IsAqueous Coating Really Plastic-Free?

Aqueous coating refers to protective linings and coatings that use water as the main carrier fluid or solvent. Some key points about aqueous linings.

Compostability makes aqueous coatings more sustainable compared to traditional solvent-borne coatings, which can persist in the environment. As demand grows for more environmentally-friendly solutions, aqueous coatings present an attractive option for various industries to reduce waste while still protecting their products.

So, Aqueous Coating Contains No Plastic 100%?

We wouldn`t say it`s a material contains no plastic at all, it`s not accurate.

While aqueous linings utilize water as the main solvent, they still contain some polymer content, though less than conventional solvent-borne options. Common polymers include polyethylene (PE) and polylactic acid (PLA). Even though the polymer content is lower, aqueous linings cannot be considered completely plastic-free.

Then Why Aqueous Coating Acceptable In The Market?

Aqueous linings require less material to prevent leakage versus traditional PE or PLA coatings. To make packaging suitable for food, 15-30 grams of PE or PLA per square meter are needed. Aqueous linings use less polymer,usually 3-6 grams depending on different demand, so a thinner film can give leakage protection. Ultimately, less aqueous lining material achieves the similar protective effect as more PE or PLA coating.

Why Are Some people Calling Aqueous Coating As Plastic-free Product?

There are a few reasons people think or call aqueous coating/water-base coating “plastic-free” .

1. The way it`s applied on product is totally different from PE/PLA coating. Aqueous coating is applied on paper similar like water or ink glued, which is not a film because its main material is water.
2. Compare to PE/PLA coating, aqueous coating is compostable without going to special facility. It looks more eco-friendly in this way. As we know, even PLA coating request special compost falicity, PLA is converted back into lactic acid monomers that then turn into carbon dioxide, water, and biomass. After commercial composting for 2-3 months, the PLA breaks down and cannot be retrieved as plastic. Proper moisture, temperature, and aeration accelerate the PLA composting process.

To sum up, according to our knowledge and explore to aqueous coating, we wouldn`t say it`s 100% plastic free, it will mislead our customers.

Is There Any Material Containers No Plastic For Producing Paper Cups?

The answer is, so far, we don`t have other choices.

For grease proof and waterproof purpose, no matter disposable paper cups or paper bowls all request an extra material/coating/lining applied on paper/cardboard.

TF group is always on the way of developing new eco-friendly material and provide the best service to our manufacturer customers, for more details of aqueous coating/water-base coating, please feel free to contact us : sales@holapaper.com