British paper manufacturer Mondi and British manufacturer of cleaning, hygiene and pharmaceutical products Reckitt have created a paper-based packaging for Finish brand dishwasher tablets.
The technical difficulty in using paper is that the tablet packaging must be sealable and water resistant. Mondi's packaging reduces the use of plastic by 75%. The remaining 25% of plastic is used to reinforce the structure of the paper, act as a barrier protection and allow a resealable seal.
The new paper-based packaging will first be launched in France in Carrefour stores. In France, the packaging will be recyclable through traditional paper recycling channels.
If necessary, modifications will be made and the solution will be rolled out to other countries over the next few years. Once this packaging replaces all plastic-wrapped tablets, the use of over 2,000 tons of plastic each year will be eliminated.
"In addition to eliminating plastic, this new packaging is expected to generate 15% fewer CO2 emissions throughout the product's life cycle compared to the previous plastic packaging." angela Naef, Reckitt's director of research and development, said in a statement.
"This project is an excellent example of Mondi's approach of using paper where possible, plastic where useful. The packaging was designed with sustainability in mind to minimize the impact on the environment." says Olivier Seux, Mondi's global key account manager.
