Dow launches fiber-based food packaging made from recycled materials

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On April 27, Dow announced that it had developed an innovative fiber-based food packaging product named Multiboard CirculaRR in collaboration with RDM Group, a leading European manufacturer of recycled cardboard. Made entirely from recycled fibers and recycled plastics, this product is suitable for packaging frozen foods such as fish and cakes, as well as fruit trays or dry pet food packaging, contributing to the development of a circular economy in the field of food packaging. Multiboard CirculaRR combines RDM Group’s expertise in fiber-based packaging with Dow’s leading experience in polymer recycling. The solution uses recycled cardboard coated with advanced recycled polyethylene (PE) to enable high-strength packaging applications. This innovative solution is based on RDM Group’s existing Multiboard Barrier product. Multiboard Barrier is a recycled cardboard coated with approximately 5% PE by weight. The low polymer content enables this packaging to be efficiently collected and processed in existing mixed paper recycling processes. The plastic components of Multiboard CirculaRR have been certified under the International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC PLUS) system, confirming that they are made from recycled plastics derived from advanced recycling processes and are governed by a mass balance chain. Meanwhile, the packaging has also been certified by ISEGA, an independent testing agency for food-contact materials. In addition, Multiboard CirculaRR also underwent an independent evaluation of the latest testing scheme developed by 4evergreen. 4evergreen is a cross-industry alliance dedicated to improving the circularity of fiber-based packaging. The evaluation results show that this solution is not only made from recycled materials, but can also be recycled within the existing paper recycling system. As brand owners and partners in the supply chain actively prepare to meet evolving regulatory requirements, this “recyclable design” feature is becoming increasingly crucial. The EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) requires that by 2030, all packaging on the EU market must be recyclable, and it sets mandatory targets for the proportion of recycled plastic content. Multiboard CirculaRR helps brands and processors meet the recyclability goals and recycling content requirements of PPWR, while maintaining food safety and performance.