Plastic packaging can protect products and, depending on the food and packaging design, help extend shelf life. This can help reduce food waste. For suitable applications, Kaupert also offers films containing bio-based raw materials. Selected film types are compostable under defined conditions. The relevant material properties and requirements are specified for each product.
Environment as an integral part of corporate policy.
Living responsibility
Plastic packaging protects what matters: food, quality and shelf life. To prevent valuable materials from going to waste, packaging must be intelligently designed, properly sorted and effectively recycled.
Responsible plastics management covers the entire material cycle – from design and production to use, collection and recycling.
The production of films and trays inevitably generates production scrap. For example, punching-grid waste is created during the thermoforming of trays. All plastic waste generated in our production is fully returned to the production process.
In addition, we use PCR material. PCR stands for post-consumer recycled material and refers to plastic waste that has been sorted by material type, processed and approved for food contact.
From 2030, the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation will introduce minimum recycled-content requirements for plastic packaging. The exact percentage will depend, among other factors, on the type of packaging and the plastic used.
Kaupert exclusively extrudes mono-material films made from A-PET and PP.
Mono-material films provide favourable conditions for material-specific collection and recycling. Colour design also plays an important role: transparent and light-coloured plastic packaging can often be detected more easily by modern sorting systems and assigned to the appropriate material streams.
We therefore work to design packaging solutions with recycling in mind. In addition to the material used, we also consider the colour, structure and intended application of the packaging. In this way, we aim to help ensure that valuable materials can be collected, sorted and recycled after use.
Advantages
Arguments for the use of plastic packaging
Depending on the application, plastic packaging can offer advantages in terms of packaging weight, product protection and recyclability.
Plastic packaging protects what matters
Plastic packaging can protect products and help extend the shelf life of food. In this way, it can help reduce food waste. To keep valuable materials in circulation, packaging must be designed for recycling, properly collected and sorted, and returned to suitable recycling processes. The German Packaging Act, which entered into force on 1 January 2019, aims, among other things, to prevent packaging waste and increase recycling. The EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation introduces binding design-for-recycling requirements from 2030.
Since 1989, Kaupert has exclusively extruded mono-material films made from A-PET and PP. Their material structure can provide favourable conditions for sorting and recycling. However, the recyclability of the final packaging also depends on its overall design and the available collection, sorting and recycling infrastructure.
Reusing Resources Efficiently
The production of films and trays generates plastic waste, for example during thermoforming and punching. All waste is processed and returned to the production cycle.
On average, more than 35 percent of our PP and A-PET films consist of internally recycled material. The exact share depends on the product, application and regulatory requirements.
We also use PCR material (post-consumer recycled) for suitable applications. This material comes from plastic waste that has been sorted, processed and approved for food contact.
From 2030, the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation will require minimum recycled content. The exact requirements depend on the type of packaging and material.
Mono-material films made from A-PET and PP support recycling. However, actual recyclability also depends on packaging design and available collection and recycling systems.
We also offer films with bio-based content and selected compostable options. Material properties are specified for each product.
