EPL (formerly known as Essel Propack), the world’s largest specialty packaging company, has received global recognition from the Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR), USA for its Platina tube with an HDPE closure. The tubes have been recognised earlier for meeting or exceeding the strict APR HDPE critical guidance criteria.

According to EPL, Platina is the first fully sustainable and completely recyclable tube in the world, including shoulder and cap, to get this recognition. "It is the only tube to have an integrated shoulder inner barrier liner (IBL) that is also recyclable in HDPE recycle stream. This is a big step forward as it allows the total tube to be recycled in a single recycling stream," a press note shared with WhatPackaging? stated.

APR, an international trade association representing the plastics recycling industry, maintains exacting standards for certification. Platina was put through a rigorous test and qualification process for more than three months before the results were announced.

Platina is an eco-friendly laminated tube produced with less than 5% barrier resin. The tubes can be recycled in HDPE containers recycling streams, according to an analysis done by an independent laboratory. These are made of a multi-layer laminate tube with an EVOH barrier concentration below 5% of the total weight of the package.

RecyClass, a cross-industry initiative that works to advance plastic packaging recyclability within Europe, has also certified that Platina 2515 and Platina 3015 tubes are fully compatible with the current European HDPE containers recycling process provided that this type of tubes is designed under specific conditions. Platina tubes and caps were also certified as 100% recyclable by RecyClass for ‘Code 2’ (recycling), making them the only speciality packaging tubes and caps to be recognised as 100% recyclable, globally.

The Platina range of HDPE tubes are designed to deliver source reduction and recyclability without the loss of any barrier properties. This allows for sustained product stability and durable shelf life of the packed content. The tubes are especially suited for oral, toiletries, and food brands.

The Platina range of HDPE tubes are designed to deliver source reduction and recyclability

The R&D team based out of Essel’s focussed innovation facility in Maharashtra, India worked extensively on several designs and formulation options in developing recyclable HDPE barrier tubes. The unique and complex task to the team was to innovate on sustainable tubes without compromising any of the functional features of the tubes such as feel, shelf life, safety and production requirements for the various generations of production lines.

After use, according to EPL, the Platina tubes and caps can be recycled in the dominant #2 plastic stream used across the globe for recycling milk cans, juice bottles and many more. The company maintains that the use of HDPE in Platina and GML tubes increases the stiffness of the tubes, enabling EPL to reduce polymer content and in turn help users to deliver on their sustainability commitments. This is especially helpful in today's time, as several firms have started adopting sustainable initiatives in line with government guidelines, global climate agreements and the company's sustainable goals itself.

Sudhanshu Vats, MD & CEO at EPL said: “Sustainability is a key area of focus for us and we constantly endeavour towards achieving it. We are extremely delighted to receive this recognition from APR, and this will motivate us to develop more innovative and sustainable solutions and consciously reduce our carbon footprint.

"This showcases our strong R&D capabilities, underlining EPL’s global position as one of the world’s leading innovative packaging manufacturers with the highest standards of sustainability, resource efficiency and recycling/reuse (PCR).”

Meanwhile, Hariharan K Nair, vice president, Creativity and Innovation, said that sustainable solutions is a key focus area for EPL, which operates through 20 facilities in 11 countries, selling about eight billion tubes per annum. “This is a big achievement for us at EPL. A first-in-the-world tag makes us proud and is a testament to our disciplined and creative work ethic," he added.

"Recycling helps the environment even as it creates new economic opportunities, as recycled products can be made into new goods. Recycling helps still-useful materials prevent clogging up landfills and helps reduce fossil fuel consumption," Nair concluded.