Composite Packaging Materials - TX
Composite Packaging Materials
Composite Packaging Materials are materials made of two or more different material types that are permanently bonded and cannot be separated manually without damaging the material. They provide properties like barrier performance, sealing, or stiffness, but complicate sorting and recycling.
Definition
According to the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive (94/62/EC, Art. 3), composite packaging consists of different materials of which one forms an outer layer and one or more form inner layers. In the IMDE model, this definition applies at the level of a Packaging Material, not at the level of the complete packaging or the packaging element.
In IMDE terms: A composite packaging material is a single Packaging Material record that represents a permanently bonded structure of two or more materials, defined as Composite Materials (layers).
Relation to IMDE Hierarchy
| Level | Description |
|---|---|
| Packaging System | Complete packaging setup for a product (for example, bottle + cap + label + carton). May include both composite and mono-material elements. |
| Packaging Element | A physical component of the system (for example, bottle, cap, trigger, label). An element can consist of one or more Packaging Materials. |
| Packaging Material | The material used by an element. A Packaging Material can be mono-material or composite. A composite material is built from multiple Composite Material layers. |
| Composite Material | A constituent layer within a composite Packaging Material, with its own material type, thickness or weight share. |
Dominant Material (for EPR reporting and automation)
Composite is a structural description, not a fee class. For EPR reporting the composite must be declared under one material category using the dominant material rule, consistent with EU Decision 2005/270/EC.
Rule
- If one layer represents more than 50% of total weight, that layer’s material is the Dominant Material.
- If no layer exceeds 50%, use the outermost layer as the Dominant Material.
- If neither can be determined, report under Other Materials.
Automation field guidance
- PackagingMaterial.DominantMaterialCode stores the resolved material type.
- PackagingMaterial.Composition[] stores each Composite Material layer with weight share or thickness.
Pseudo logic
function ResolveDominantMaterial(composite):
if max(layer.weight_share) > 0.50:
return layer.material_of_max_share
else if composite.has_outer_layer:
return composite.outer_layer.material
else:
return OTHER_MATERIALS
Edge cases
| Case | Example | Result |
|---|---|---|
| One layer > 50% | Paper 60% + PE 40% | Dominant = Paper → report as Paper & Cardboard |
| No layer > 50%, outer layer paper | Paper 40% + Plastic 35% + Alu 25% | Dominant = Paper (outer layer) → Paper & Cardboard |
| No layer > 50%, no clear outer layer | Mixed textile polymer pouch | Dominant not determinable → Other Materials |
EPR Classification
Composite materials are not a separate EPR fee class. Each composite is reported under the dominant material as defined above.
| Type of Composite | Dominant Layer | Typical EPR Fee Category | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper, plastic, aluminium laminate | Paper | Drink Cartons (Composite) | Tetra Pak, SIG Combibloc |
| Plastic multilayer (different polymers) | Plastic | Plastic – Rigid or Plastic – Flexible | PET/PE tray, PE/PP film |
| Paper, plastic laminate (no aluminium) | Paper or Plastic (by dominant rule) | Paper & Cardboard or Plastic | Paper bag with plastic window |
| Plastic, metal laminate | Plastic | Plastic – Flexible | Metallized coffee pouch |
| Mixed, non-dominant, unclear | – | Other Materials | Textile polymer mailer |
Recyclability Impact
- Composite materials often hinder recyclability because layers cannot be separated into pure streams.
- Plastic composites with mixed polymer families (for example PET with PE, or PA barriers) or metallized layers are typically non-compliant for recyclability discounts.
- Paper based composites used as drink cartons can be collected and recycled in dedicated systems in some markets.
Examples
- PET bottle with PE sealing layer and EVOH barrier
- Coffee pouch with PET, aluminium, and PE
- Paperboard carton with a plastic window
- Paper, aluminium, PE laminated drink carton
