Colors are passion, emotions and personality. At Siegwerk, inks and coatings are our specialty and we use color to bring the packaging and products of our customers to life.
NC-free ink toolbox
Inks & Coatings
High-performing and recyclable flexible packaging solutions
The challenge
Nitrocellulose (NC) based inks are widely used in packaging due to their rapid drying properties and vibrant finishes. However, they come with several challenges:
- Recycling Issues: NC-based inks can interfere with the recycling process, especially when used with polyolefin laminated structures. They can cause thermal instability during recycling, leading to discoloration and impaired quality of the recycled material.
- Regulatory Constraints: New regulations, such as those in Germany, classify packaging with NC-based inks as non-recyclable, which can lead to additional costs for businesses under Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes
- Deinking Difficulties: The process of removing NC-based inks from plastics during recycling is complex and often inefficient, affecting the purity and market value of the recycled material.
- Thermal Stability: NC-based inks have limited thermal stability, which can result in odour and weakened mechanical properties of recycled materials
The solution
The new offering combines new developments with Siegwerk’s proven NC-free ink portfolio and includes solutions for lamination as well as surface applications in gravure and flexo printing. The toolbox is designed to enable customers and brand owners – initially in the EMEA region – to realize recyclable flexible packaging across the full-range of application segments.
NC-free inks offer several benefits over traditional nitrocellulose (NC) based inks:
- Enhanced Recyclability: NC-free inks are designed to improve the recyclability of packaging materials, particularly polyolefin-based packaging like polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP).
- Compliance with Regulations: These inks meet the latest recycling guidelines and regulations, such as those from RecyClass and CEFLEX, which are aimed at promoting a circular economy.
- Versatile Applications: NC-free inks are available for both lamination and surface printing applications, making them suitable for a wide range of packaging needs.
- No Odor and Discoloration: Unlike NC-based inks, NC-free inks do not cause unpleasant odors or discoloration during the recycling process, ensuring higher quality recyclates
- Improved Mechanical Properties: The absence of NC in these inks leads to better mechanical strength of the recycled materials.
- High Performance: NC-free inks offer comparable performance to NC-based inks, including excellent printability, high heat resistance, and quick drying capabilities
These advancements make NC-free inks a more sustainable and efficient choice for packaging, aligning with the growing emphasis on environmental responsibility.