Dow and RDM launch fully recycled, recyclable food packaging solution supporting circularity, food safety, and upcoming EU regulations.
Dow and RDM Group have joined forces to introduce an advanced fibre-based food packaging solution called Multiboard CirculaRR, marking an important step forward in sustainable and circular packaging for the food industry. This newly launched product is specifically designed for food-contact applications and is suitable for a wide range of uses, including frozen food packaging for fish, cakes, fruit trays, and dry pet food packaging. The innovation reflects the growing industry demand for environmentally responsible packaging solutions that meet both performance and regulatory requirements.
Multiboard CirculaRR combines the expertise of RDM Group, a major producer of recycled cartonboard, with Dow’s strong capabilities in materials science, circular polymers, and advanced recycling technologies. The result is a packaging material made entirely from recycled components, featuring recycled paper coated with recycled polyethylene (PE). Despite being fully based on recycled inputs, the solution maintains the barrier protection and functional strength required for demanding food packaging applications, ensuring both product safety and durability.
The innovation builds upon RDM Group’s existing Multiboard Barrier product, which is produced at the company’s manufacturing site in Fiskeby, Sweden. This cartonboard solution contains approximately 5% polyethylene by weight, a relatively low polymer content that makes it highly compatible with existing mixed paper recycling systems. Because of this design, the packaging can be collected, sorted, and processed efficiently through standard paper recycling streams, improving end-of-life management and supporting waste reduction goals.
According to Krzysztof Krajewski, Chief Sustainability and Innovation Officer at RDM Group, Multiboard CirculaRR represents a major breakthrough in circular food packaging. He emphasized that while the packaging already offered strong recyclability benefits, the latest innovation ensures that even the plastic component is now certified as being produced from recycled materials. This development strengthens the product’s sustainability profile and demonstrates the company’s commitment to reducing packaging waste.
Krajewski also highlighted that paper and plastic are often viewed as competing materials within the packaging sector. However, through this collaboration with Dow, RDM Group aims to encourage the recycling industry to move beyond these traditional divisions and focus instead on a shared objective—advancing circularity across all packaging materials. By integrating recycled fibre and recycled plastic in one efficient design, the companies are promoting a more collaborative and practical approach to sustainability.
The plastic coating used in Multiboard CirculaRR has received certification under the International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC PLUS) system. This certification verifies that the recycled plastic originates from advanced recycling processes and is tracked through a mass-balance chain of custody. In addition, the packaging has earned certification from ISEGA, an independent testing institute specializing in food-contact materials, confirming that it is safe and compliant for food packaging use.
Dow’s contribution is particularly significant in enabling food-contact compliance while using recycled plastic content. Through its advanced recycling technologies, hard-to-recycle plastic waste can be converted back into molecular building blocks, which are then used to create high-performance plastics with quality comparable to virgin materials. This process complements mechanical recycling and expands the possibilities for sustainable plastic use in demanding applications like food packaging.
Marian Gmenta, Senior Marketing Manager for Circular and Renewable Solutions at Dow Packaging & Specialty Plastics EMEA, stated that the partnership with RDM Group demonstrates how collaboration can accelerate circular innovation. He noted that the solution offers broad application potential for brands and converters, especially as they prepare for stricter European Union packaging regulations such as the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR).
Multiboard CirculaRR has also been independently tested using the latest recyclability assessment protocol developed by 4evergreen, a cross-industry alliance dedicated to improving fibre-based packaging circularity. These tests confirmed that the packaging is not only made from recycled materials but is also designed for efficient recyclability within established paper recycling systems.
This is particularly important as the EU PPWR requires all packaging on the European market to be recyclable by 2030 and introduces mandatory recycled plastic content targets. Multiboard CirculaRR helps brands meet these future requirements while ensuring food safety, product performance, and environmental responsibility.
