Page 53 - Plastics News December 2020
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BASF and BillerudKorsnäs to develop unique Siegwerk India announces the launch of
laminate for flexible packaging Mineral Oil Free Inks
iegwerk, one of the leading global suppliers of
S printing inks for packaging applications and labels
ASF and the Swedish packaging manufacturer headquartered in Germany, has announced their
BBillerudKorsnäs have cooperated to develop a decision to launch Mineral Oil free inks in India for
unique home-compostable paper laminate for flexible
packaging purposes. The inks supplied by Siegwerk
packaging. The multi-layer film consists of three basic
from its plant at Bhiwadi (Rajasthan) will not contain
components: BillerudKorsnäs' paper ConFlex® Silk, a
sealing layer made of BASF's certified home mineral oils as an intentionally added substance, that
compostable and partly bio-based biopolymer ecovio® comprises of two fractions – Mineral oil saturated
and BASF's water-based adhesive Epotal® Eco 3675 X hydrocarbons (MOSH) and Mineral Oil Aromatic
which joins the film to the paper. As all parts of the hydrocarbons (MOAH). Over the last 3 years, Siegwerk
multi-layer laminate are food-contact approved, it can had taken up the pioneering initiative to remove the
be used to produce wraps with individually adjusted
usage of another harmful substance – Toluene – from
barrier properties, e.g. for cookies, ice cream, cereal
bars and dairy items as well as wrappers for fish, meat its manufacturing process. While announcing the
and cheese freshly sold in supermarkets. All launch of the mineral oil free ink, Mr. Ashish Pradhan,
components are certified home-compostable President – Siegwerk India and Greater China said,
according to official European certification schemes “Although the extent of impact on foodstuff is
for home-composting. The laminate contains a high undetermined by the migration of mineral oil from the
share of renewables and extends the end-of-life
packaging, research states that Mineral oil saturated
options for multi-layer flexible packaging by being
hydrocarbons (MOSH) and Mineral oil aromatic
organically recyclable. The new home-compostable
hydrocarbons (MOAH) chemicals are likely to be easily
solution has the same performance features as
conventional multi-layer packaging: It is puncture absorbed by different tissues in human organs.
resistant, shows a good printability, excellent heat- Siegwerk champions the cause of Toluene free inks in
seal properties and can be processed on standard India and now, Siegwerk intends to offer mineral oil
packaging machines. The sealable laminate is
free inks, thereby raising the bar on packaging safety
produced in a wet lamination process. The outer layer
and offering further advancements in terms of
consists of BillerudKorsnäs' home-compostable kraft
consumer safety. Mineral oil comprises two fractions
paper ConFlex® Silk, which is certified according to OK
Compost Home by TÜV Austria. It shows good known as Mineral oil saturated hydrocarbons (MOSH)
printability and high strength at a weight of 60 g/m². It and Mineral oil aromatic hydrocarbons (MOAH). Both
is based on a mix of 100% primary fibers. The inner MOSH and MOAH may have a harmful effect on human
sealing layer of the flexible packaging is made of a health if the foodstuff is contaminated with these
blown film out of a particular ecovio® grade by BASF,
during the production process or through the
which also holds the “OK Compost Home” certification
by TÜV Austria. packaging material.
DECEMBER 2020 53 Plastics News
