We are pleased to announce the launch of VO+ PE 1300 Series Voiding Agents from VOID Technologies [VOID™], catering to the growing demand for recyclable opaque films in the food and drink packaging industry. These voided polyethylene (PE) film structures are compatible with existing PE recycling streams, ensuring they meet the requirements for a wide range of recycle ready packaging applications such as laminates, wicketed bags, labels, and flow wraps.
Our VO+ PE 1300 Series enables the development of voided machine direction oriented (MDO) HDPE films, providing a unique combination of low density and high opacity that cannot be achieved with mineral pigments like TiO2. This innovation offers a new PE-based recycle-ready alternative to pearlized biaxially oriented polypropylene (BOPP), which is not widely recyclable. As a result, this presents a significant growth opportunity for PE film converters.
Pearlized BOPP has long been used for opaque white packaging, labels, and confectionary wrappers, but its recycling poses challenges due to its difficulty in separating from flexible PE packaging. The incompatibility between the two materials means that post-use BOPP can contaminate common PE flexible packaging recycling streams. Furthermore, there are limited dedicated recycling streams for flexible PP packaging, leading to potential loss of material to landfill.
Our VO+ PE 1300 Series presents a PE alternative to pearlized BOPP that is compatible with existing PE recycling streams, including being pre-qualified as recyclable via Store Drop-Off (in the US). This is especially important considering that flexible packaging recycling at scale in the US is predominantly achieved through Store Drop-Off, and this method is only available for polyethylene flexible packaging, as stated by How2Recycle®.
James Gibson, CEO of VOID Technologies, emphasizes the strong demand for our VO+ PE 1300 Series as it enables brand owners and converters to create recycle ready packaging designs. This product, designed for MDO lines, produces a Store Drop-Off recyclable HDPE alternative to pearlized BOPP, offering PE converters significant growth opportunities without cannibalizing their existing PE product lines. Our customers are already conducting end-to-end supply chain trials, with plans to launch new packaging designs at scale in 2024.
Based on a sophisticated formulation, our VO+ PE 1300 Series uses polymeric cavitation agents, eliminating the need for abrasive minerals that can damage equipment. This next-generation formulation offers a wider MDO operating window, excellent bubble stability, and higher throughputs.
In terms of compliance, VO+ PE 1300 Series adheres to direct food contact standards in North America and Europe. It has also passed key recycling standards outlined by the Association of Plastic Recyclers and RecyClass. How2Recycle® has pre-qualified VO+ for Store Drop-Off recycling (in the US) and deemed it Widely Recyclable in Canada (curbside). It is important to note that the How2Recycle label provided for consumer-facing on-pack use will depend on the specific film structures used and the contents of the packages.
Gibson highlights the need for new MDO applications that address plastic reduction and recycling targets in the packaging industry. The VO+ PE 1300 Series tackles four key challenges faced by packaging producers today, including MDO production performance, in-use package performance, material reduction targets, and recyclability.
