Nestle creates wrapper that degrades in the sea within six months

Authored by news.sky.com and submitted by Sariel007

Nestle creates wrapper that degrades in the sea within six months

Nestle will use a high-speed 'flow wrap cold seal' process, which is a world first

Nestle has launched a new recyclable wrapper for a snack bar that it claims will degrade in a marine environment within six months.

The YES! range will also be used on a high-speed packaging line in a "world-first" technological breakthrough.

Last year, the brand pledged to make all of its packaging recyclable or reusable by 2025.

Speaking about the wrapper, Michael Carroll, lead on innovation and sustainability for Nestle, said:

"We know it will degrade in a marine environment within six months, which, compared to the flow wrap that it's currently in, it's about 450 years."

Image: In a world first, YES! snack bars will be wrapped in a high-speed 'flow wrap cold seal' process

The confectionery company said it had to overcome 90 challenges to develop the material and adapt current machinery and processes to handle the product more gently.

Experts at its research and development centre in York said the 300 bars-per-minute "flow wrap cold seal" packing process, has previously only been suitable for use with more durable plastic films and laminates.

But it took the team just 10 months to come up with the design and adapt production lines to ensure the bars are kept in perfect condition during packaging, transport and storage.

Bruce Funnell, head of packaging at Nestle, said: "This has been a real first for us.

"Really this is the first confectionery product bar that's wrapped at high speed and is ensuring we have a good shelf life without compromise to the consumer."

Mr Funnell added that the wrappers contained around 60% recyclable fibres.

The new wrapper will rolled out on the YES! fruit and nut-based bars from July and will carry the message "carefully wrapped in paper".

:: Sky's Ocean Rescue campaign encourages people to reduce their single-use plastics. You can find out more about the campaign and how to get involved at www.skyoceanrescue.com

Spectral_Nebula on July 4th, 2019 at 13:06 UTC »

I read it, and it doesn't say if this material degrades into safer breakdown products or if it just breaks down into microscopic pieces or fibres of plastic. Anyone know?

Davis1511 on July 4th, 2019 at 13:03 UTC »

Great! But does Nestle still use palm oil and try to own water rights?