UPM Specialty Papers Partners with Eastman on Paper Food Packaging with Compostable Coating | Food Engineering

Image courtesy of UPM Specialty Papers and Eastman.

UPM Specialty Papers and Eastman have co-created a biopolymer-coated paper packaging solution, designed for food applications requiring grease and oxygen barriers.

The solution integrates Eastman’s biobased and compostable Solus performance additives with BioPBS polymer to form a thin coating on UPM’s compostable and recyclable barrier base papers. The solution is designed for recycling within existing fiber recycling streams.

“We are excited to introduce the result of our development work with Eastman,” says Esa Saukkonen, manager, packaging portfolio development at UPM R&D. “Together with our partners, we are constantly pushing the performance of fiber-based packaging. This new biopolymer coated solution, for example, provides a new option for difficult-to-pack foods ranging from confectionery end-uses to meat pies found in chilled-food aisles.”

This solution amplifies the barrier-boosting effect of UPM Solide Lucent and UPM Prego barrier base papers. It offers heat sealability while maintaining barrier protection when folded, making it suitable for flexible packaging. Furthermore, this technology is compatible with conventional low density polyethylene (LDPE) extrusion coating equipment, requiring no additional capital investment.

Traditionally, the challenge of combining extrusion coating with paper lies in the adhesion of the coating to the paper, especially with biobased or biodegradable extrusion coatings. The solution developed by UPM Specialty Papers and Eastman helps resolve this issue.

“Through our collaboration with UPM, we've developed versatile fiber-based packaging solutions that are compostable and smoothly integrate with extrusion coating equipment,” says Bhuma Rajagopalan, marketing manager, CASE Innovation at Eastman. “Eastman Solus additive reduces coating thickness, which lowers plastic usage and enables recyclability of food packaging. These additives have been pivotal in advancing scalable, sustainable paper packaging for brands.”

The packaging solution has been validated for recyclability according to PTS method (PTS-RH 021/97 cat II) and individual components of the solution have been validated for both home and industrial compostability.