Barrier Coatings Closer to Becoming Fossil Free

Paperboard packaging solutions have come as a welcome change for many food and beverage brands eager to reduce their use of plastic and improve their carbon footprint. And while this has been an enormous improvement in terms of sustainability, the barrier coatings laminated on paperboard to protect food, continue to be made largely from fossil fuel-based plastics.

Credit: Holmen Iggesund

Now, however, Holmen Iggesund can offer Bio E, a barrier coating that is made from 75 percent renewable raw materials. “The previous generation of bio-based barriers were made from about 30 percent renewable raw materials, so Bio E offers a big improvement. Additionally, Bio E has been approved for industrial composting,” says Per Berglund, Product Manager Value added Products, Holmen Iggesund.

Bio E is a huge step in the ongoing efforts to develop completely fossil-free barrier coatings that don’t compromise any of the robustness, safety or functionality achieved with traditional plastic-based (PE) barrier coatings.

This bio-based coating is both liquid and grease resistant. It fulfills European and US FDA requirements for food contact, which makes it suitable for all kinds of food packaging.

Bio E is also approved for use in microwave ovens.

Bio E is offered in combination with several of Holmen Iggesund’s paperboards.

“Now you don’t have to compromise on sustainability efforts with a PE-based coating when there’s a compostable alternative with Bio E.”

SOURCE: Holmen Iggesund 

The preceding press release was provided by a company unaffiliated with Packaging Impressions. The views expressed within do not directly reflect the thoughts or opinions of Packaging Impressions.