Estimates* suggest that approximatively 855 billion sachets were used globally in 2018. Most of these packs are produced with complex multi-layered packaging that can withstand the nature of the ingredients and preserve the products during the supply chain for their required shelf life. They are usually produced from 3-layer structures including layers of polyolefin, aluminium and often polyester, making the packs extremely difficult to recycle as the components of the laminate structure are incompatible for recycling and not easily separated. Their very small size and the fact that they often remain contaminated by foodstuff, further add to the difficulties in recycling.
Compostable film producer Futamura, flexible packaging converter Repaq and machine producer GK Sondermaschinenbau have worked together to produce a compostable solution for this market segment. This has been a difficult challenge to resolve, one that has been taken many attempts to perfect.
