# Sealed Air

> Sealed Air's material decision is performance under pressure: a flexible film has to seal, protect, run on the line and survive the market's recovery rules. Recycled content by itself is not the product.

- Industry: Packaging, Paper & Glass
- Collection: Active
- Processes: Recycling, Sorting
- Evidence through: 2026-09-18
- Canonical URL: https://www.materialtransition.com/library/sealed-air

## Material inputs to resolve

Food, protective and consumer-goods packaging

Sealed Air markets CRYOVAC CT-400 shrink films with a minimum of 40% post-consumer recycled content and EN 15343 certification. Its product documentation says the range is designed for the PE waste stream, while the company qualifies that final-package recyclability depends on configuration and local collection infrastructure. Public sources do not establish a specific customer conversion, universal food-contact scope, geographic collection outcome or product-level life-cycle result.

**40%** PCR in Cryovac CT-400 shrink film

**EN 15343** Certification stated for CT-400

**2026** PPWR generally applies across EU member states

**Open** Customer line and recovery evidence

- PCR resin, virgin resin, additives and film-conversion inputs
- Food or consumer-product packaging requirements
- Collection and sorting infrastructure by geography

### Outputs and residuals to resolve

- Shrink film and protective packaging
- Protected products, reduced damage and package residuals
- Post-use flexible film dependent on local collection and processing

**First decision:** Pick one application and geography. Test seal strength, clarity, toughness, line settings, food-contact status where applicable, recycled-content evidence and the actual collection or sorting route before presenting the film as a completed circular loop.

## Named product lane

Sealed Air says Cryovac CT-400 shrink films contain at least 40% PCR and are EN 15343 certified.

#### Performance frame

Its PPWR guidance explicitly treats product protection and operational efficiency as part of less-waste packaging.

#### Regulatory context

Sealed Air's guidance states that EU PPWR entered into force in February 2025 and generally applies from August 2026.

#### Evidence boundary

Public sources do not prove a named customer application, collection rate, food-contact scope, recycled-content allocation or end-of-life outcome.

### Decision boundary

Flexible packaging does not become circular because the resin has PCR in it. It becomes circular when the film protects the product, meets the line spec, and can move through a real recovery system in the market where it is sold.

## Material flow map

| Material or stream | Qualification gate | Process or destination | Evidence still needed |
|-|-|-|-|
| Material | Qualification gate | Process or destination | Evidence still needed |
| PCR resin | Traceability, contamination, odor and melt properties | Film extrusion | Certificate scope, lot data and grade allocation |
| Shrink film | Seal, clarity, toughness and machine settings | Customer packaging line | Line trial, product protection and scrap rate |
| Post-use film | Collection, sorting and reprocessor acceptance | Flexible-film recovery | Market geography, route and actual end market |

This is a public screening map. It separates company-disclosed flows from open qualification work. It does not convert a destination into a buyer or an announced ambition into operating capacity.

## Three defensible entry lanes

#### Qualify CT-400 in one product line

The public product claim creates a clear starting point, but not an automatic customer application.

**Next evidence:** SKU, line conditions, product-protection test, approval and PCR documentation.

#### Use PPWR as a design constraint

Compliance asks for packaging that works in a system, not a resin swap.

**Next evidence:** Format assessment, recycled-content calculation, recyclability class and market route.

#### Measure avoided damage as a material outcome

A thinner or more recyclable film that raises damage can increase material loss overall.

**Next evidence:** Damage baseline, package weight, shipment test, returns and recovery outcome.

## Evidence register

- **Cryovac consumer-goods shrink films** Sealed Air https://www.sealedair.com/es/solutions/protective/consumer-goods [1]
- **PPWR for protective packaging** Sealed Air https://www.sealedair.com/uk/sustainability/sustainable-protective-packaging/ppwr-for-protective-packaging [2]
- **Sustainability** Sealed Air https://www.sealedair.com/br/company/sustainability [3]
- **CRYOVAC CT-400 shrink films** Sealed Air https://www.sealedair.com/ap/products/protective-packaging/ct-400-shrink-films [4]
- **CT-400 40% PCR technical sell sheet** Sealed Air https://www.sealedair.com/content/dam/protective-materials/shrink/Cryovac%20CT-400%20Shrink%20Films\_40percent\_Sell%20Sheet\_A4\_ENGLISH\_2\_APAC.pdf [5]
- **CRYOVAC shrink film recycling and food-contact information** Sealed Air https://www.sealedair.com/products/protective-packaging/surface-protection-shrink-films/cryovac-shrink-films [6]

Source hierarchy: filings and company disclosures first. The brief states what those sources support and leaves the unresolved plant, grade, permit, buyer and mass-balance questions explicit.

## Material Transition editorial interpretation

The next useful working session starts with: Pick one application and geography. Test seal strength, clarity, toughness, line settings, food-contact status where applicable, recycled-content evidence and actual collection or sorting route before presenting the film as a completed circular loop.

## Sources

- [1] Cryovac consumer-goods shrink films - https://www.sealedair.com/es/solutions/protective/consumer-goods
- [2] PPWR for protective packaging - https://www.sealedair.com/uk/sustainability/sustainable-protective-packaging/ppwr-for-protective-packaging
- [3] Sustainability - https://www.sealedair.com/br/company/sustainability
- [4] CRYOVAC CT-400 shrink films - https://www.sealedair.com/ap/products/protective-packaging/ct-400-shrink-films
- [5] CT-400 40% PCR technical sell sheet - https://www.sealedair.com/content/dam/protective-materials/shrink/Cryovac%20CT-400%20Shrink%20Films_40percent_Sell%20Sheet_A4_ENGLISH_2_APAC.pdf
- [6] CRYOVAC shrink film recycling and food-contact information - https://www.sealedair.com/products/protective-packaging/surface-protection-shrink-films/cryovac-shrink-films

From the Material Transition company brief library: https://www.materialtransition.com/library/sealed-air