Viherkaste, a Finnish producer of salads and herbs, has adopted a new biodegradable packaging adhesive for its cardboard packages.
This adhesive, which is composed of up to 70% biobased raw materials, has been developed by Kiilto and is claimed to be the world’s first biodegradable and compostable hot-melt adhesive.
The packaging sector is currently facing increased pressure due to stricter legislation, prompting companies to explore more eco-friendly packaging materials.
The new adhesive is designed to be straightforward for businesses, ensuring a seamless transition to more sustainable practices.
The product is not only suitable for recyclable packaging but also complies with EU Regulation 10/2011, making it appropriate for food packaging applications.
Kiilto research and development manager Maija Kulla-Pelonen said: “Kiilto Biomelt brings new possibilities to the packaging industry, as it facilitates the production of fully compostable containers.
“The adhesive even meets the requirements for home compostability according to the EN13432 standard.”
Viherkaste mentioned that its first salad boxes secured with the new adhesive are being delivered to retailers.
Viherkaste CEO Petri Nylund said: “We turn every stone and scrutinise every part of the process with nature values in mind. Now that we have tested this new adhesive on our production line and are telling others about its good qualities, other companies might adopt it as well.
“This way, a few litres of adhesive can multiply into thousands or even millions of litres of adhesive and this decision of ours will have made a huge difference.
“Not all solutions are simple, but the introduction of this adhesive was just that. We were pleased to find that it works even better than the adhesive we were using before in our process and packaging.”
