The new outlook to production and consumption of goods and services are increasingly often based on overall eco-efficiency, established from life-cycle assessments ("eco-balances"). In particular these include environmental parameters, such as emissions into the environment and use of natural resources. Management of packaging is a good example. The effectiveness of packaging materials in their protective function must be taken into account, as well as their production impact.

PVDC packaging solutions are one example of eco-efficient applications

The unique set of advantageous properties of polyvinylidene chloride with combined water vapor and oxygen barrier properties, impressive barrier to oils, greases, chemicals, and to other gases and odors, transparency and printability, excellent thermoforming performance and machinability makes it effective in protecting foodstuffs and pharmaceuticals, using much less packaging material. This means that, although the eco-profile for polyvinylidene chloride is not better than that of a standard plastic packaging material, the overall packaging’s life- cycle impact is better.

Ressource saving by use of raw materials

Using IXAN^® and DIOFAN^® polymers can help to conserve valuable natural resources and reduce the environmental impact of packaging at a number of stage in it's use - an important step for a sustainable future. For IXAN^® and DIOFAN^® polymers the resource saving starts during its manufacture. The used raw materials are rock salt and oil (30% - 50%).

Recyclability of PVDC coated rigid PVC films

One element to assess the eco-efficency of modern packaging solutions is the full recyclability as it is the case for PVDC containing multilayer films.

PVDC containing packaging films constitute only a tiny proportion of total packaging waste. Its properties allow for the development of lighter, simpler and safer packaging systems, and thus reduce overall packaging waste. PVDC-based packaging complies, e.g., with the European Directive on Packaging Waste (Dir 94/62):

packaging weight reduction - no dangerous additives - satisfactory energy recovery.

Please find more detailed information on our homepage  www.solvayhse.com  and in the new Solvay report "Towards Sustainable Development 2004-2008".

Sustainable Development