Extrusion International 1-2021

22 Extrusion International 1/2021 INDUSTRY NEWS PPAdditive for Thermoforming reducing warpage) and a higher heat-de fl ection tempera- ture, which offers improved heat resistance vital for hot- fi ll and microwaveable applications. It also helps to override the nucleation effects of pigments, thereby reducing design complexity. Milliken chemical.milliken.com/hyperform-hpn-909ei „ Designed for use by thermoformers, Milliken & Compa- ny’s Chemical Division’s latest high-performance additive for polypropylene (PP) homopolymers delivers an excellent balance of physical properties and superb aesthetics – all en- abled through cleaner chemistry. Hyperform ® HPN ® 909ei checks all those boxes, and more, as this formulation also addresses an important aspect for safety reassurance in the European Union. Tailored speci fi - cally to minimize migration, especially in food-contact appli- cations, this new grade of Hyperform has one Speci fi c Migra- tion Limit (SML) less than the previous generation product. A lower number of SMLs means there is one less substance that must be monitored and tested for, reducing customers’ compliance burden. With this simpli fi cation, the reassurance of safety is even stronger. This is vital, given that this type of PP homopolymer is typically used to thermoform drink cups and lids, food packaging, and trays. Traditional nucleating agents require customers to sacri fi ce impact to gain greater stiffness. Hyperform HPN 909ei, how- ever, delivers improved stiffness ( fl exural modulus) while maintaining the impact performance. It also provides isotro- pic shrinkage (similar shrinkage in both directions, thereby „ Borealis is spearheading an innovative new pilot to test the advantages of a double-closed loop reuse and recycling sys- tem, leading the transition towards a more circular economy of plastics, fully in line with its EverMinds™ ambition. Borea- lis Closes The Loop sees Borealis and its value-chain partners replace the 1.5 million single-use cups used annually at four of its Belgium sites with 30,000 reusable EcoCore® cups. Part of Borealis’ mission to Reduce – Reuse – Recycle, the pilot fi rst reduces the weight of plastics through these extremely light- weight cups, then reuses them to maximise their lifetime before seeking to recycle back into cups. This double-closed loop system is Borealis’ latest innovation in driving the circu- lar economy of plastics, expanding their scope up the waste hierarchy towards reduce and reuse, and using their own sites to demonstrate the bene fi ts. Many reuse initiatives today focus on the consumer, for ex- ample reusable cup schemes run by high-street coffee shops. Schemes like this can have a relatively low uptake as the bur- den is on the consumer to decide whether or not they reuse a cup. In the business environment, reuse schemes are less prevalent and there is widespread consumption of single-use plastic cups. By using a double-closed loop, the pilot aims to make reuse schemes more sustainable and economically vi- able. Replacing 1.5 million single-use cups with 30,000 reus- able cups, weighing 15 grammes per cup, results in a mate- rial saving of 4.2 tons of single-use plastic per year. Findings and learnings from the pilot will be captured, re- corded and published to demonstrate how to design and set up robust reuse systems superior to single-use plastics. Bore- alis will support its customers and value-chain partners with the implementation of further closed-loop systems. “Closes The Loop” Pilot Project Eliminates Single-Use Cups Borealis AG www.borealisgroup.com www.borealiseverminds.com Milliken PP additive for thermoforming uses cleaner chemistry to deliver brighter look (Photos © 2021Milliken & Company)