Self Removing Polymer Packaging with Active Function

"Our vision is to develop self removing packaging to perform a secondary cleaning function during its removal from the traditional waste stream thus encouraging customer engagement of this technology.

This project is aimed at the detergent sector, multilayer barrier films are currently used to protect highly sensitive water soluble films, these multilayer barrier films contain mixed polymers therefore these are difficult to recycle being recycling class 7 ""other"".

Polyvinyl Alcohol (PVOH) is a water soluble nontoxic biodegradable polymer which conforms to CEN 13432\. In its film and injection moulded format it is predominantly used for detergent and Agrichemical dosing, where the polymer dissolves in water to release the active components.

Being Hygroscopic it is susceptible to atmospheric moisture uptake in conditions over 50RH. Therefore, expensive protective packaging is required to maintain its physical properties, this is important to maintain child safety regulations when caustic detergents are encapsulated.

Our first key objective is to to design and develop a new detergent format which eliminates the requirement for secondary barrier packaging by the substitution of cast PVOH film with a new less hygroscopic PVOH formulation suitable for injection moulding. Formulation will need to be developed surrounding capsule strength for child safety and product release with no residue observed during a short eco wash cycle and be resistant to atmospheric moisture.

Our second key innovative objective is to develop secondary packaging to protect the primary packaged product against atmospheric moisture in the form of a water soluble container to be dissolved when empty in a dishwasher. This container will contain a cleaning agent to be released during dissolution, adding function to the polymer which will either be encapsulated in the polymer or in a self contained tamper proof compartment within the packaging.

Polymer products entering water courses has been recently highlighted by Sir David Attenborough (Blue Planet and A Plastic Ocean). PVOH is quickly biodegraded in the natural environment and will not form microbeads or plastic residue causing hazards to wildlife."