MEETING SUSTAINABILITY NEEDS WITH PCR: Dow researchers note benefits in adding high loadings of post-consumer recyclate to shrink film structures

Plastics waste is one of the most important sustainability issues of our time. Dow's sustainability targets are to "Stop the Waste" by enabling 1 million metric tons of plastics to be collected, reused or recycled by 2030 and "Close the Loop" by enabling 100 percent of Dow products sold into packaging applications to be reusable or recyclable by 2035. The incorporation of post-consumer recyclate (PCR) into flexible packaging structures creates challenges due to the complex molecular nature of PCR sources and the ability to develop formulations to maximize the in-use performance, in particular the toughness and optics. To deliver on the sustainability targets, a new series of highly loaded PCR-containing products have been developed to enable incorporation levels of greater than 20 percent PCR into industrial film applications. Collation shrink film structures were developed that delivered on the critical-to-customer requirements at maximum levels of PCR.