Innovating solutions
for sustainable
paper packaging
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1 FOOD SAFE: BASF’s functional barrier solutions provide protection against the migration
of undesired substances.
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SUSTAINABLE BARRIERS: Innovative barrier solutions offering combinations of
­increased renewable content and improved end-of-life packaging options.
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LIGHTWEIGHT: Advanced technologies to enable packaging weight reductions
while ­retaining the functionality required of the packaging.
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SOLUTIONS FOR PAPER
PACKAGING TO BETTER MEET
YOUR SUSTAINABILITY GOALS
Meeting society’s packaging challenges
The global packaging market is currently worth around € 500 billion,
­s erving multiple industries and sectors with diverse needs. Paper and
cardboard represents roughly one third of that volume, with the main
uses being for food and beverage packaging.
Given the ever-increasing focus on the responsible use of resources,
sustainability has become a leading theme influencing everyone involved
in the packaging value chain. From fiber source selection through paper
production, conversion, printing, packaging design and end-of-life
­o ptions, everything is influenced by this dominating trend.
Harnessing innovation power
The search for more sustainable solutions has become a priority for all
responsible companies involved in the paper packaging industry, and
their demands are complex. BASF focuses on three major areas:
§ § Improved food safety through migration barriers enabling the
safe use of recycled fibers
§ § B arrier solutions that contribute towards sustainability trends
in ­p ackaging
§ § S trengthening solutions to improve the performance of
packaging and enable weight reduction.
Specialists for sustainable packaging solutions
Drawing on the full resources of the world’s leading chemical company,
we want to work with you to develop sustainable solutions tailored to
your specific packaging and value chain requirements.
When BASF meets the global market’s demand for a constant supply of
packaging in a truly sustainable manner, it’s because at BASF, we create
chemistry.
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MEETING THE PACKAGING NEEDS
OF TOMORROW’S WORLD
The needs of a growing population
Functional coatings to address packaging challenges
In 2009, the global population passed the point where more people
live in urban than in rural areas: this places an added strain on the
food supply.
BASF’s new barrier coatings, purpose-designed for paper and
board, are carefully engineered to contribute towards both food
safety and sustainability trends in packaging.
With no means of cultivating their own produce, these billions of
people predominantly get their food from supermarkets and retail
outlets. Keeping that food fresh, safe and enjoyable until the end
of its shelf life is an essential task for the food packaging industry.
Our unique range of solutions, from extrudable bio-based, biodegradable and fully compostable barrier coatings to aqueous dispersions for coating and printing, enable you to achieve effective food
protection in packaging without compromising ­sustainability. BASF
offers a growing portfolio of solutions that can be tailored to meet
individual requirements.
Recycled fibers for food contact
But it’s not just about protecting the food. In many countries, the
current trend for increased sustainability and reduced waste goes
hand in hand with a greater awareness of personal health.
Residues in food packaging have been shown to be capable of
transferring to the very food they protect. One example is the
­mineral oil residues often found in cardboard made from ­recycled
paper. In Germany, the Federal Institute of Risk Assessment (BfR)
has raised concerns about the presence of some mineral oil
constit­uents in food, on the basis of the results of a research
­project ­initiated and funded by the Federal Ministry of Food,
­Agriculture and Consumer Protection (BMELV). ­Enabling continued
growth in the use of recycled materials while ensuring food safety
through the use of functional barriers is p
­ aramount.
A range of coatings:
ƒƒ Can be applied using regular paper coating, extrusion
or printing processes
ƒƒ Multiple barrier functionalities to suit specific requirements
(mineral oil migration, liquid, fat and grease, aroma,
moisture vapor)
ƒƒ Heat-sealable solutions
ƒƒ Multiple end-of-life options (recycling, energy recovery,
­composting, etc.)
ƒƒ Bio-based solutions
All BASF solutions are offered with the relevant food contact
­certifications and approvals.
Reducing waste, managing resources
Paper is a renewable, recyclable, biodegradable and combustible
resource.
