UAE – SABIC, a global leader in the chemical industry, has partnered with Lamb Weston, a major producer of frozen potato products, and OPACKGROUP’s Oerlemans Plastics to develop bio-renewable polyethylene packaging.
This collaboration focuses on creating lightweight, sustainable packaging bags using a thin coextrusion film structure, with at least 60% of the material derived from bio-feedstock made from used cooking oil (UCO).
The process begins with collecting UCO from Lamb Weston’s production, which is then converted into biofeedstock to produce SABIC’s certified biorenewable HDPE (high-density polyethylene) and SUPEER mLLDPE (metallocene linear low-density polyethylene) polymers.
These polymers are part of SABIC’s TRUCIRCLE portfolio, which emphasizes sustainability. Oerlemans Plastics, a member of OPACKGROUP, converts these materials into multilayer polyethylene film, which is used for packaging Lamb Weston’s pre-fried frozen potato products.
Khaled Al-Jalawi, Global Director of Circular Economy Business at SABIC, commented, “This collaboration with Lamb Weston and OPACKGROUP demonstrates a closed-loop, circular process by repurposing UCO to produce bio-renewable polymers that are designed for recyclability.”
The new packaging incorporates at least 60% renewable content, certified through the International Sustainability & Carbon Certification (ISCC) PLUS mass balancing system, ensuring full traceability of the bio-based material.
Sebastiaan Besems, Vice President of Commercial EMEA at Lamb Weston, highlighted the growing demand for sustainable packaging, “Consumers are increasingly environmentally conscious, and this bio-circular packaging for our pre-fried frozen potato products provides an eco-friendly solution.
“Using SABIC’s bio-renewable polymer, we’ve achieved a 30% reduction in the carbon footprint of our retail bags, aligning with our sustainability goals to halve food waste, cut our overall product carbon footprint by 25%, and transition to circular production by 2030.”
Laura Hanegraaf, Sales Manager at Oerlemans Plastics, added, “This project marks a significant milestone in promoting low-carbon, renewable products within our industry. We’re proud to offer high-quality flexible film from used cooking oil.”
The new packaging also features a 20% reduction in film thickness, resulting in lighter bags with an average weight of just 10 grams.
Combining bio-renewable polymers and reduced film thickness lowers the carbon footprint by 30% compared to previous packaging made entirely from fossil-based materials.
SABIC’s HDPE resin provides strength and flexibility, while the SUPEER mLLDPE resin ensures superior bag sealing.
Both comply with the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) standards for food contact.
Lamb Weston launched the first products using this new packaging in September 2023 in the UK and the Netherlands, marking a significant step toward more sustainable packaging solutions.
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