ExxonMobil Signature Polymers and Bandera, a manufacturer of extrusion lines for the packaging and converting industries, have developed a full polyethylene (PE) pet food pouch designed for recyclability* using conventional blown film extrusion technology.
According to ExxonMobil, machine direction-oriented (MDO) PE films can offer improved mechanical, barrier and optical properties, but implementing MDO technology requires investment in specialized equipment, which represents a significant upfront cost. ExxonMobil Signature Polymers and Bandera created an alternative using conventional blown film extrusion.
The companies developed a PE mono-material pet food pouch using a substrate film that provides stiffness and optics while meeting converting requirements for printing and lamination. The substrate film was produced on a conventional Bandera blown film extrusion line, yielding optical properties, high stiffness and dimensional stability at elevated temperatures.
For the pouch's sealant film, an ethylene vinyl alcohol (EVOH)-containing film was produced on a Bandera Barrier FLEX extrusion line using an ExxonMobil Signature Polymers Exxtra Seal enhanced polymer, providing a broad sealing window.
The resulting substrate film is a non-oriented blown, stiff PE film intended as a replacement for polyethylene terephthalate (PET), without the need for MDO technology, for a mono-material packaging solution.
Read the full cast study here.
*Designed with features intended to support recyclability. Actual recyclability depends on factors such as local collection, sortation and recycling infrastructure, as well as the condition and configuration of the film after use. However, access to facilities that accept and process plastic film is limited and not widely available.
