Metpack and BASF cooperate to demonstrate certified home-compostable, coated paper for food packaging

• Metpack’s Ezycompost paper is coated with BASF’s biopolymer ecovio^® 70 PS14H6
• Excellent processability with faster coating speed than polylactic acid (PLA)
• Food-contact approved with outstanding barrier properties
• Home-compostable solution extends end-of-life options for paper packaging and supports organics recycling

For sustainable food packaging, the extrusion coating specialist Metpack, Istanbul, now offers coated paper and paperboard which is certified home-compostable OK Compost Home from TÜV Austria. Metpack’s paper Ezycompost benefits from a coating with BASF’s ecovio® 70 PS14H6. The biopolymer is certified home-compostable (OK Compost Home) and adds several functional advantages to paper for food packaging: It is food-contact approved (FDA) and shows excellent barrier properties against liquids, fats, grease, and mineral oil as well as temperature stability at boiling water (up to 100°C). This combination of proven compostability and excellent performance gives paper packaging manufacturers and food brands the certainty that food packaging articles made of Ezycompost can be safely used by consumers and create no persistent mircoplastics in home compost after usage. The new home-compostable solution thus supports organics recycling of food waste and helps to close the nutrient loop to achieve a circular economy.

There is a big trend in society, in some countries driven by legislation, to move from pure plastic to paper-based packaging, which in itself is not suitable for a lot of different foods, especially with liquid or fatty ingredients. The new home-compostable, coated paper by Metpack can be used for many food-contact applications like cold/hot cups as well as pots and trays for deep-freezing or microwave use. It can be manufactured on standard forming lines, enabling faster coating speeds and 40% thinner coating than polylactic acid (PLA). Ecovio^® 70 PS14H6 allows for coating line speeds comparable to polyethylene (PE). The material shows no adhesion to chill roll, outstanding sealing and printing properties and can be processed by mono or co-extrusion without adhesives.

“With Ezycompost, we can offer the food industry the best of both worlds when it comes to coated paper packaging”, says Sühan Gürer, Vice President sales and new project development at Metpack. “It has the same strength as PE-coated paper but with the added benefit that it is certified compostable and creates no persistent microplastics in organic or paper waste streams. Its faster processing and home-compostability is a double advantage compared to coatings made of PLA, which is industrial compostable only. This all enables the food packaging industry to differentiate their products without compromise on performance and quality as well as reach their sustainability targets.” Metpack’s paper solution is certified up to a grammage of 334 gsm in total composition.

After usage, food packaging made of Ezycompost coated with ecovio^® 70 PS14H6 can be composted in garden home compost according to national legislation. Thus, BASF’s home-compostable ecovio^® extends the end-of-life options for paper food packaging. “Our ecovio^® 70 PS14H6 is also industrial compostable and performs well in paper recycling”, says Michael Bernhard Schick from global marketing Biopolymers at BASF. “Its home compostability is even certified according to Australian standard AS 5810, which is the most stringent one in the world. Our biopolymer is available with a bio-based content between 70 and 80 percent of renewable resources according to ASTM D 6866. If customers want to reduce their Product Carbon Footprint (PCF) even further, we can also supply a certified biomassed balanced (BMB) grade: At the beginning of production, its fossil-based feedstock is 100% replaced with waste-based biomass which is then attributed to the BMB grade and thus has a 25% lower PCF than the standard ecovio^® grade.” The BMB grade comes with the same properties, performance, machine processability and biodegradation certificates as the standard ecovio^® 70 PS14H6. Due to its excellent migration barrier properties the BASF biopolymer also enables the use of recycled paper in food applications.

BASF’s biopolymers enable organics recycling

BASF’s biopolymer ecovio^® is certified compostable in accordance with standards such as DIN EN 13432. Typical applications for ecovio^® are organic waste bags, cling film, fruit and vegetable bags, as well as agricultural mulch films and food packaging applications. Studies show the advantages of ecovio^® for production, packaging and shelf life of food as well as for the collection of food waste. These advantages are based on the material’s certified biodegradability in industrial and home composting as well as in agricultural soil: Food waste is reduced, nutrients are returned to the soil by means of greater volumes of compost – and the accumulation of persistent microplastic in agricultural soil is avoided. This contributes to a circular economy by closing the nutrient cycle via organics recycling.

More information:
www.metpack.com
www.ecovio.basf.com

About Metpack

Metpack is the leading polymer (PE, PP, PET, home compostable and multi-layered) extruded paper and board converter in Turkey. Metpack is located in Istanbul at a 40.000 m² facility with a production capacity over 84.000 MT per annum with five unique extrusion coating lines. Metpack production and quality meet all international food grade packaging standards (Food Security Certificates; BRCGS Packaging, Product Carbon Footprint certification, ISO 22000 and Quality Certificates; ISO 9001, and other certificates like ISO 14001, ISO 45001, and ISO 50001).

About BASF’s Performance Materials division

BASF’s Performance Materials division leads the transformation of the plastics industry by merging sustainability with a competitive edge. Our broad material competencies and product portfolio, backed by deep industry understanding, make us the ideal one-stop-shop. With dedicated material-focused teams and strong R&D power, we deliver industry-leading technologies and expertise to our customers worldwide. Our global network ensures a competitive advantage through superior innovations, regional proximity, and tailor-made solutions that meet local market demands. We are committed to enhancing performance and efficiency across sectors such as automotive, consumer goods, industrial applications, and construction. With BASF, our partners embark on #OurPlasticsJourney towards a more circular and sustainable future. In 2024, the Performance Materials division achieved global sales of €6.8 billion. Join #OurPlasticsJourney on LinkedIn https://on.basf.com/PM_LinkedIn and in our newsletter https://on.basf.com/PM_Newsletter.

Further information at https://www.performance-materials.basf.com.

About BASF

At BASF, we create chemistry for a sustainable future. Our ambition: We want to be the preferred chemical company to enable our customers’ green transformation. We combine economic success with environmental protection and social responsibility. Around 112,000 employees in the BASF Group contribute to the success of our customers in nearly all sectors and almost every country in the world. Our portfolio comprises, as core businesses, the segments Chemicals, Materials, Industrial Solutions, and Nutrition & Care; our standalone businesses are bundled in the segments Surface Technologies and Agricultural Solutions. BASF generated sales of €65.3 billion in 2024. BASF shares are traded on the stock exchange in Frankfurt (BAS) and as American Depositary Receipts (BASFY) in the United States. Further information at www.basf.com.

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