Increasing Regranulate Content in Three-Layer Polyethylene Films While Maintaining Performance Requirements: A Multi-Criteria Pareto Analysis of Industrial Data

This study developed and implemented, under industrial conditions, a multi-criteria procedure for evaluating three-layer polyethylene films with a high regranulate content. A set of validated production formulations with varying secondary-material content was investigated. The methodology compared five mechanical properties with predefined, group-specific performance thresholds and used a non-compensatory Q index to express relative functional compliance; regranulate content was considered separately as an indicator of secondary-material use. Pareto front analysis was used to identify optimal material variants by considering the relationship between recycled content and their relative compliance with the applicable group-specific requirements. The proposed approach supports screening the functional properties of manufactured film products (high-strength refuse bags) at elevated recycled-material content levels.