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PLA film (Polylactic acid) is an advanced type of packaging for application to the containers of soft drinks and dairy products. It can be a film overwrap and is heat-shrinkable^[1] . These sleeves are usually made of petroleum-based plastic films such as Polyethylene terephthalate (PET), Oriented polystyrene (OPS) and Polyvinyl chloride (PVC). PLA shrink film is a recently-developed eco-friendly alternative made of corn starch. Unlike petroleum-based films, PLA film is naturally biodegradable^[2] , so the material may be of interest to some for environmental reasons.

[edit] Process

These films are very special types of plastic film because they are shrinkable in the hot air blown by heat tunnel in the machine. These films are printed by press machine according to the designs to be used for product labels for the containers of soft drinks and dairy products. After that, the printed films are seamed like a tube and wound on a core to make a roll. These rolls are unwound on the sleeving machine to wrap the containers of soft drinks or dairy products before they go through the heat tunnel. This is how products with sleeves are made, which we pick up from the shelves at the mart.

[edit] Characteristics

Customers can see and check the sleeves on the container when they buy soft drinks or dairy products. The shrink sleeves are stuck without glue on the containers and mould to intricate shapes. This is possible because the material of the sleeve is heat-shrinkable, as if the containers wear a stocking.

[edit] Recycling

Efforts on recycling^[3] in-factory scrap are beginning. There is concern about the post-consumer ability of PLA to be sorted from other plastics and the possible detrimental effects of mixing PLA with other plastics. SPI Resin identification code 7 is applicable.

[edit] References

• Packaging Digest, PLA shrink labels get the 'green' light, 1/1/2008

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