The keys to achieving sustainable plastic food packaging to be discussed at MeetingPack 2019

• Industry leaders such as AMC Juices, Enplater Group, Novamont, Grupalia Pack and TÜV AUSTRIA, among others, will talk about their success stories on the incorporation of the Circular Economy and sustainability in their production processes.
• More than 30 international speakers will participate in MeetingPack 2019, the only global meeting specialised in plastic materials and food barrier packaging.

On 29 and 30 May, MeetingPack2019 will present the cutting-edge solutions in sustainable packaging for food and beverages. The next edition of the event will be divided into five sessions focused on ‘Sustainability trends in barrier packaging: towards Objective H2030’ and will include a session dedicated to pointing out the key aspects and business success stories of products packaged in sustainable packaging in the food sector.

One of the talks of greatest interest is that of AMC JUICES, a leading manufacturer in the juice sector, who will explain how they are managing to integrate the Circular Economy and sustainability into all their business activities, from ecodesign and the selection of ingredients and materials through advanced technologies to increase efficiency and reduce emissions to the production of healthy juices and the recovery of by-products or materials generated during the manufacture of their products to achieve their recovery and integrate them back into the production process.

From a global point of view, AINIA will talk about the keys, and will analyse the new challenges, of food packaging in accordance with the principles of the Circular Economy, which must be answered in an integrated way, also incorporating the advances in functionality, food safety and comfort demanded nowadays by consumers, food manufacturers and distributors.

Moreover, the company NOVAMONT, the world leader in the bioplastics sectors and in the development of biochemical products, especially in renewability and compostability, will take part in the session focused on innovative materials to produce sustainable packaging.

Solutions and challenges for packaging in a Circular Economy

Cardboard packages for milk and juice, paper cups and containers for frozen food and dairy products are normally coated with a plastic film that is usually made of polyolefin and has the role of protecting the packaging from moisture and fat. That thin film prevents paper or cardboard pack from being included in the conventional recycling processes. The company TOTAL CORBION will talk about how the application of advanced polymers such as bio-based and compostable PLA paper coatings allows that currently, it is possible to compost the final product at an industrial composting plant or in conventional paper recycling processes besides withstanding higher temperatures than before.

The session dedicated to sustainable films, sheets and trays will be moderated by ENPLATER GROUP.  There, the company PLÁSTICOS ROMERO will also present its innovations in sustainable flexible packaging, such as biostructures that guarantee to freeze for 18-24 months, among others.

In addition, GRUPALIA PACK will talk about how hybrid barrier packing (cardboard + plastic), together with innovative packaging systems (SKIN and MAP) are able to reduce the amount of plastic in the manufacture of packages.

With respect to packages injected with lower environmental impact, PLASMA ELECTRONIC will present its latest innovations in gas and aroma barrier and migration through an improved transparent plasma, while RESILUX will show its preforms and bottles manufactured from recycled PET.

Ecodesign and recyclability

On the other hand, TÜV AUSTRIA, the world leader in certification of bioplastics will talk about the differences between compostable and biodegradable packaging, the capacity of a bioproduct to be biodegradable and the added value of the certification of these products, according to European standards.

In this session, focused on Ecodesign, recyclability and certification, AIMPLAS will talk about waste recovery and the improvements in the performance of plastic packages made of it.

MeetingPack 2019 has consolidated itself as a great technological and innovation event in barrier packaging for food and beverages. In this edition, 300 professionals from the entire value chain are expected to attend. Besides an extensive programme of talks, there will be a networking space and an exhibition area for innovative packaging.

This edition, MeetingPack has the support of the following sponsors: Knauf Industries and Enplater Group (Gold sponsors), Polyram, Kuraray, Plásticos Romero, Mitsui Chemicals, Zwick-Roell and Systech Illinois (Silver sponsors) and Mondi, Grupalia Pack, TPL and UBE (Bronze sponsors), as well as the support of Acesur, Angulas Aguinaga, Carretilla, Coren, DCOOP, GAC, Hero, I+DEA (Grupo Cerealto Siro Foods), Noel, Ecoembes, Fundación Plastic Sense, ANAIP, Cicloplast, ATEF, Embalaje Flexible España, ASOBIOCOM, AVEP, FEDACOVA, REDIT and PACKNET.