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Actega

TPE solutions for sensitive applications area

Against the backdrop of constant changes in the field of food contact applications and increasingly strict EU regulations, such as the obligation to offer reusable solutions for all those who offer disposable packaging, which has been in force since 2023, and the ban on certain plastic bottles and packaging that has been in force since the beginning of the year, manufacturers and distributors of such products are facing major challenges. Among other things, it is important to identify materials in a timely manner with which high-quality reusable solutions and safe food contact can be realized. TPE materials, especially those that also have ISCC Plus certification, offer solutions for all food contact applications and other sensitive market areas and thus alternatives to other common materials such as soft PVC or silicone.

Duże problemy z plastyfikatorami PVC

ogólnokrajowa kampania testowa ujawniła tak wysoki poziom plastyfikatorów w około jednej czwartej żywności zawierającej oleje w szklanych słoikach z uszczelkami z PVC, że trzeba było ich zakwestionować i wycofać ze sprzedaży. Mówimy o kampanii kontrolnej właśnie zakończonej przez chemików kantonalnych Szwajcarii i Księstwa Liechtensteinu, którzy regularnie przeprowadzają takie testy w celu podniesienia świadomości problemów związanych z plastyfikatorami i skuteczną samoregulacją. Dzieje się tak, ponieważ plastyfikatory stosowane w uszczelkach wieczek wykonanych z PVC mogą być wchłaniane przez żywność o dużej zawartości oleju ze względu na ich właściwości chemiczne. Zanieczyszczenia te są uważane za możliwe do uniknięcia i dlatego są niepożądane.

From customized requirements

During our morning ablutions of dental hygiene or shaving, on our way to work, at the workplace and perhaps when exercising later – we are constantly surrounded by products that are made entirely or partly of plastic materials: toothbrushes and razors, high-quality pots of cream or make-up, reusable cups, numerous office materials, ergonomic bicycle handles, mats, even our pets’ favorite toys.

PROVALIN® with a broader processing window

Softer and more thermally stable, this is how the new PROVALIN® 1242 is presented by Actega as a successor to PROVALIN® 1241, the PVC- and plasticizer-free compound for metal vacuum seals, which has already been successful on the market for the past ten years as a standard compound for pasteurization of all types of goods. This more thermally stable and softer compound speeds up embedding on the glass neck while reducing the risk of cut-through

Avoiding PVC in medical products

Medical products manufactured from PVC containing plasticizers can pose a risk to patients, and children in particular. Plasticizers are not chemically linked with the PVC, which means it is relatively easy for them to leach out of the medical product. They can migrate into patients’ bodies via outgassing or leaching, for example through infusions or nutrient solutions. Although the corresponding PVC-free medical products are already available on the market, many hospitals continue to use items which contain PVC. These include urinary catheters, blood pressure monitors, IV bags and even endotracheal and feeding tubes.

PVC-free is the future

Three pioneers talk about what they have experienced in recent years in the area of metal vacuum twist-off seals featuring the PVC-free PROVALIN® sealing materials: Actega DS, developer of the PROVALIN® sealing materials, Pano, producer of the first PVC-free seals and Feinkost Dittmann, the first company to place glass jars with PROVALIN® on the market.

TPE in everyday life

Wherever we look and whatever we touch, we can find products manufactured on the basis of thermoplastic elastomers (TPE) – in everyday life and at every turn: your new toothbrush is easier to hold, the chopping board no longer slips and slides thanks to anti-slip features, your bike grip is multicolored and ergonomic, thereby offering added safety. And in winter in particular, many products can be found which have been manufactured with TPE compounds from the Specialty Consumer Goods segment at Actega DS – whether they are everyday aids such as ice scrapers or sports equipment like ski poles.

