Eco-friendly printing technologies from Sirane
ECO-FRIENDLY PRINTING
FLEXIBLE packaging has two elements – a substrate and print. As a company we offer eco-friendly substrates (including plastic-free and recyclable) but they cannot always be used. However, this does not mean you cannot take advantage of Sirane’s eco-friendly printing technologies.
Sirane’s new flexible packaging facility (our Amethyst site) is dedicated to using environmentally friendlier water-based inks, coatings and adhesives.
Inks
Traditionally within the packaging industry, solvent-based inks would have been used during the manufacturing of this product. When the solvents are being dried volatile organic compounds (VOC)’s that are released into the atmosphere need to be dealt with, which often involves burning more natural gas!
Sirane uses water as a carrier for the pigment instead of these solvents, which is much better for the environment!
Lamination adhesive
Typical adhesives used in the industry contain aromatic isocyanates which release aromatic amines, these include compounds classified as potential human carcinogens and known to cause cancer in animals. To conform to the legislation, laminates have to cure in a warm environment to reduce the amount of these harmful substances that can migrate into the product. Other unwanted substances found in packaging adhesives are: Bisphenol A Diglycidyl Ether (BADGE), Bisphenol F Diglycidyl Ether (BFDGE), or Novolac Glycidyl Ether (NOGE).
Our water-based adhesives do not contain these harmful ingredients that can migrate into the product!
High PCR content materials available
When manufacturing a flexible packaging laminate, Polyester is often part of the structure. Sirane has high content, direct food approved and high % post-consumer recycled (PCR) content materials available.
When setting up this new facility we also looked at the environmental impact of our factory and decided to do some things different here too. Did you know there is no heating installed in the warehouse and factory at Amethyst? We can direct the heat from the equipment into or away from the factory. We also do not have the need for a thermal oxidiser to deal with harmful Volatile Organic Compounds which you would typically find in a flexible packaging plant.
