renewable materials
Made from regenerative materials grown on responsibly-managed plantations
Nontoxic Inks
Water or biobased inks that do not require petroleum-based solvents