PHILADELPHIA - PFNonwovens and Smart Plastic Technologies have signed an exclusive joint development agreement for the use of Smart Plastic’s patent-pending SPTek Eclipse technology in PFNonwovens’ hygiene and medical nonwoven products.
Smart Plastic’s SPTek Eclipse enables the bio-assimilation of polypropylene and polyethylene polymers at the end of a product’s guaranteed life span in terrestrial, marine, and landfill environments. The bio-assimilation technology is designed to steadily reduce and modify the polymer chains to enable the assimilation of these molecules by microorganisms, transforming the material into biomass, CO2 and water and resulting in zero microplastics. The technology is FDA approved, 100% recyclable, and has already been commercialized by Smart Plastic Technologies in various industries.
Welcoming the collaboration, Tonny de Beer, chief Product, Technology and Sustainability Officer of PFNonwovens said the two companies' initial work together had already shown that the nonwovens manufacturer could use the Eclipse bio-assimilation technology on pilot-scale equipment. "Now, our focus is to optimize the formulation for nonwovens to ensure performance and meet end-of-life goals,” he said. "Nonwoven fabrics have become a critical part of everyday life, and this technology has the makings of a breakthrough solution. Diapers, fem care and adult incontinence products are integral to how we care for ourselves and for each other. The pandemic has reinforced once again how nonwoven gowns and face masks save and protect lives.
"At the same time, it is imperative to find better solutions to deal with the post-use nonwoven waste and associated environmental problems. We envision that SPTek EclipsE enabled nonwovens will be a high-impact solution.”
Jay Tapp, President & COO of Smart Plastic, added: “Smart Plastic and PFNonwovens are aligned on developing environmentally-responsible solutions as we transition to a more sustainable economy. SPTek Eclipse bio-assimilation is a proven technology that has been used commercially across several industries both in the USA and around the world to significantly reduce the impact plastic has on the environment. Our strategic partnership with PFNonwovens represents an important step in Smart Plastic’s mission to reduce plastic waste and help prevent further damage to the environment.”
