Multilayer and flexible packaging is the most used in the food industry due to its barrier properties and its versatility. But, in turn, these materials cannot be recycled efficiently, ending up incinerated or in landfills. The industry needs a recyclable and flexible packaging.

The LAYERTECH project, Industrial research project on the separation of layers of polish for the recovery of multilayer packaging and its monitoring, focuses on the application of barrier polish on plastic film, replacing the metallic materials of traditional multilayer containers. This application must be monitored to control the thickness, this guarantee the barrier effect of the polish. In addition, a controlled application enables its ulterior separation and recyclability.

Specifically, during the project, different technologies available will be evaluated in order to select the best option to quantify the amount of polish that is applied in the production process. Currently, this phase is done manually by taking random samples on the production line. Simultaneously, it is being developed a technology that allows to separate the lacquer layer from the plastic material. This enables its subsequent recycling.

To achieve these objectives, the consortium includes 2 SMEs and a startup: Tecnopackaging, IFLEX and moses advances materials. In addition, there is a intercluster collaboration between the Packaging cluster and the food+i cluster. LAYERTECH project is granted under the call AEIs 2022-b, for the support of AEIs of the Ministery of Industry, Comerce and Tourism, financed by the European Union – Next Generation EU (Nº AEI-010500-2022b-108).