Chemicals giant BASF has announced the first production application for the injection mould-grade version of its ecovio biodegradable and compostable plastic, with Europe's Swiss Coffee Company using the material to produce capsules and outer packaging for its beanarella range of capsule coffee offerings.
BASF launched the ecovio plastic in 2006 as a film, with its main applications to date in such areas as bags for collecting biodegradable waste and mulch film to cultivate fruit and vegetables in fields.
In this first injection mould-grade application, the new grade ecovio plastic, dubbed IS1335, is being used with an ecovio-based multi-layer system with high barrier properties to provide a combination of a coffee capsule and an aroma-tight outer packaging to fulfil the demanding requirements for protecting the product and brewing coffee in high-pressure coffee machines.
Swiss Coffee Company began offering its new beanarella system using the the BASF plastic late last year, initially marketing the product through two channels: Swiss office furnishing company Leomat AG supplying the complete beanarella system to its customers, as well as collecting the finished waste materials; and through direct sale to consumers via the internet.
The structure used by Swiss Coffee consists of three functional layers: an outer paper-based carrier layer enclosing a thin barrier film, which in turn covers an inner sealing layer, all bonded together by means of BASF's Epotal Eco compostable laminating adhesive.
BASF said its in-house testing confirmed the capsules degraded in actual composting environments.
During the initial phase of the beanarella release, the Swiss Coffee Company itself will handle composting under industrial conditions in Switzerland.
Composting was seen as an ideal method for waste disposal of the packaging, as the used capsules typically contain small portions of organic waste which can't be collected separately from the packaging material, limiting the ability to recycle the used materials.
Swiss Coffee now plans to introduce the product in Germany, Austria and the USA, with BASF assisting in waste disposal.
BASF Australia's business director for plastics, Rowan Williams, told PKN that while there were no plans at present to release the beanarella range in Australia, the company was currently trialling other uses for the material in Australia.
“We have the material under trial here, and several applications are now being tried out,” he said.
“We are looking at applications for other types of small caps and closures, as well as for use in such items as automotive components and throwaway tubes for breathalyser units.
“We hope they will be successful, but at the least we now have a biodegradable material as another arrow in our quiver for injection moulding applications.”
Swiss Coffee Company has become the launch customer for BASF's new injection mould-grade version of its ecovio biodegradable and compostable plastic.
