Borouge International and Amylum Systems Korea Inc. jointly develop a new insulated polypropylene (PP) foam bowl for instant noodles. The solution meets strict performance requirements and supports compliance with stringent Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) regulations.

Mono-material instant noodle bowl that can withstand heat, comfortable for user to hold while eating, and recycle after use.

Mono-material packaging to maximize recyclability

Traditionally, instant noodle bowls have been made from plastic-coated paper or polystyrene, both of which are hard to recycle. South Korea’s EPR framework places strong emphasis on packaging recyclability, establishing a grading system that favors materials that can be easily sorted and recycled.

In view of this, Amylum develops a mono-material, lightweight packaging solution for instant noodle applications. This maximizes recyclability by avoiding the separation challenges of multi-material structures.

This packaging design achieves higher recyclability classification within the South Korean EPR framework, and also aligns with global sustainability targets and circular economy principles.

Technical requirements: Withstand heat, comfortable to hold, stable production

The project faced several technical challenges – the container needed to withstand boiling water and microwave heating without losing its shape or generating odors, it also had to provide enough insulation to remain comfortable to hold while eating.

The solution also needed to work reliably in production. The foam sheet used to produce the bowls needed a stable structure and uniform thickness so it could be thermoformed consistently, and it needed to run smoothly on existing thermoforming equipment.

Solution: Borouge’s High-Melt-Strength PP for foaming

Amylum and Borouge selected Daploy WB140HMS, a High-Melt-Strength (HMS) PP designed for foaming applications, for the instant noodle packaging.

Its properties allow the formation of a controlled microcellular foam structure, enabling the production of an advanced fine-cell PP foam sheet that meets all of the requirements of microwave-heated noodle bowls.

The solution offers several performance advantages:

• Low thermal conductivity, ensuring effective insulation

• High heat resistance and dimensional stability during microwave use

• Reduced material use through the lightweight foam structure

• Reliable processing on conventional thermoforming lines

• Full recyclability as a mono-material PP structure

The new bowl also provides food container manufacturers with a practical way to introduce mono-material solutions, helping them reduce compliance costs under South Korea’s EPR framework.