When creating a footprint calculation, the used material often accounts for the largest part of the footprint. The majority of the used materials are often know throughout the value chain. But there many cases known that chemicals, additives or substances are added to paper products to increase the properties of the packaging like; preservation, protection, barriers, adhesion or aesthetics. Even in very small quantities, chemicals can have a major impact on the footprint and it makes the paperpackaging not plastic-free.
‘Plastic packaging’ means a product that is made wholly or partly from plastic,
i.e. material consisting of a polymer, to which additives or other substances may
have been added, and which can function as a main structural component of final
products, with the exception of natural polymers that have not been chemically
modified.
Note: This includes instances when polymers are applied as water/fat proof
coating. Additionally, when polymeric materials are applied as as additive in the
paper production e.g. glue and binders, the product is not considered plastic free.
Using EU definition: ‘“plastic” means a material consisting of a polymer as defined in point (5) of Article 3 of Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council (3), to which additives or other substances may have been added, and which can function as a main structural component of final products, with the exception of natural polymers that have not been chemically modified’.
Since these extra substances are not often disclosed by manufacturers due to IP or other reasons, we help resellers to ask for specific substances that are often used in packaging. The list below is an ongoing process and we will keep on updating it.
Please ask your supplier if any of the substances below are used, especially if you are selling food packaging. And let us know when used, so we can help you on creating the right footprint.
Common paper & carton laminates (indefinite list)
Function / material | Oxygen barrier | Moisture barrier | Grease barrier | Water barrier | Migration barrier | Sealable | Renewable/ compostable |
PE | - | - | + | + | - | + | - |
PP (BOPP) | +/- | +/- | +/- | +/- | +/- | - | - |
PET | + | + | + | + | + | - | - |
PET silver or gold (evaporated) | ++ | ++ | ++ | ++ | ++ | - | - |
Al (6 g/m2) | 100% barrier | 100% barrier | 100% barrier | 100% barrier | 100% barrier | - | - |
Al + PET | 100% barrier | 100% barrier | 100% barrier | 100% barrier | 100% barrier | - | - |
Lacquer (2*) | - | - | + | + | - | - | + |
PLA/ cellulose acetate | - | - | + | + | - | - | ++ |
Source: translated from: Rapport Karton Coatings_HAS_Mitchel_Evie_Laura (1).pdf
Common paper coating list (Indefinite)
Coating name | Supplier |
MetsäBoard Prime FBB EB | MetsäGroup |
UPM's renewable naphta | UPM Biofuels |
TechniPaper Aquastop | Smurfit Kappa |
Aqua™ | Storaenso |
Aqua™ + | Storaenso |
EcoSafe Barrier LLC Coatings | LennartGroup |
Eco2water | LennartGroup |
Eco2oil | LennartGroup |
Notpla Coating | Notpla |
BIM BA 85117 | Bimkemi |
Compostable Heatseal coating | Scitech-adhesives |
EcoShield® | Cortec |
Accurate Freeze Grease 111 (FOLBB) | FOLBB |
Alaska® Barrier | (Kotkamills) |
ACTGreen waterbased | Actega |
ACTGreen TPE | Actega |
BioORMOCER | Barrier.fraunhofer |
Cartaseal® VWAF | Arch roma |
Novaset® 4102/50 Barrier DFC | Flintgroup |
PLANTIC ™ | Kuraray |
EXCEVAL ™ | Kuraray |
MelOx | Melodea |
VBcoat | Melodea |
ARBOCEL® PLUS FC | JRS |
Avalesco® | Swissgel |
Paraflex Nowax cw 6097 | Paramelt |
Aquaseal X 2401 | Paramelt |
AEGLE® Barrier Light | Kotkamills |
AEGLE® Barrier Plus | Kotkamills |
ISLA | Kotkamills |
Extomine G | Omya |
Extomine S | Omya |
Extomine M | Omya |
BIOLAY 100 | CHT |
PaperWise Natural Moisture Resistant karton | PaperWise |
TopScreen Biowax-based | Solenis |
Aqueous Barrier Coating | Corkindustries |
Halopack | Halopack |
VaporCoat® 2200R | Michelman |
UltraThinPE Tec TM <5% PE | Storaenso |