It’s time to rethink food packaging lids and trays.
Food packaging featuring high-strength permanent seals—some with peelable and even resealable functionality—provides effective barriers that protect food by keeping harmful elements out. However, traditional multilayer food contact lidding requires a two-layer tray consisting of both polyethylene (PE) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET), which can increase costs and hinder recycling efforts.
Eastman Eastobond™ copolyester offers a better solution. Used as a universal sealant layer in high-, medium-, or low-barrier lidding films, it allows retailers and brands to switch to recyclable monolayer APET trays.
With excellent universal sealing abilities to a variety of PET trays, Eastobond has been cleared for use for food contact applications under European Union Commission Regulation (Commission Regulation (EU) No. 10/2011) and the FDA (21 CFR 175.300).
Enabling the use of fully recyclable mono-PET trays, can reduce the environmental impact of food trays and enhances clarity without reduced performance.
Advantages
Reduced packaging weight—By eliminating the PE layer on bottom web trays, food packaging can be thinner and lighter, allowing more trays to be produced from each roll of film—which may reduce roll changeover costs, shipping energy/costs, and a brand’s/retailer’s transportation footprint.
Less VOCs—As a universal sealant layer, Eastobond 19412 does not require additional adhesives, and can reduce use of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) along the production line.
Less waste—All PET tray waste can be reground and reused.
Cost savings—Due to lower seal initiation temperatures, manufacturers can benefit from reduced cycle times on food packing lines and reduced energy requirements by eliminating the secondary process of PE lamination on the PET tray.
Reduced EPR fees—Placing less nonrecyclable plastic packaging on the market could lead to lower EPR (extended producer responsibility) fees for manufacturers and brand owners.