About the project DEBO-Pack

As part of the drive to reduce plastics in packaging, which is being driven by legal requirements and consumer behavior, hybrid packaging made from bonded plastic and cardboard materials is becoming increasingly common in stores. Such composite packaging is used in various industries, such as the food sector.

They are replacing established solutions made exclusively from plastic and consist of at least one thin plastic container reinforced by a cardboard sleeve. The plastic in direct contact with the product primarily serves to protect the product (e.g., oxygen barrier, aroma barrier, liquid and grease barrier). The cardboard provides mechanical stability and also serves a communication function (printing).

This design approach enables an 80% reduction in the amount of plastic used, but has a negative impact on recyclability. This, in turn, has a major influence on the ecological balance and must be taken into account when designing environmentally friendly packaging. The major disadvantage of hybrid packaging is that, with the current state of sorting and recycling technology, it cannot be recycled.

The DEBO-Pack project is developing bonded composite packaging with integrated Debonding on Demand (DoD), i.e., a detachable adhesive bond that enables autonomous separation after use. This increases recyclability, improves the quality of the recycled materials, and reduces packaging costs (participation fees according to VerpackG §21). The aim is also to transfer this approach to other combinations of packaging materials (e.g., plastic/aluminum) in addition to hybrid plastic/cardboard packaging.

The focus is on a holistic view of the post-consumer recycling of food packaging consisting of several materials. The aim is therefore to develop a recyclable, self-separating cardboard/plastic composite packaging that can be established on the market through a novel approach of debonding on demand, in which the adhesive is broken down after use by components already contained in the packaging (in the yellow bag or at the latest during paper or packaging recycling).

Expected project results

• Adhesive with biologically based debonding system
• Feasibility of debonding on demand (DoD) for composite packaging
• Production and optimization of a demonstrator solution
• Acceptance study and recommendations for action on DoD packaging from a consumer and stakeholder perspective
• Creation of a PCR for packaging
• Life cycle assessment workflow with degree of automation
• Life cycle assessment of the demonstrator
• Technology concept for future demonstrator production
• Recyclability of individual components after debonding on demand

DEBO-Pack at a glance