Borealis assists those seeking to change from polystyrene to more sustainable polypropylene packaging

Borealis is at the forefront of industry efforts to achieve greater plastics circularity. Transitioning from today’s linear model to tomorrow’s circular one is a challenging and complex task, requiring innovation and collaboration.

Borealis is committed to supporting its value-chain partners in the transition to more sustainable foam and rigid packaging by offering viable polypropylene (PP) alternatives to conventional polystyrene (PS).

Among other activities in the digital sphere, Borealis is offering free webinars for its customers to promote awareness of PP as an alternative to PS.

As public awareness of the importance of recycling rises, demand for more easily recyclable materials has grown accordingly. At present, the effective PP recycling rate is already higher than most plastic alternatives. Market experts predict rapid growth of PP recycling across the globe in coming years.

Borealis assists brand owners, retailers, and packaging manufacturers who seek to respond to this demand by shifting to more sustainable packaging solutions using PP.

Packaging manufacturers are in fact already deselecting certain materials (PS, PVC, and PET in non-bottle applications) from their packaging formats as the small volume in circulation per metropolitan area in comparison to other polymers makes it difficult to realise an eco-cycle in Europe. Several European retailers have also stated their aim to eliminate PS packaging from their shelves. PP is a suitable replacement because among other things, it is also lighter weight. As expert Kevin Vyse, Marks & Spencer’s leading advocate for the circular economy among food packaging professionals has remarked, “Replacements for foamed PS are now readily available, thus the task of conversion is now being made so much easier by companies like Borealis with their foamed PP technologies.”

PP materials offered by Borealis are not just easier to recycle: the production process of PP is more environmentally friendly as well. When compared to the production of other plastics, the PP production process can reduce energy consumption by up to 50% and water consumption by up to 20%.

“Borealis is using its innovation expertise and polymers experience to tailor PP for specific packaging applications,” says Maria Ciliberti, Borealis Vice President Marketing. “We are collaborating with our value-chain partners and customers throughout the entire lifecycle of packaging: from providing guidance on design for recycling, but also on the production process and supply chain, and even extending to the post-use phase. We aim to ensure that as much plastics-based materials as possible are returned back to the loop for a second life.”

Borealis has harnessed the power of digital media to promote the viability of PP as a replacement material for PS, with among other things a dedicated microsite and increased social media presence. Borealis is also offering its customers and partners free webinars on the benefits of PP as a substitute material:

Webinar 1: Switching from EPS to PP foam (for converters and packaging designers)
Webinar 2: Applying circular economy principles and the switch from polystyrene to polypropylene
Webinar 3: Polypropylene as the leading contender to replace polystyrene in packaging

Follow this link to learn more.