Dow's Major Move Toward Flexible Packaging Recyclability

Packaging Perspective: Grocery store shelves are starting to look a little different. Pouches are in demand and products that were once contained in rigid packaging are making the move to flexible options. Consumers have lauded the convenience, portability and resealability of flexible packaging, but there has been a drawback — recyclability. As consumers’ environmental sensitivity increases, so will demand for sustainable packaging. Through a collaboration with the Sustainable Packaging Coalition, The Dow Chemical Company made a major leap forward with the release of its RecycleReady Technology, which allows polyethylene-based flexible packaging to become part of retail store drop-off recycling programs. Though there are still hurdles to clear before flexible pouches can join curbside recycling efforts, this technology marks a substantial milestone in making flexible packaging not only a convenient option, but an environmentally-friendly one. packagePRINTING spoke with Stacy Fields, North American director of packaging solutions, Dow Packaging & Specialty Plastics, to learn more.

Stacy Fields

packagePRINTING: What has Dow been able to accomplish with RecycleReady Technology?

Stacy Fields: RecycleReady Technology is really a technology platform that Dow developed to help make flexible PE packaging recyclable.

Today, flexible packaging is made up of multiple materials that are usually laminated and reverse printed together. When it is done with its use, it cannot be recycled because you cannot separate the materials.

What the RecycleReady Technology does, is allows people to have the option to have a recyclable product. The way you do that is by basically changing out the material such that you still have multi-material, but use a single product stream so they’re all polyethylene based. Because of that, these polyethylene-based products together, now as a single material, can be added to polyethylene recycling streams where they exist.

pP: How will consumers know how to recycle this flexible packaging?

SF: The only polyethylene flexible packaging that gets recycled is through a store take back program. People are able to take back T-shirt bags, shopping bags, and laundry and dry-cleaner bags. They’re dropped off at the front of most grocery stores and some retailers.

For consumers to use that service, they understand and participate in this program where the Sustainable Packaging Coalition designates products with a How2Recycle label.

Our technology enables a material change such that you can have a fully recyclable package. You can’t put it in your trash and put it on your curb, but it’s part of the store drop-off program.

pP: Dow recently announced that RecycleReady Technology can now be incorporated into barrier packaging. What are the advantages this new development will provide?

Using its RETAIN polymer modifier, Dow can now incorporate RecycleReady Technology into barrier packaging.

SF: When you have food items that need barrier packaging like trail mix or granola that has fruit in it — most fruit snacks require some type of barrier to keep oxygen out or keep something in, like an aroma — [the package] has other components that certainly are not compatible with polyethylene in the recycle streams.

The innovation that Dow delivered through the RecycleReady platform is to incorporate our RETAIN polymer modifier up front in the package design. When the package is added to the recycling stream, the RETAIN modifies the components so there is no need for additional work by the local recycler or anyone else.

pP: How have consumers reacted to this technology?

SF: One of the reasons we started this project was based on consumer interest.

You may be familiar with the company Seventh Generation. They take a lot of pride in products they produce with sustainability in mind. They had their dishwasher tabs in a pouch and on the back of the pouch it said, “Do Not Recycle.”

They got a lot of calls from consumers complaining, “We wish we could recycle this package.”

About two and a half years ago, we connected with Seventh Generation and said we think we have a potential solution to their challenge.

We worked with Seventh Generation and our converter partner, Accredo Packaging. We were able to develop this package for them that gave them all the benefits they needed and were able to still make it recyclable by having a polyethylene base for all the raw materials.

It was a big deal [to Seventh Generation] and that started the drive for us, recognizing that consumers do pay attention. If we can fix a challenge, that’s one less complaint consumers have and Seventh Generation can have increased recycling participation because consumers recognize they’re doing the right thing. We’ve heard from other retailers and brand owners that they want to help consumers feel like they’re participating.