For paper packaging, common barrier materials used today
­include aluminum, polyethylene, fluorochemicals and wax. While
the ­functionality of such barrier materials is without question,
their use can complicate or restrict end-of-life options, impacting
­sustainability. Innovative new barrier solutions that can address
such limitations and c
­ ontribute to sustainability in terms of ­re-use
– either by recycling, energy or organic recovery – are ­increasingly
desirable.
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FOOD-SAFE
PACKAGING
Paper is widely employed for food packaging and rising interest in sustainability is driving the use of recycled fibers. BASF supports this approach by
offering functional barriers to ensure food-safe packaging.
MINERAL OIL MIGRATION
BARRIER SOLUTIONS
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Guarding against health risks
Sustainability continues to drive the use of recycled fibers for paper
packaging applications. Studies from Dr Konrad Grob, Swiss
Safety Authority Zurich, and from the German Federal Ministry of
Food & Agriculture (BMEL) have shown that mineral oil constituents
can be present in such papers as a result of the recycling process.
In addition, there is a risk that such contaminants can migrate into
foodstuffs.
Sources of these contaminants are not only the primary food
packaging. Migration from secondary transport packaging and adjacent packaging to the primary food packaging is also possible.
Considering all possible external sources of contamination, functional barriers – ideally located where the packaging comes into
contact with the food – are a proven solution for ensuring food
safety.
As a result of such findings, BASF has developed a range of
­migration barrier solutions for both extrusion- and dispersionbased coatings, as a positive contribution towards the safe use
of r­ ecycled fibers for paper packaging.
A series of recent tests carried out by, among others, the Zurich
Food Safety Authority, Fraunhofer iVV and Eurofins, have proved
the effectiveness of these functional barrier solutions against the
migration of mineral oil residues and a variety of other undesired
substances.
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SUSTAINABLE
BARRIERS
Ever-increasing population size, coupled with a steady movement of people
from the countryside to the cities, is presenting important challenges for the
food and nutrition industries. More people than ever get their food from
­supermarkets and stores rather than direct from the land. Against this
­background of constantly rising demand, resource-intensive and wasteful
packaging practices are neither economically nor environmentally viable.
This is why BASF is dedicated to developing innovative packaging solutions
that help meet sustain­ability goals in many customer industries.
FROM COLD DRINKS TO
HOT NOODLES
Innovative solutions for modern lifestyles
It’s not long ago that many of the conveniences we take for granted
today didn’t even exist. The ubiquitous paper cup, for example,
has only been with us since 1907, when US lawyer Lawrence
­Luellen developed it to serve cold drinks in his office. Today, life
without his innovation would be unthinkable. No coffee to go, no
handy container for ice cream, cool drinks or hot noodles.
Traditionally, this versatile invention has been coated with
­petroleum-based wax or polyethylene polymers to keep it from
leaking and to offer a measure of heat insulation. While they are
still ­effective solutions, these coatings hinder the recycling of
­paper packaging and limit the composting options for billions
of food and drink containers.
Example:
Applied to both sides of the paper, ecovio® PS maintains the
cup’s stability by preventing the paper from absorbing condensation that forms on the outside when it is filled with cold
liquids or ice cream. For hot beverages, a thin coating on the
inner side of the cup is enough to build a liquid-proof barrier
that will last for days.
ecovio® PS, a largely renewable based solution is registered*
compostable and biodegradable.
* According to American standard ASTM D 6400
and the European standard DIN EN 13432.
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BRINGING PAPER PACKAGING
INTO THE 21ST CENTURY
Trend towards greener fast-food packaging
Reducing environmental impact
If you ordered a burger to go in the 1970s, it would have been
handed to you wrapped in waxed paper and usually packed in
a non-renewable plastic ‘clamshell’: double protection for the
­ultimate greasy take-out. The change from plastic to cardboard
clamshells was a step in the direction of sustainability. To provide
that cardboard with the necessary grease resistance, it was
­treated ­either with fluorocarbons or polyethylene.