No pollution in food

Chemicals can migrate into the human body through packaging, cooking utensils or tableware. But this will soon be a thing of the past. The Verbraucherzentrale Bundesverband (federal association of consumer watchdogs, VZBV) is seeking a comprehensive ban on pollutants in food packaging, tableware and cooking utensils. “Carcinogenic, mutagenic or fertility-impairing substances have no place in food packaging,” VZBV Chairman Klaus Müller claimed in a recent statement. A study commissioned by the VZBV and conducted by Kantar market research agency indicates that the clear majority of German consumers oppose chemicals which are harmful to health. 93 percent of those surveyed agreed with the claim that food packaging and/or tableware and cooking utensils should not contain any pollutants. Having said that, only 73 percent would in fact no longer use such tableware and cooking utensils. One in four of those surveyed would not dispense with such a product even if there was evidence of a relatively low level of chemicals which are harmful to health. This attitude is particularly prevalent among younger respondents (14- to 29-year olds).

Know-how and innovative strength

Two pioneers in the development, launching and marketing of unique PVC- and phthalate-free Twist-Off® seals have set decisive trends for the PVC-free seal market, transformed it into a success story, and laid the groundwork for the future: Actega DS and Pano.

Child-oriented packaging

Have you ever heard of International Parking Offenders’ Day (February 11), International Pillow Fight Day (first Sunday in April), International Lost Sock Day (May 9), International Hairstyle Day (April 30), National Toilet Paper Day (August 26), or International Hand-Washing Day (October 15)? The last three have been practically attributed prophetic significance this year. However, we do not want to focus our attention on these unusual days but rather on those which do actually make sense, such as National Packaging Day (June 6), whose campaigns have been postponed until next year on account of the pandemic, “Trendtag Glas”(usually in September but now likewise postponed until next year), Child Safety Day (June 10) which primarily concerns product safety and whose campaigns have been postponed until the second half of the year, or Baby Day (May 2), originating in the USA but which ensures more focused concentration on the well-being of the smallest citizens here and offers numerous tips on baby care and nutrition.

Summer, sun and vacations

This triad is still applicable nowadays where everything is just that little bit different. Including travel, much of which is possible again since the travel warnings for most countries in Europe have been lifted since June 15, albeit with special conditions applying. Which leads many would-be travelers to vacation in their own country, preferring to take their own car or even hop on a bike for a day trip and give preference to camping over a hotel. After all, hours traveling by train wearing a face mask is not everyone’s cup of tea and even having to wear such a face covering each time a holiday rental or restaurant is entered seems to be an ordeal for many.

The very best protection for baby food

The best option for baby food is free of PVC and plasticizers, offers high recognition value and patent protection. The green compound for P/T lids.

Focus on sustainability

Packaging has become pervasive in our everyday lives. Without it, it would be impossible to transport food and beverages safely. Accordingly, it helps to protect not only products but also resources. At the same time, the topic of food packaging is subject to some very emotional discussions in public with demands for bans or punitive tariffs being voiced at regular intervals.

While respiratory protective masks

While respiratory protective masks were often manufactured from impregnated material or with a cotton filter in the past (even during World War One) – the beak-shaped masks filled with herbs worn by medieval plague physicians can be regarded as precursors to breathing masks – they are made of rubber, PVC, silicone or TPE (or combinations of these materials) nowadays.

Laoganma – Change to PVC-free closures

Laoganma – also known as Old Godmother – manufactures the most popular chili sauces in China. But not only in China: these products are also exported to the USA, Australia and more than 30 other countries around the world. The company produces and seals no fewer than 1.3 million bottles per day and currently employs more than 4,000 people. And anyone going into a supermarket or restaurant in China is familiar with this brand as it is practically impossible to avoid.

Sterilizable, adhesive, conformant

Thermoplastic elastomers (TPE) are gaining ground, particularly in markets and for applications which are characterized by a variety of regulations and specifications and when it comes to realizing efficient and feasible solutions. And TPE are also increasingly asserting themselves as alternative for rubber, silicone or PVC, not only on account of their property profile, but also by continually optimizing their mechanical, haptic, migration or even performance characteristics – as indicated by the following examples:
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