Boosting Food Packaging Recyclability
Melodea Introduces MelOx NGen: A Breakthrough in Sustainable Barrier Coatings for MelOx NGen by Melodea is set to revolutionize the global plastic industry with its high-performance, eco-friendly solution for enhancing the recyclability of plastic food packaging
Melodea, Ltd., a leading producer of sustainable barrier coatings for packaging, has unveiled its latest innovation, MelOx NGen™. This groundbreaking product is designed to address the pressing need for sustainable solutions in the plastic industry while maintaining food freshness and significantly reducing plastic waste. With MelOx NGen, food packagers can now embrace recyclability and align themselves with government regulations aimed at reducing the use of single-use plastics.
Enhancing Food Packaging Recyclability
MelOx NGen is a water-based, plant-sourced coating that provides an eco-friendly alternative to traditional packaging materials. It is specifically engineered to line the inside surface of various plastic food packaging forms, including films, pouches, bags, lidding, and blister packs. Approved by FDA and BfR for food contact, this transparent coating ensures the protection and extended shelf-life of a wide range of food products, including snacks, confectionery, nutrition bars, meats, dairy, and pharmaceuticals.
A Sustainable and Cost-Effective Solution
This new iteration of Melodea’s award-winning bio-based and renewable material, MelOx, has been specially formulated for use on plastic packaging. By offering a transparent layer that replaces petroleum-based Ethyl Vinyl Alcohol copolymers (EVOH) commonly used for food preservation and met-PET plastic materials used for lids, MelOx NGen presents a sustainable and cost-effective alternative.
Supporting the Circular Economy
With its potential to expand the scope of recyclable plastic food packaging, MelOx NGen empowers food packagers to achieve their sustainability goals. In light of the EU’s Plastic Waste Directive, which sets ambitious recycling targets, MelOx NGen is poised to contribute significantly to reducing plastic consumption and waste. By 2025, a minimum recycling target of 50% for plastic packaging will be in place, increasing to 55% by 2030. Additionally, the EU has approved a tax of €800 per tonne of non-recycled plastic containers and packaging, further incentivizing the adoption of recycling practices.
A Holistic Solution for a Complex Challenge
Shaul Lapidot, Ph.D., CEO and co-founder of Melodea, emphasizes the importance of collective efforts to reduce plastic use: “The global collective effort to drastically curb plastic use is a long and complex process. Our holistic solution can help ease the pressure by boosting the integration of plastic packaging into the circular economy, immediately.”
Overcoming Bottlenecks and Rising Prices
Cee Azerraf, Ph.D., VP of Sales & Marketing at Melodea, highlights the current limitations of plastic packaging recyclability due to multi-structure composition. EVOH, commonly used as an oxygen barrier in thin plastic films, is non-recyclable, rendering the entire package non-recyclable. MelOx NGen offers an eco-friendly and cost-effective alternative applicable to various forms of plastics, including monostructure plastics with exceptional performance properties and recyclability. Additionally, MelOx NGen can help alleviate the supply bottleneck of EVOH, which has experienced a surge in demand and price increases since the outbreak of COVID-19.
Recognition in the Sustainability Awards 2023
Melodea’s commitment to sustainability has been acknowledged with MelOx NGen being selected as a finalist in the prestigious Sustainability Awards 2023, specifically within the sustainability in packaging category, organized by Packaging Europe. This recognition further validates MelOx NGen’s transformative potential in revolutionizing the plastic industry’s approach to food packaging.
Melodea’s introduction of MelOx NGen marks a significant milestone in the pursuit of sustainable packaging solutions. By enhancing the recyclability of plastic food packaging and reducing reliance on non-recyclable materials, MelOx NGen enables food packagers to embrace their sustainability objectives while complying with government regulations. With its eco-friendly and cost-effective properties, MelOx NGen is poised to shape a future where plastic packaging plays a more integral role in the circular economy, paving the way for a greener and more sustainable planet.
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