/PRZWT/Shanghai, April 26, 2024 - On April 22, 2024, the 5th "CHINAPLAS X CPRJ Plastic Recycling and Recycling and Circular Economy Forum and Exhibition" was held in Shanghai. More than 1,000 representatives from the government, industry associations, scientific research institutes, manufacturers, etc. attended the conference to discuss the road of high-quality development of the industry. Kao (China) participated in and shared its innovative practices and experience in carbon reduction of packaging materials. At the same time, it also had an in-depth understanding of the latest progress of plastic recycling technology and the development trend of circular economy. It delivered a keynote speech in the parallel sub-forum of "Recycling and New Plastic Economy", focusing on "the development and application of innovative ESG technology for packaging containers", and detailed Kao's in-depth exploration and positive results in the structural design, materials and technology development of packaging containers.
For a long time, Kao has been committed to fundamentally promoting the activity of "creating high-quality products" based on the ESG concept, incorporating environmental protection concepts into the product design process, promoting the full utilization of resources through technological innovation, and striving to reduce carbon emissions in all aspects of the product life cycle. In the field of packaging materials, Kao adheres to the principle of 4R (Reduce, Replace, Reuse, Recycle), and continuously deepens the research on packaging containers, from container design to material development, and then to the application of innovative technologies. Kao opens up green channels in all aspects to save energy for the achievement of the group's carbon reduction goals. At the forum, Zhu Yan from the Packaging Container Development Research Department of Kao (China) Research and Development Center Co., Ltd. introduced a number of Kao packaging materials technologies and the resulting carbon reduction effect, which were unanimously affirmed by the experts present.
Traceability - streamlined design and reduced materials
Due to the extreme requirements for the configuration of components and the amount of substrate used in product packaging containers, Kao controls the improvement direction from the design source, and is committed to promoting the development of thin-walled and lightweight packaging materials, striving to reduce the use of plastics. For example, the patented resin blow molding pressure control technology developed by Kao can ensure the uniform distribution of resin on the irregular-shaped container, so that the bottle body is both light and uniform, thereby reducing the resin consumption of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles by 20%; by optimizing the structural design of the emulsion discharge pump, the amount of resin required for the achievable parts is reduced by 31.5%, further improving cost-effectiveness and ease of use.
Refinement - taking into account material safety, quality and cost
In terms of packaging application technology for environmentally friendly materials such as recycled resins, Kao conducts research and application of recycled resin packaging that can reduce carbon dioxide emissions from three aspects: safety, quality and cost. With the goal of "achieving recycled resin packaging containers with the same safety quality and performance requirements as virgin resins", Kao actively researches and develops a "horizontal circulation mode" closed-loop system, focusing on material discharge, collection and transportation, recycling, and (re) productization, and comprehensively promotes the exploration of commercial application of recycled resins. It plans to achieve 100% use of recycled resins in its product packaging by 2027.
Innovation - Continuously promote green manufacturing upgrades
Innovation in manufacturing technology has always been one of the core driving forces for Kao's packaging ESG path. For example, through the self-developed supercritical generator, the supercritical inert gas generated by it is injected into the molten resin used in the blown packaging material to form "tiny pores". The use of this "air in resin" supercritical blow molding technology can reduce the resin consumption by 20% and carbon dioxide emissions by 16% on the basis of ensuring the performance of the container; and based on the research on new materials such as BOPE, Kao uses metallocene catalytic technology, PE biaxial stretching technology and other methods to develop thin film materials with thinner thickness and better performance.
Kao Group has written "Sustainability as the only path" into its medium-term business plan, formulated the strategic goal of "achieving zero carbon emissions by 2040 and negative carbon emissions by 2050", and continued to accelerate progress. By continuously deepening the technological innovation of packaging materials, Kao (China) is expected to achieve a carbon reduction rate of more than 20% in the field of packaging materials from 2021 to the end of 2024, and plans to achieve a carbon reduction target of more than 25% in 2027.
Promoting high-quality industrial development through plastic recycling and recycling economy has become the consensus of leading companies in related manufacturing fields. Kao (China) packaging container and material development research team is committed to continuously paying attention to the actual needs and usage habits of Chinese people, focusing on the creation of new technologies while ensuring usability, and striving to contribute to a better "life, life and ecology". Kao (China) will continue to adhere to the ESG concept, always adhere to the principle of green and sustainable in all aspects of raw material procurement, development, production, logistics, use and disposal, and join hands with many parties to create low-carbon technology. Join hands with people to practice environmental protection in daily life, accelerate the process of decarbonization, and create a better future of "coexistence with the United States" with practical actions.
