Each year, the world produces millions of tons of flexible plastic packaging used to protect food (as well as medicines, and everyday products). Most of these multilayer plastics are difficult to recycle because they contain layers made from different materials. Farmer who want to be kinder to the earth, would prefer not to use these plastics, but is that possible?
Scientists at Michigan State University have introduced a new solution that could help reduce waste and support a more circular economy.
“One of the plastics industry’s biggest challenges is making previously unrecyclable plastics recyclable,” said Muhammad Rabnawaz, MSU professor of packaging, Faculty Laureate, and director of the National Science Foundation’s Center for Plastic, Paper and Hybrid Packaging End-of-Life Solutions, or C3PS. “Our goal was to create high-performance packaging that’s also sustainable. These are high-performance materials that happen to be recyclable.”
Researchers from MSU’s School of Packaging and College of Engineering partnered with the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory to develop a new polyester-based plastic film. The project focuses on making strong, lightweight packaging that is easier to recycle and may even biodegrade under the right conditions.
The major challenge with traditional multilayer packaging is that the different layers cannot be separated during recycling. The MSU team redesigned the structure so that all layers come from the same polymer family. The new films are made mainly from polyester, the same material used in water bottles. Because of this, they can be produced with existing machines, making it easier for industries to adopt sustainable practices.
This new film can be recycled in two ways. Mechanical recycling allows the material to be shredded, melted, and reused without losing quality. Chemical recycling uses a mild process that breaks the plastic down into its base components, which can be used again in food-grade packaging. This dual recycling ability makes the film suitable for both clean and mixed waste streams.
The research team notes that the full benefits will be seen when recycling systems expand and when the cost difference between new and recycled plastics becomes smaller. This effort highlights how thoughtful design can lead to packaging that is both high-performing and sustainable.