Environmental protection for today and tomorrow is a high priority for Profol. We regularly evaluate our energy use and consumption of raw materials throughout the production process and company. Our practices include energy recycling and the utilization of recyclable materials in our manufacturing processes.
Material Intelligence
Profol is a proud supporter of Material Intelligence, a site devoted to delivering educational content to architects and interior designers. It also offers an in depth look at various materials used in the manufacturing of furniture and flooring, such as polypropylene, TFL, HPL and MDF. Understanding materials is vital to helping specifiers make informed decisions.
Profol is the first supplier of cast polypropylene film to be featured on the Material Intelligence site. We were selected due to the performance and sustainability characteristics of PP as a composite or wood laminate.
Visit our Material Intelligence page here.
Climate Positive NOW
Profol is also a supporter of Climate Positive NOW, an educational messaging project designed to inspire and educate interior designers and architects on how and why to use sustainable materials.
Profol’s mission to manufacture recyclable and recycle ready cast polypropylene films for furniture, composite panels and flooring aligns well with that of Climate Positive NOW. Industry education and awareness are key, and we are here to support such endeavors.
Sustainable Packaging Coalition (SPC)
Profol is a member of the Sustainable Packaging Coalition (SPC), which is an organization formed “to bring packaging sustainability stakeholders together to catalyze actionable improvements to packaging systems and lend an authoritative voice on issues related to packaging sustainability.”
Current Profol sustainability initiatives include offering solutions that lead to the reduction of manufacturing steps, recycle ready mono-materials, PIR content and a lower carbon footprint. SPC membership is the next step in Profol’s ongoing efforts to help increase the knowledge around polypropylene recycling and its benefits as a sustainable packaging material.
Economy
Polypropylene (PP) and other polyolefin polymers have a tangible economic advantage over other materials. Low specific gravity, modern processing methods and the use of inexpensive raw materials make polyolefin granules the best option for cost-effective plastics. This is one reason why more and more companies are selecting polyolefin resins such as polypropylene as their preferred polymer.
Ecology
Polypropylene polymers are environmentally friendly. Unlike other plastic films, polypropylene is free of plasticizers, acids and heavy metal compounds. PP materials are safe as well as kind to the skin. Profol films are neutral in taste and odor, which make them well suited for food packaging. Polypropylene films can be easily recycled by material recycling or by thermal recovery.
Biodegradable
Profol’s cast polypropylene films, which have the EcoPure™ additive, are biodegradable according to ASTM D5511-02 (Standard Test Method for Determining the Anaerobic Biodegradability of Plastics under Stable Anaerobic Degradation Conditions)*. These conditions are intended to simulate conditions in anaerobic landfills.
Our films manufactured with the EcoPure™ additive are storage-stable and will not biodegrade until the film comes into contact with microorganisms commonly found in soil or landfills. With this technology, no UV light, no heat exposure and no mechanical stress are required to degrade the polymer. Our polyolefin films remain stable in storage and offer extended shelf life.
