Manufacturers striving to meet sustainability goals must be more aware of the critical role that static energy management and contamination control play in advancing environmentally friendly packaging solutions, warns Meech International.
As industries increasingly transition toward sustainable, single-material packaging—driven in part by the European Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive (PPWD)—unexpected challenges are emerging. The latest processes and materials developed to comply with these new regulations are experiencing heightened static buildup and contamination risks, threatening both efficiency and sustainability.
The Role of Material Directional Orientation in Sustainable Packaging
One key innovation in sustainable packaging is Material Directional Orientation (MDO), which enhances raw materials like polyethylene (PE) to improve stiffness, transparency, and heat resistance. MDO technology allows for material lightweighting, reducing both material use and transportation costs. However, its four key processes—heating, stretching, annealing, and cooling—each generate significant static charges, introducing potential disruptions in manufacturing.
“We are seeing much higher levels of static buildup with new materials and processes that involve multiple rollers, sometimes as many as 8–10. The changes in material chemistry are also likely contributing to significant increases in contamination reported in production,” explains Ian Atkinson, Sales Director at Meech.
While MDO technology is proving to be a game-changer in achieving circular economy goals and stringent recyclability targets, Atkinson notes that awareness of static and contamination control has not advanced at the same pace as material innovations.
The Cost of Ignoring Static Buildup
Static-related issues in manufacturing are well-documented, with impacts on safety, efficiency, and quality. In one analysis for a customer using a single, traditional 1,200mm-wide press, losses due to static-related stoppages and quality issues amounted to £13,000 per month in wasted ink and paper.
Despite the known risks, static management in web processing is often overlooked or addressed with only the most basic solutions. With the advent of new material processing technologies, the scale of static-related losses has the potential to increase dramatically due to more complex and high-speed operations.
“Our research has identified that new blown film technologies require more specialized static management and web cleaning equipment at different key stages of the process to mitigate problems that are unique to these new materials and processes,” Atkinson adds.
New Challenges in Web Cleaning and Static Control
One emerging issue is the accumulation of powder and flakes on materials and machinery rollers, likely caused by additives such as slip agents in new materials combined with process technology. These contaminants are leading to extended machine downtime for cleaning. When cleaning is not performed, print quality suffers, increasing the number of rejected materials due to poor quality.
To address these challenges, Meech has developed a bespoke system based on its established VacClean solution. This system incorporates programmable ionization bars and turbulent vacuum airflows through highly polished, low-friction contact plates. It has already proven highly effective in removing contaminants, with customized configurations available for different manufacturing environments.
Proactive Static Control for More Efficient MDO Production
Atkinson emphasizes that increasing awareness of static and contamination control early in the adoption of MDO lines will improve production efficiency and output quality. “By ensuring contamination is not embedded into materials from the start of these innovative new processes, manufacturers can achieve faster and more reliable production results,” he concludes.
As the industry continues to evolve toward sustainable packaging solutions, addressing static buildup and contamination risks will be crucial for maintaining the efficiency and effectiveness of new materials and processes.
