Three leading players in the flexible packaging value chain – Dow (NYSE: DOW), Macchi, and ITP – have partnered to develop a groundbreaking recyclable mono-PE pouch containing over 50% chemically recycled content, aligned with industry recyclability guidelines and suitable for food packaging applications.
Designed for Circularity and Food Safety
This prototype pouch is made using advanced recycling (chemical recycling) and a mass balance approach, enabling the use of recycled plastic in demanding applications, such as food contact packaging, where traditional mechanical recycling often falls short.
By incorporating a high percentage of chemically recycled content, the solution helps reduce reliance on virgin materials while ensuring food-grade safety and protection against oxygen and moisture – key concerns in food packaging design.
Compliant with EU’s Upcoming Recycled Content Mandates
The pouch anticipates upcoming EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) targets, which will require a minimum of 10% recycled content in plastic food packaging by 2030. The project demonstrates how high-performance recycled materials can be integrated into flexible packaging without compromising performance, safety, or processability.
Collaboration Across the Value Chain
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ITP (Industria Termoplastica Pavese S.p.A.), an Italian specialist in PE film extrusion for food and industrial packaging, led the film selection, digital printing, lamination, and pouch forming.
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Macchi, a pioneer in blown film extrusion technologies, supplied the multilayer extrusion line capable of processing complex mono-material structures with excellent thickness control and downgauging capabilities.
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Dow, a global leader in materials science, contributed high-performance PE resins – including INNATE™, ELITE™, AFFINITY™, and BYNEL™ – ensuring optimal processability and barrier properties.
Innovation Driven by Sustainability
Macchi’s newest extrusion line reflects a broader industry shift toward eco-friendly packaging technologies, aiming to reduce material usage and improve recyclability. The company’s long-standing expertise in barrier film extrusion plays a key role in meeting the market’s demand for sustainable, high-performance packaging.
“This synergy, born from the combined expertise of three industry leaders, marks a pivotal step toward shaping the future of plastics,” said Anthony Michael Caprioli, CEO of Macchi.
Likewise, ITP’s fully integrated production process allows the company to maintain strict control over all stages of film manufacturing, optimizing recyclability without sacrificing mechanical or barrier performance.
“Through this collaboration, ITP leverages its extrusion expertise to deliver high-performance mono-PE films with chemically recycled content that comply with future PPWR targets and market demands,” added Carlo Poggi, General Manager of ITP.
Premiere at K 2025
The pouch will make its official debut at K 2025, the world’s leading trade fair for plastics and packaging technologies, taking place in Düsseldorf from October 8–15. Visitors can explore the pouch and the technologies behind it at the booths of Dow and Macchi.
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Visit Dow at Building 04.1 (outside Hall 4) to discover how to become part of the Generation Transformation.
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Visit Macchi in Hall 17, Booth C20.