BASF and StePac Ltd. Introduce Chemically Recycled Produce Packaging
BASF SE and StePac Ltd. announced their partnership to create, what they call, “The next generation of sustainable packaging,” for the fresh produce sector. BASF is supplying StePac with its Ultramid Ccycled, a chemically recycled polymide 6. The goal between the two companies is for BASF’s technology to aid StePac in its goal to advance contact-sensitive packaging formats to a higher sustainable standard.
StePac will begin developing packaging for fresh perishables from chemically recycled plastics. It recently became REDcert2 certified to incorporate BASF’s recycled polyamide 6 into its flexible, modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) products—Xgo and Xtend. Both brands are based on MAP technology with built-in humidity control, which slows respiration inside the packaging, delays the aging processes, prevents microbial decay and preserves the quality and nutritional value of the produce during product shipment, the companies say. Ultramid Ccycled will reportedly make up 30% of the packaging material, with options for a higher percentage of integration.