Issue 06/2018

Films/Flexibles/Bags
That’s not my bag –
or is it?
Certified compostable film applications with multiple benefits
and different mechanical and thermal properties. The main
application areas are films for organic waste bags, fruit
and vegetable bags and dual-use bags (first for shopping,
then for organic waste), multilayer packaging materials,
and agricultural films. The certified compostable, partly
biobased plastics are in no way inferior to conventional
materials: they are just as effective and resistant, can be
processed with conventional machinery, and are ideal for
developing innovative solutions.
ecovio F is suitable for producing compostable multilayer films
with good barrier properties for packaging applications like coffee
capsule pouches.
Lightweight, tear-resistant and waterproof – thanks to
their exceptional properties, plastic bags and films
make our lives easier. But when it comes to biowaste
collection, they can contribute to the formation of microplastic
when disposed of together with organic waste. The
EU commission estimates that the recycling rates for thin
plastic bags will not rise above 10 % by 2020. For all applications
that cannot be recycled mechnically, BASF offers the
certified compostable plastic ecovio ® . It can be used to produce
compostable blown films, thermoformable flat films
or multilayer films, for applications as diverse as shopping
bags, food packaging and agricultural films.
Plastic bags and films help to keep food fresh, are a
convenient way of carrying our shopping, and ensure
that waste is disposed of hygienically. But when it comes
to disposal, they cannot always be easily separated into
their individual components for mechanical recycling.
In addition, society is increasingly looking for alternative
product solutions which are environmentally sustainable
but are still just as convenient.
With ecovio, which is made from the compostable and
biodegradable BASF plastic ecoflex ® and polylactic acid
(PLA), BASF developed in 2006 a biodegradable plastic
which is certified to EN13432 for industrial composting.
Since then a broad range of different ecovio grades has been
introduced into the market, with varying biobased contents
Kitchen and food waste can be hygienically collected in
organic waste bags made from ecovio F, then turned into
compost in industrial composting facilities along with the
bag. Thanks to its good resistance to moisture, liquid does
not leak through, so there is no need to wash out the compost
bin. Because of the material’s excellent tensile strength and
hence load-carrying capacity ecovio F can also be employed
to make shopping bags. They are strong enough to be
reused several times before finally being used as organic
waste bags. Bags and pouches made from ecovio can be
both welded and printed, so they can be clearly labeled as
compostable, for example.
Fruit and vegetable bags made of ecovio are more than
simple carrier bags, too. The blown films can be extruded in
the range from 10 to 12µm. They can be reused as organic
waste bags and thus improve the collection and recovery of
organic food waste. The bags possess high tear and wear
Fruit and vegetable bags made of ecovio possess high tear and
wear stability, are approved for food contact and reduce food
losses due to their good breathability.
14 bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/18] Vol. 13