Wood-like boards obtained from the recycling of rigid and flexible multilayer food packaging

Nowadays, there is a growing concern about the damage caused by waste in the environment, which implies the generation of new processes and habits to contribute to a circular economy. This work explores a new alternative for the recycling of rigid and flexible containers without losing their structure of multilayer composites, which could be an advantage when used as boards or agglomerates. Then, the manufacturing process of recycled plates obtained from multilaminate containers is detailed. The idea lies in the combined use of two packaging with LDPE external layers, then being compatible without destroying the multilayer structure, to obtain wood-like panels. Obtained composite boards are characterized in terms of moisture absorption, thermal conductivity and mechanical behavior, and properties compared with commercially available particleboards (LDF and MDF). The influence of the number of flexible containers in boards' performance was analyzed. The optimum processing temperature and pressure were also determined. Based on obtained results, it can be concluded that obtained boards have mechanical and moisture-absorbing properties comparable to those of commercial particleboards, with greater resistance to environmental influences. Then, composite boards made from multilaminate containers are a promising and sustainable alternative for the construction and interior design industry. It is noticeable that this form of recycling has great advantages: it requires only a few steps, no solvents or water are used after washing and no sophisticated equipment is needed.Highlights Recycled multilaminate containers yield boards with competitive mechanical properties. Innovative process preserves multilayer structure for wood-like panels. Optimized temperature and pressure parameters ensure board integrity. Superior moisture resistance compared with standard particleboards. Simple, solvent-free method requires minimal equipment for production.