{"id":3548,"date":"2023-10-17T18:01:30","date_gmt":"2023-10-17T09:01:30","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/ctiweb.co.jp\/con\/en\/?p=3548"},"modified":"2023-10-17T18:01:30","modified_gmt":"2023-10-17T09:01:30","slug":"aquapak-sets-university-challenge-to-help-solve-the-problem-of-recyling-complex-polymer-packaging","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ctiweb.co.jp\/con\/en\/aquapak-sets-university-challenge-to-help-solve-the-problem-of-recyling-complex-polymer-packaging","title":{"rendered":"AQUAPAK sets university challenge to help solve the problem of recyling complex polymer packaging"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Aquapak Polymers Ltd, which\nspecialises in polymer-based material technologies that can deliver both performance and environmental responsibility\nat scale, has today announced its Newcastle University Chemistry Undergraduate\n<\/em><\/strong>award-winning<\/em><\/strong><\/a> Stage 3\nIndustry Challenge<\/em><\/strong>, which sets students the task of identifying\nnew ways of recycling\ncomplex polymer packaging structures. The students then have around eight weeks\nto investigate possible solutions that will also contribute in a positive way\nto the continued development of a circular economy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is a problem that the plastics and polymer\nindustry and packaging developers have been trying to tackle in response to pressing\nconsumer demand, NGO backlash over plastic use and the increasing weight of EU and\ngovernment legislation such as the packaging tax and PPWR. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The industry is responding to try and find ways to\nrecycle these complex multi-layer polymer constructions typically found in\npackaging without compromising much needed functionality such as extended sHelf-life,\nconvenience, easy peel and lightweight.  Today\u2019s\npackaging structures are often made up of different polymers defined by the\nfunctionality required, which is what makes them difficult to sort, separate\nand recycle. Students need to identify economically viable and scalable\ntechnologies and solutions which are already available or can be developed to\nenable the true recycling of these materials.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For\nexample, Aquapak has successfully developed and commercialised Hydropol\u2122, a\nhighly functional, specialty environmental polymer that allows product design\nto support the circular economy \u2013 by enabling recycling and delivering multiple\nend-of-life options. It is designed to be an alternative to traditional\nplastics, offering their versatility and functionality but without harming the\nenvironment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Developed\nand manufactured in the UK, Hydropol\u2122 is soluble, non-toxic and marine safe.\nProducts made with Hydropol\u2122 are safe for existing recycling processes and are\nfully biodegradable, leaving no trace or harmful plastic pollution should they\nenter the environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As an enabling technology, Hydropol\u2122 can be\nused on its own or in combination with other materials to enhance\nrecyclability, compostability and end-of-life options. Its material properties\nallow for scalability into diverse types of products and its solubility makes\nit easy to separate from other materials when recycling. For example, it can be extrusion coated onto\npaper or board giving strength and barrier properties against oxygen, oil and\ngrease then made into a multitude of different applications.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To dispose, consumers can simply put the\npackaging into their household paper waste. The Hydropol layer is formulated to\n\u2018wash off\u2019 (dissolve) during the paper repulping process and then either\nbiodegrades in the wastewater system or is turned into clean energy if the\nplant has an AD system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mark Lapping, Chief Executive Officer of Aquapak,\nsaid<\/strong>: \u201cWe have\nseveral active research projects in place with a number of universities to\nsupport the development of new materials like Hydropol. As a former student of\nNewcastle University myself it is fantastic to be able to reconnect with a new\ngeneration of Chemistry students and support their learning with a highly\nrelevant challenge that the industry is grappling with right now. I\u2019m confident\ntheir insights and fresh thinking will contribute to moving this important\ntopic forward at Aquapak, as well as inspire more people to join the new\nplastics industry in future.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Aquapak Polymers Ltd, which specialises in polymer-based material technologies that can deliver both performance and environmental responsibility at scale, has today announced its Newcastle University Chemistry Undergraduate award-winning Stage 3 Industry Challenge, which sets students the task of identifying new ways of recycling complex polymer packaging structures. The students then have around eight weeks to investigate possible solutions that will also contribute in a positive way to the continued development of a circular economy. This is a problem that the plastics and polymer industry and packaging developers have been trying to tackle in response to pressing consumer demand, NGO backlash over plastic use and the increasing weight of EU and … Continue reading \"AQUAPAK sets university challenge to help solve the problem of recyling complex polymer packaging\"<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[4,18],"tags":[10],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ctiweb.co.jp\/con\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3548"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ctiweb.co.jp\/con\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ctiweb.co.jp\/con\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ctiweb.co.jp\/con\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ctiweb.co.jp\/con\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3548"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/ctiweb.co.jp\/con\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3548\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3549,"href":"https:\/\/ctiweb.co.jp\/con\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3548\/revisions\/3549"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ctiweb.co.jp\/con\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3548"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ctiweb.co.jp\/con\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3548"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ctiweb.co.jp\/con\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3548"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}