TPE for Food Storage Boxes
Reusable packaging and food containers made of TPE: to protect the environment and our health
Germany alone creates around 770 metric tons of packaging waste each day. An easy and effective way to prevent this mountain of waste and protect our environment is to choose reusable options for tableware and packaging as well as for food containers and on-the-go solutions. Lawmakers agree and as of 2023, the catering industry is now obliged to offer reusable containers.
Warning – harmful substances: keep an eye on the materials
Reusable containers only serve their purpose if the right materials are used – in many cases, plant-based raw materials such as sugar cane, palm leaves or bamboo are combined with plastics such as melamine resin, urea-formaldehyde resins or polylactides. Toxicology studies have shown that at high temperatures, harmful quantities of melamine and formaldehyde can migrate from such tableware into food. Consumer organizations are also demanding a comprehensive ban on harmful substances in food packaging and tableware.
TPEs: a safe alternative
Unlike supposedly safe alternatives such as tableware made of plant-based raw materials, reusable containers such as those with seals made of thermoplastic elastomers (TPEs) have been confirmed to be a safe and environmentally friendly option.
TPEs also have excellent flexibility and sealing properties, making them particularly well suited for the seals of food containers and on-the-go solutions, an application for which they are often used.
TPEs offer numerous advantages over other materials
Considerable energy savings: TPEs require temperatures of around 200 degrees Celsius. In comparison, glass requires roughly 800 degrees Celsius and porcelain as high as 1000 degrees Celsius.
Various shaping options: TPEs' elasticity and flexibility make them very impressive in this respect compared with conventional plastic.
Sustainability: Reusable tableware made of TPE is durable and can be reused at the end of its lifecycle.
Safety: TPE solutions are also better for the environment, more resistant to chemicals and can be shaped in such a way that no plasticizers migrate.
Safe, sustainable and durable: TPE solutions from ACTEGA
ACTEGA specializes in producing TPE plastic granulate for fields of application subject to stringent regulations and offers a range of innovative TPE materials that are always certified for applications involving contact with foods as a minimum. The calls of the Federation of German Consumer Organizations (“Verbraucherzentrale Bundesverband” – vzbv) for food packaging solutions that are free from harmful substances have been answered by the TPE materials supplied by ACTEGA DS. As well as complying with the regulatory requirements, they also have a small CO2 footprint.
The SOFT EST.® TPE range from ACTEGA has been specially developed for use in consumer goods and therefore lends itself to the production of reusable tableware and other household and kitchen items.
SOFT EST.® TPE range: the gold standard for seals in reusable tableware with a high-quality feel
Food safe and free from harmful substances: The SOFT EST.® compounds are free from PVC plasticizers and phthalates, food safe in accordance with EU 10/2011 and FDA rules and demonstrate a high level of environmental compatibility. The solutions are suitable for applications involving contact with aqueous, acidic, alcoholic, dry and fatty foods.
Simple processing: SOFT EST.® is highly fluid and easy to demold, making it simple and efficient to use in injection molding processes.
Durability: The TPE compounds from ACTEGA are extremely durable and their quality does not deteriorate even over long periods of time, making them ideal for applications involving daily use.
Diverse design options: As the material is easy to color, it is especially effective in reusable tableware and household items. The range of soft-elastic TPE compounds offers natural-colored, translucent and highly transparent versions from A-20 to A-85 on the Shore hardness scale.
Reusable food containers with a TPE component for daily use: an important contribution to environmental protection
Introducing reusable packaging and on-the-go solutions – especially when using resource-conserving materials such as thermoplastic elastomers from ACTEGA – represents a big step toward overcoming the environmental protection and sustainability challenges currently posed by packaging.
By accepting reusable solutions, consumers, companies and society as a whole make a valuable contribution to environmental protection. The future lies in making our consumer habits more sustainable and choosing packaging solutions that are not only practical, but also environmentally compatible.
Our brands for TPE for food storage boxes
SOFT EST®
TPE products specially tailored to the demands of manufacturers of consumer goods applications.
Do you have any questions? Contact us and we will be happy to advise you on your individual requirements.