Environmental efficiency has never been a more urgent topic than it is nowadays. The large amounts of inorganic waste being produced are placing a significant burden on our planet, making plastic and its use increasingly controversial. The problem is not in the material itself, but in how it is used.
A recurrent question is whether environmentally friendly plastic exists. How is the responsibility shared? Who has the capability to produce eco-friendly packaging materials? In this article, we will answer these questions and also show how we implement sustainable packaging at Iparifóliák.
How has the opinion from plastic changed?
Plastics are synthetic polymers with long, repeating atomic chains, offering excellent flexibility and resistance. This type of chemical bond gives the material flexibility and high durability. These properties make plastic an ideal packaging material across various industrial sectors. However, we cannot ignore the fact that extensive use of plastic carries environmental risks that are a shared responsibility between both users and manufacturers.
Intriguingly plastic wasn’t always viewed controversially as it is today. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, it was seen as an environmentally friendly solution because it helped replace many unsustainable, animal-based materials. However, as plastic products and packaging became more current, their life cycles shortened, often to just one or a few uses, leading to significant waste generation.
Environmentally plastic bags with handles, often used only once
Slowing down this harmful process isn’t about stopping the use of plastic packaging but rather about reusing it. On an individual level, we can help reduce environmental impact by reusing plastic products multiple times, but on an industrial level, changes can be made in how these materials are produced. An excellent example is creating high-quality regranulate from used and discarded plastic, that has properties nearly the same like regular plastic.
Every company has the opportunity to adopt and use environmentally friendly packaging in production and distribution. But what exactly is regranulate as a raw material? What properties and benefits does it offer?
Requirements that plastic must meet
In commercial activities, it is essential that the chosen packaging material meets certain requirements. The protection of the goods and water resistance are often indispensable.
The chosen material should be:
- durable,
- flexible,
- high tensile strength,
- available in various sizes and thicknesses,
- offered in a wide range of colors,
- available in different packaging options.
Regranulate before reuse
Products that are made from regranulate meet the requirements mentioned earlier, such as durability, flexibility, and high tensile strength. By manufacturing environmentally friendly plastic products through recycling, the ecological footprint of plastic manufacturing can be reduced. This process allows the creation of environmentally friendly plastics.
Regranulate from Iparifóliák
Plastic can take 400-500 years to decompose, that is why we regranulate used plastic and reintegrate it into our production process. As a result, regranulate forms the basis of most of our products, marking a significant step toward sustainable plastic manufacturing.
Small, colored regranulate pellets
Through our process, we can produce plastic that is almost the same quality as the original, available in a variety of colors, sizes, and functionalities, making it suitable for different sectors. Due to this technology, the life cycle of single-use plastics can be extended, keeping them in circulation longer.
We are proud that we took steps towards environmentally friendly plastics with industrial-level solutions. We continue to work towards ensuring that our products meet both the needs of our customers and the demands of the future.
