Greif is a leading global provider of industrial packaging products and services, serving diverse industries and committed to promoting a circular economy. Sustainability drives much of its innovation and investment strategies, as it endeavors to develop environmentally-friendly packaging solutions for customers, while also maintaining product integrity and safety. Safe product distribution is of critical importance in sectors such as food and agrochemicals where packaging must meet rigorous standards to prevent health risks and maintain the integrity of the products.
To address these challenges, COEX multi-layer barrier plastic technology is widely used as it offers multiple layers of different plastic materials in a single structure to provide superior barrier performance. However, COEX packaging can only be recycled into low-value applications, resulting in lower sustainability credentials.
In response to the demand for more sustainable barrier packaging, Greif has developed ECOEX, an innovative, fully recyclable, and high-performance multi-layer barrier technology specifically designed for high-value UN-certified jerrycans and bottles. This eco-friendly solution assists customers who require a high-performance barrier to transport goods, such as pesticides, but want their packaging to have high recyclability properties with the ability to be recycled into UN-certifed packaging.
The ECOEX barrier technology for jerrycans and plastic bottles not only reduces waste but also contributes to a significant reduction in carbon emissions. Using the Greif Green Tool, a Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) calculator based on ISO 14040/14044 standards, a 48 percent reduction in carbon emissions was found when comparing ECOEX jerrycans to COEX packaging.
Tom Palmer, Global Product Manager Plastics, at Greif says: “The recyclability of multi-barrier products aligns with Greif's circular economy strategy. It provides customers with a cost-effective option to recycle into high-value finished goods while supporting their own environmental sustainability goals. For customers currently using COEX packaging, transitioning to ECOEX is seamless as there is no requirement for UN re-certification. This means that companies can easily adopt the sustainable and high-performance ECOEX packaging solution without any disruptions to their operations.”