Recyclable sachet and methods for manufacturing same

Abstract

A recyclable single-use sachet is provided including an inner envelope, an outer envelope, an organic additive effective to facilitate biodegradation in a biologically active landfill, and a peripheral seal. The outer envelope can be formed from a single, folded, layer of material, or from multiple layers joined together. Likewise, the inner envelope can be formed from one or more layers of material. Systems and methods for manufacturing the single-use recyclable sachet are also provided.

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 610,602 filed on Dec. 27, 2017, the entire disclosure of which is hereby expressly incorporated by reference.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0002]The described invention relates to recyclable single-use packaging that is biodegradable, compostable, and shelf-stable for at least 6 months.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0003]Single-use sachets are well known and widely utilized to package a variety of products designed to be used once and then disposed of or destroyed. FIGS. 1-2 illustrate a conventional sachet design (hereinafter “sachet 10”). More specifically, FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of sachet 10 and FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of sachet 10 of FIG. 1 taken along line 2-2. As shown in FIG. 2, sachet 10 includes a body 12 that is typically constructed from multi-layer sheets of material (hereinafter “multi-layer stock 14”) comprising a first layer 20, generally formed from a me...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The described invention is a recyclable single-use sachet that is biodegradable and compostable. The sachet comprises an inner envelope and an outer envelope made of a first material, a second material, and an organic additive. The inner envelope is sealed along its peripheral edge and the outer envelope is bonded to the inner envelope only along its peripheral edges. The sachet can contain liquid, paste, powder, or solid contents and can be made from a metal or polymer like polystyrene, polypropylene, polyethylene, or polyvinyl chloride. The invention provides a more eco-friendly alternative to traditional single-use sachets that are not biodegradable and can pollute the environment.

Problems solved by technology

Sachets are commonly utilized in emerging and / or poor market segments to distribute quality products to the masses, which was previously not economically viable with traditional multi-use bottle and container product packaging.

Currently available sachets are not recyclable without difficulty because the metal layer is not separable from the plastic layer by a user without requiring additional technologies, such as mechanical and / or chemical separation means.

Unlike, for example, recyclable plastic bottles and metal cans which can be collected and returned for a deposit or refund, there is no economic incentive to collect used sachets because they are not recyclable, and thus cannot be returned in exchange for a deposit.

Because there is no economic incentive to collect and recycle the used sachets, sachet waste has become a major problem in markets where they have gained prevalence.

This problem is only expected to grow as adoption of sachet products increases.

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