German speciality chemicals company Evonik has introduced a new 25kg paper bag for its MetAMINO (DL-methionine) brand by removing the plastic film layer.

For years, Evonik Animal Nutrition’s packaging staff have been working on solutions to decrease plastic in MetAMINO and other feed ingredient packaging.

The shift to the new bags has begun at the company's Antwerp facility in Belgium, with plans to implement the change at the company's Singapore and Mobile, US, sites.

The company claims that the new two-layer paper packaging is fully recyclable as a pure paper bag under EU recycling standards, aligning with the EU’s Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) to improve recycling.

At the Antwerp site, this change will save 32 tonnes of polyethylene annually and cut the packaging’s carbon dioxide (CO₂) footprint by 20%.

Rigorous testing confirms that the new packaging preserves MetAMINO’s quality, with its 36-month shelf life remaining unaffected, stated the company.

Evonik Animal Nutrition amino acid business Dr Dirk Hoehler said: “Product packaging plays an important role in our company’s efforts to reduce CO₂ emissions and achieve a resource-conserving circular economy.

“Packaging must protect the product effectively, but it should do so in the most environmentally friendly way possible.”

In April this year, Mondi collaborated with Evonik to launch a recyclable, ready-made paper bag for storing chemical powders.

The packaging is said to have been designed to lower the environmental impact of transporting fumed silica, which is used in a range of industrial and consumer products.