The main means of green packaging

First, starting from the material 1. Degradable plastic

At present, the internationally popular "degradable new plastics" have excellent qualities that are self-decomposing and disappear after being discarded and do not pollute the environment.

Germany invented a packaging cup made from starch and encountered insoluble liquid, which can hold dairy products. This invention saves 4 billion plastic bottles for Germany, and it is easily disassembled after being discarded. The United States has developed a plastic bag made from starch and synthetic fiber, which can be broken down into water and carbon dioxide in nature. Countries such as the Netherlands and Italy have already stipulated that certain plastic packaging materials must use biodegradable plastics, and no environmentally harmful packaging should be placed on the market.

2. Paper

Since paper products can be recycled after use, a small amount of waste can be naturally decomposed in nature and have no adverse impact on the natural environment. Therefore, the world recognized that paper, paperboard and paper products are green products that meet the requirements of environmental protection. Governance The white pollution caused by plastic can play a positive role. At present, paper packaging materials being researched and developed at home and abroad include: paper packaging films, disposable paper product containers, paper packaging materials developed using natural resources, and edible paper products.

3. Glass

If you do not contain metals, ceramics, and other substances, the glass can be almost completely recycled. The content of other colored glass fragments in a certain color glass has maximum limits: 1 The maximum content of other colored glass in green glass does not exceed 15%. 2 The maximum content of other colored glass in white glass does not exceed 3%, in which the maximum content of brown glass does not exceed 2%, and the maximum content of green glass does not exceed 1%. 3 The maximum content of other colored glass in brown glass does not exceed 8%. For this reason, it is necessary to strengthen the separate collection of different colored glass. In some developed countries, white glass and stained glass are separately collected in different containers. Because glass packaging has strong visibility and is easy to recycle and reuse, it has become the main container for traditional packaging of beverages and other products.

4. Bamboo

Bamboo packaging is non-toxic, non-polluting, and easy to recycle. Bamboo packaging refers to: bamboo plastic box, silk bundle box and so on. China is a country lacking timber in the world. However, China's total bamboo area and bamboo resources rank first and second in the world respectively. China's bamboo packaging with rich traditional culture has been favored by countries in Europe, America and Japan.

Second, start with reusable, renewable, edible, biodegradable

1. Repeated use and regeneration

Repeated use of packaging such as the implementation of beer, beverages, soy sauce, vinegar and other packaging using glass bottles, repeated use. In Sweden and other countries, PET PET beverage bottles and PC milk bottles have been reused for more than 20 times. Wellman Holland and Holmson of the United States have recycled 100% PET containers. For example, polyester bottles can be regenerated in two ways after they are recycled. The physical method refers to the direct and thorough purification and comminution without any residual contaminants. The treated plastics are then used directly in the recycling of packaging containers; the chemical method refers to the recycled PET. After crushing and washing, depolymerizing agent such as methanol, ethylene glycol or diethylene glycol is used to depolymerize PET into monomers or partially depolymerize into oligomers under the action of a basic catalyst, and then condense and then polymerize monomers or oligomers. Recycled PET resin packaging material.

2. Edible

For decades, the familiar glutinous rice paper used for candy packaging and corn baking packaging cups for packaging ice cream are typical edible packaging. Among the more mature synthetic packaging films is the pullulan resin that has been industrialized since the 1970s. It is an odorless, odorless, amorphous, amorphous white powder that is non-ionic, non-reducing, and stable. Polysaccharides. Since it is a polyglucose composed of a-glucoside, it is easily dissolved in water and can be used as a viscous, neutral, nonionic, non-gelatinized aqueous solution.

Its 5%-10% aqueous solution can be made into a film with a thickness of 0.01mm by drying or hot pressing. It is transparent, colorless, odorless, nontoxic, has toughness, high oil resistance, can be eaten, and can be used as food packaging. . Its gloss, strength, and folding resistance are all better than films made from high-chain starch.

Recently, researchers in Wuhan developed a new edible packaging film for inner packaging materials. The product is made from raw materials such as dried husks, potatoes, broken rice, etc. through fermentation to convert into polysaccharides, which are then stretched into films. The membrane is a macromolecule made of glucose, which has the characteristics of edible, degradable, colorless and transparent, and good oxygen barrier. As a food packaging film, its right-angle tear strength, mechanical strength, light transmission, etc. can reach the film standard of plastic packaging. After the film is made into a bag, the powdered milk and salad oil do not leak oil and can be consumed together with milk powder in water.

3. Degradable

Degradable material refers to a plastic whose chemical structure changes under a specific environment at a specific time. Degradable plastic packaging materials not only have the functions and characteristics of traditional plastics, but also can be decomposed and reduced in the natural environment through the action of ultraviolet light in the sunlight or microorganisms in the soil and water after the service life is completed. Re-enter the ecological environment. The degradable plastics are mainly divided into synthetic photodegradable plastics, photodegradable plastics and biodegradable plastics added with photosensitizers, and multi-functional degradable plastics that are combined with various degradable plastics. According to the environmental conditions of degradable plastics, it can be divided into photodegradable plastics, biodegradable plastics (fully biodegradable plastics, partially biodegradable plastics), chemically degradable plastics (oxygen degradable plastics, water degradable plastics), and composites composed of the above three degradable plastics. Degradation material.

4. Paper material

At present, many companies have considered the use of medium-sized, heavy corrugated boxes or white boxes to pack, and use a variety of moisture-proof fresh paper instead of plastic film for packaging. In the United States, more than half of plastic packaging has been replaced with new paper packaging. China's Shanghai Jiabao Packaging Company has introduced advanced equipment to develop a paper pulp model. This product is made from natural plant fibers such as reed pulp, bagasse pulp, wood pulp and other raw materials, which are scientifically formulated and molded. This pulp model is the ideal product to replace foam tableware.

Reprinted from: Packaging Business Network