BASF can offer barrier coating solutions based either on
­dispersion coating, printing or extrusion coating. The coatings
can be applied to both paper and board packaging materials and
provide excellent aroma barrier properties while also contributing
towards sustainability trends in packaging.
Recent regulations have led to fluorocarbons increasingly being
­replaced by more e
­ nvironmentally friendly or even biodegradable
materials.
Enjoyment with a clear conscience
BASF’s latest paper-coating innovations take this a major step
­further. Barrier solutions applied either by dispersion or extrusion
coating offer an alternative to the use of wax and fluorocarbons.
Keeping the aroma fresh
The many tempting flavors and aromas of food not only guide
great chefs in searching out the ideal ingredients for their creations. They also act as powerful drivers for consumers when
choosing the products to fill their refrigerators and cupboards at
home. Knowing that their favorite coffee will smell as tempting
three days after they opened the packaging as it did the day they
bought it is a major factor in these purchasing decisions.
That long-life freshness is all down to packaging materials that
have been designed with integrated aroma barriers to keep the
desired flavor safely inside.
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Long-lasting freshness doesn’t need to mean long-lasting
­negative environmental impact.
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FROM THE HARVEST
TO YOUR DOOR
Ensuring fresh foods arrive safely
Farm fresh foods, direct from the harvest, are increasingly transported using corrugated boxes from the source or processing
plant direct to our urban retail outlets, or even to your door. Such
convenience is demanded by modern society, but not at a cost to
the quality of the produce.
Fresh food such as fruits, vegetables, meats and fish, are
­generally processed and boxed in wet environments and then
­exposed to changeable moisture and humidity conditions during
transit and storage. Moisture ingress is damaging to box strength.
Keeping the moisture out
Traditionally, to protect against such strength loss, boxes are
­either drenched with wax or overdesigned to compensate for such
loss. Both approaches lead to increased waste per package.
Wax boxes are expensive, cannot be recycled, incur landfill costs
and therefore do not generate recycling revenue. Wax also adds
up to 50 % weight to the box, increasing transportation costs.
Exploiting the sustainability potential
Waste reduction is driving the move towards more sustainable
­alternative approaches. Increasingly, water-based dispersion
coatings are used, often in addition to strengthening concepts.
Recycling corrugated boxes generates significant revenue and
positions the packaging strongly as one of the leading sustainable
solutions for fresh food transportation.
BASF has committed itself to providing its customers with innovative ­solutions that help to meet their sustainability requirements.
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REDUCED
WEIGHT
The environmental consequences of packaging are not limited to disposal
and recycling. Weight is also a key cost factor that can be measured in
increased energy use and exhaust emissions. By creating the potential for
lighter packaging, BASF is playing an active role in reducing the environmental impact of packaging in the distribution chain.
LIGHTWEIGHTING IN ACTION
Low weight for high performance
Reducing the weight of paper packaging is only possible by ­increasing
the strength of the paper. BASF seeks to combine strengthening
concepts applied during paper production with systems deployed
at converters. BASF has advanced innovation programs running in
the field, targeting packaging solutions that ­reduce costs, energy
use and environmental impact while delivering the functional
­properties that today’s consumers demand.
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Biodiversity
Biodegradability
Health & Safety
Renewables
Waste Reduction
Water
BASF SE
Center for Sustainable Paper Packaging
67056 Ludwigshafen
Germany
paper-packaging-solutions@basf.com
www.solutions-paper-packaging.com
Biodegradability
Renewables
Waste Reduction
Note
The data contained in this publication are based on our current knowledge and experience. They do not constitute
the agreed contractual quality of the product and, in view of the many factors that may affect processing and
application of our products, do not relieve processors from carrying out their own investigations and tests. The
agreed contractual quality of the product at the time of transfer of risk is based solely on the data in the
specification data sheet. Any descriptions, drawings, photographs, data, proportions, weights, etc. given in this
publication may change without prior information. It is the responsibility of the recipient of our product to ensure
that any proprietary rights and existing laws and legislation are observed (09/2015).
® = registered trademark of BASF SE
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