Clear, mono-layer food tray for improved recyclability

A packaging supplier has launched a range of thermoformed food trays made from mono amorphous polyethylene terephthalate (or MAPET).
With better potential to be sorted and recycled, this single material provides an alternative to traditional black PET or multi-layer materials yet offers many of the same properties.

Instead of adding a top layer for sealing, a small amount of special adhesive suitable for food packaging applications is added around the rim of each tray to ensure that it can be sealed easily. Sealing can be achieved easily using a wide range of sealing films, including market standard polyethylene (PE). No changes are needed to either the lidding film or the filling/sealing machine.

The clear tray, which incorporates post-consumer recycled material, also lets consumers assess the quality and integrity of foods prior to purchase. Markets targeted include meat, poultry to start, and chilled foods and snacks (biscuits and cakes) in the future.

The MAPET II sheet for thermoforming is available from Faerch Plast. The adhesive, which was also developed by Faerch Plast, has been approved for direct contact with food at temperatures up to 40°C.

The content in this entry has been obtained from publicly available information sources only (e.g. press releases, website and trade press articles) and is subject to completion of a validation process with the technology supplier.

Black PET or complex multi-layer materials are commonly used for trays for a variety of food products. Depending on the pigments used, black PET can be undesirable in the PET recycling stream, whilst multi-layer materials cannot be recycled by today’s processes.The move towards clear and monolayer solutions improves the potential recyclability of packaging.

MAPET II thermoforming sheets are the proprietary technology of Faerch Plast.

The REID database contains many examples of innovations to reduce the environmental impact of food trays. Readers interested in this packaging format should make further searches of the database using combinations of filters and search terms such as “Trays”, “Light-weight”, “Light-weighting” and “Recycling”.

Joe Iannidinardo, Managing Director
Faerch Plast Ltd.
Stayton House
93 Stayton Road, Sutton
SM1 2PS Surrey
England
Tel. +44 20 8254 2300
E-mail: uk@faerchplast.com
www.faerchplast.com/en