Recyclable Flexible Packaging Faces a Reality Check

Mono-material designs can improve recycling compatibility, but effective collection, sorting and viable markets for recovered plastic remain essential. Recyclable flexible packaging is becoming a priority for converters and brand owners, but designing a pack for recycling is only the first step. Films, pouches, sachets and wrappers must also enter suitable collection systems, reach appropriate processing facilities and yield material that manufacturers can use. Packaging producers are simplifying structures to improve compatibility with recycling streams. Designs based on a single main polymer, such as polyethylene (PE) or polypropylene (PP), can replace some combinations of materials that are difficult to recycle together.

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