HC Plastics News: PET bottles are common packaging containers, widely used in personal care products (shampoo, hand sanitizer, shower gel and cosmetics); household cleaning products (such as detergent, hand sanitizer and dishwasher agent): each A variety of solid foods and spices: fruit juices and functional beverages, as well as vitamin packaging.

In order to meet the needs of consumers, brand owners have to add artificial colors and preservatives to the above contents. However, because PET bottles are easy to transmit light and ultraviolet rays can decompose these artificial colors and preservatives, it is easy to affect the appearance, appearance and color of the contents. , The taste and nutritional value have a negative impact.

Although brand owners avoid direct sunlight and indoor lighting during product storage, distribution, and retail display, it is still difficult to escape the ubiquitous ultraviolet rays.

How to do?

Milliken showed how to provide UV protection for PET bottles through additives at this year's Interpack exhibition!

The absorbent provides effective UV filter absorption to protect the contents, while maintaining the permeability of the packaging material, bringing real value to PET packaging!

absorbs and filters 95% of ultraviolet rays

ClearShield absorber can filter 95% of ultraviolet rays with a wavelength of up to 390 nanometers. Only a very low dose can achieve effective results, allowing brands to use more ultraviolet-sensitive natural fragrances and colorants in the package contents. The brand owners can reduce the cost of the formulation by reducing the required stabilizers and preservatives, while also reducing the complexity of the formulation.

reduce manufacturing cost

ClearShield has been approved by the European Food Safety Agency (EFSA) for food contact applications, which overcomes the shortcomings of traditional technology. ClearShield UV absorber is easy to handle and measure. It can be added directly to PET without penetrating into the beverage. Manufacturers of PET preforms can also simplify the process by using PET with ClearShield.

achieve sustainable development

But the benefits of using ClearShield go far beyond that. It can also bring sustainable benefits. "For starters," Milliken Technical Manager Simon Bousquet explained, "The dosage of ClearShield can be reduced by 20 times compared with the dosage of traditional UV absorbers. , And the final protective effect is the same. At the same time, brand owners don’t have to worry that it will contain toxic chemicals like some traditional UV stabilizers, and it will also pollute wastewater."

In addition, Bousquet pointed out: “Better content protection and extended shelf life will help reduce product waste. Thanks to the adoption of ClearShield, brands can continue to use natural, uncolored PET, and avoid dark or colored containers. Packaging", he explained. "Those opaque and colored PET materials will make the recycling flow black when they are recycled, making recycling more difficult and reducing the value of recycled products."

The European Plastic Recycling Association (PRE), headquartered in Brussels, has also sounded the alarm: the number of colored PET bottles (bags) is gradually increasing, which will bring danger to the future recycling of PET. PRE further pointed out that once the PET bottles are collected and sorted, these colored PET bottles need to be sorted out again. Once the colored PET bottles are sold at the recycling station, after they are recycled, the recycled material will be dyed black or gray, and again The value of utilization will also be greatly reduced.

Chief Editor: Ye Dan