Extrusion International 2-2020

35 Extrusion International 2/2020 With this property profile, the film helps to keep food fresh for a longer periodof timewhen compared topolyvinyl chlo- ride (PVC) alternatives used for cling film such as polyethyl- ene (PE). As a consequence, the greenhouse gas emissions originating from food that is produced and distributed – but ultimately wasted – can be reduced. After usage Nature Fresh can be composted together with any food waste in home compost or industrial compost according to national legislation. It thus enables organic recycling and helps clos- ing the nutrient loop towards a Circular Economy. Clingor stretchfilm is aflexible thinfilmthat is predominate- ly used for packaging and applied in a stretch-wrap process. Wrapping can be donemanually or bymachines. The Nature Freshfilmmade of ecovio ® is the certified compostable alter- native to cling films made of PVC and PE so far used in fresh food packaging: Its overall performance – mechanical prop- erties like tensile strength and elongation at break, breath- ability, film transparency and aesthetics like elastic recovery and anti-fogging – is comparable to films made of PVC. At the same time ecovio ® shows a better water vapor transmis- sion than PE, which is essential for optimal fresh food pack- aging. Carsten Sinkel from Global Business Development Biopoly- mers at BASF says: “We observe a changing market environ- ment: The market is looking for alternatives to PVC that is today’s performance standard for most cling film packaging of fresh produce. PE films are lacking in performance, often leading to a reduced shelf life of packed fresh food. This re- sults in considerable greenhouse gas emissions from food waste: fruits and vegetables, for example, are responsible for 33%greenhouse gas emissions fromall foodwaste globally. Our certified compostable ecovio ® enables the production of a cling film that prolongs shelf life of fresh food and at the same time can be composted after use together with or- ganicwaste according to national legislation.” The EUWaste Framework Directive promotes solutions to reduce food waste and increase organic waste collection. In order to find the perfect match of a sustainable material with excellent packaging properties and easy wrapping, BASF and Fabbri Group joined to develop a cling film which can also be efficiently used on stretch wrapping machines. Stefano Mele, CEO at Fabbri Group: “The Fabbri new way to sustainability is combining our Nature Fresh solution with our new Automac NF wrappers so that the food packaging industry can benefit twice: from an innovative cling film and easy film processing. In this way our certified compostable cling film can be used together with trays and labels of the same kind in order to have a complete compostable packag- ing.” Fabbri Group offers Nature Fresh in four different for- mats: as rolls formanual or automatic packagingmachines in industrial food packaging, for cutter boxes in hotels, restau- rants and catering services, as jumbo rolls for converters as well as rolls for end consumer hand-wrapping applications. Further information: BASF www.basf.com www.ecovio.basf.com Fabbri Group www.gruppofabbri.com BASF and Fabbri Group have developed a sustainable solution for cling filmused in fresh- food packaging: Based on BASF’s certified compostable ecovio ® , Fabbri Group produces the highly transparent stretch filmNature Fresh. Meat, seafood as well as fruit and vegetables can bewrappedmanually or with automatic packaging equipment. Industrial stretch packaging is also possible. It is the first certified compostable cling film that combines optimal breathability for an extended shelf life of fresh foodwith high transparency and excellent mechanical properties for automatic packaging. Nature Fresh is food-contact approved according toUS and European standards Certified Compostable Cling Film for Fresh-Food Packaging developed BASF and Fabbri Group have developed a sustainable solution for cling filmused in fresh-food packaging (Photo: BASF 2020) MATERIALS