Scientex Group, a Malaysian flexible packaging firm, has collaborated with SABIC, a Saudi chemical manufacturing company, to create the world’s first flexible food packaging based on advanced recycled ocean-bound plastics (OBP), using circular polypropylene (PP) certified by SABIC. The material is used in the packaging of a premium noodle brand in Malaysia.
OBP is a type of plastic waste found up to 50 kilometers inland from waterways that could be carried into the ocean by rain, rivers, or tides. The OBP used in the project is recovered and converted to pyrolysis oil in a chemical recycling process. SABIC uses this oil as an alternative feedstock to produce certified circular PP polymer, which is then processed into biaxially oriented polypropylene (BOPP) film. Scientex then manufactures and prints the noodle packs from BOPP film. Scientex’s long-term packaging strategy prioritizes sustainable innovations in collaboration with global customers to meet their sustainability goals with greener solutions.
The entire chain, from the collection of OBP to the final packaging, is certified by the International Sustainability & Carbon Certification. The successful initiative demonstrates the viability of addressing the plastic waste issue through dedicated value chain collaborations. It marks a watershed moment in the development of a circular plastics economy in Malaysia and Southeast Asia.
(Sources: Recycling Today; SABIC)
