Israel-based Solutum is an innovative Cleantech company on a mission to reduce plastic pollution by providing sustainable alternatives to single-use plastic. The company has created what they report to be a revolutionary compound that can be engineered to create a range of flexible packaging that completely dissolves in water and fully biodegrades into natural and eco-friendly components. Their product is claimed to be a perfect and cost-effective solution to the plastic pollution problem. The company’s compound leverages natural biochemical processes to dissolve into natural biomass, including CO2 and H2O, in water at ambient temperatures. They control the compound’s temperature sensitivity to water through unique mechanisms, offering a range of predetermined temperature and dissolving times, allowing them to adapt to a broader range of plastic applications and substitutions. Solutum utilises existing industry machinery to provide a seamless supply chain integration, eliminating the need for CAPEX modifications to offer a cost-effective solution.
This solution reduces packaging waste, although there are some practical challenges with a pack that will dissolve on impact with water, which could occasionally unintentionally increase waste.
This has applications for Household and Health & Beauty products.
Three companies are joining forces to integrate International Sustainability and Carbon Certificate (ISCC) PLUS certified-circular plastics into pet food packaging for household brand names in Canada. Berry Global, Peel Packaging and ExxonMobil will utilise ExxonMobil’s ExxtendTM technology for advanced recycling, which processes plastic waste and attributes it to new plastic for food-grade packaging through a mass balance approach. Advanced recycling technology helps capture the value of plastics that currently go unrecycled, like snack wrappers, food pouches, and plastic toys. Unlike other recycling technologies, the resulting circular plastics are identical to those made from conventional feedstock and can be used in contact-sensitive, food-grade packaging solutions. A spokesperson for ExxonMobil said that this was their first sale of certified-circular polymers into Canada leveraging Exxtend technology and they looked forward to continuing their work across the plastic value chain to develop products that deliver exceptional performance, while also supporting the global circular economy.
Thre continues to be a steady flow of new advanced recycling technologies coming to our attention.
This has opportunities for products across sectors.
AIMPLAS, the Spanish Technological Institute of Plastics is embarking on a four-year project to develop PHA-based (polyhydroxyalkanoates) water vapour barrier coatings for bioplastics and reinforced materials with improved mechanical properties as part of the European PRESERVE project – to preserve food, beverages, and non-renewable resources. The project is to be coordinated by Barcelona-based IRIS Technology, and is a collaboration between twenty-six partners. The aim of the project is to phase out fossil-based plastics in favour of bio-based alternatives – developing new processes, coatings, and adhesives made from renewable sources, cellulose fibre, and bioplastics, all while creating as little environmental impact as possible. By improving the properties of cellulose-based packaging and producing biodegradable and recyclable substances, AIMPLAS intends to achieve optimal protection for food and drink products, reduce material waste, improve the mechanical properties of its recycled materials, and achieve circularity.
This is one of many long-term packaging developments from the research team at AIMPLAS as they broaden their offering to more applications.
This has applications in the Food sector.
German researchers at Hohenheim University, Stuttgart have announced the development of a new coating system that is both waterproof and heat-resistant. It is also reported to be mechanically resilient, suitable for consumption and compostable. As part of a product development competition, the team developed ‘Crumbsticks’, chicken drumsticks with an edible “bone” made from a crispy bread stick. Olegels were used in the development of the consumable protective layer. These are fats that are structured by certain gelling agents. According to the researchers, existing production processes can be used to manufacture oleogels. The layer can be applied either by glazing, laminating, coating or spraying and is suitable for food as well as in the food packaging sector. By changing the composition or adding additives, the oleogel layer can be adapted to the respective application. See also: Vegetable biocoating replaces plastic film.
This is one of several bio-based and edible coatings to come to our attention at the Innovation Zone.
This has opportunities for produce for Food sector products.
Two companies have announced a partnership to progress PHA dispersions for paper and paperboard barrier coating applications. Pennsylvania-based Trinseo and RWDC Industries from Singapore aim to further the development of paper and board packaging solutions by bringing polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) dispersion technology to target markets. PHA dispersion technology creates water-based barrier coatings that are recyclable in traditional paper processes, organically recyclable via composting and biodegradable in soil and marine environments. RWDC manufactures organically recyclable or home-compostable Solon PHA using plant-based oils such as post-consumer and waste cooking oils, while Trinseo is a speciality material solutions provider that serves industries such as building and construction, consumer goods and medical and mobility. A spokesperson for RWDC said that the partnership was a critical step in their journey to bring PHA forward as an innovative material solution for an application with high-performance requirements while being environmentally safe.
This is another effective water-based barrier coating, one of several reported in the Innovation Zone in recent times.
This has potential opportunities for numerous products in the Food sector.
Founded in 2020 in Faridabad, India, Dharaksha Ecosolutions is tackling the environmental issue of crop residue burning by converting it into sustainable packaging materials. Co-founders Amit Kumar and Ashish Kumar have repurposed paddy stubble, a major crop residue, to produce biodegradable, compostable packaging materials that offer an alternative to conventional plastic. With features like thermal resistance, fire retardancy, water resistance, and anti-static properties, Dharaksha’s products are suitable for secondary packaging and can be utilized by businesses in the food and beverage, e-commerce, and pharmaceutical sectors. Through a proprietary process, paddy stubble, sourced from local farmers, is converted into various shapes and sizes of packaging materials, and custom designs are offered.
This innovative approach of transforming agricultural residue into sustainable packaging material presents a compelling solution to both environmental challenges and the pressing need for more eco-friendly alternatives to conventional packaging materials.
This has opportunities for Food, Beverage and Pharmaceutical products.
The Institute of Subtropical and Mediterranean Horticulture (IHSM) La Mayora, in collaboration with Ayuda en Acción, is working on a scientific project to develop a bioplastic for food packaging using cocoa husk waste. The project aims to address the environmental impact of plastic production and explore sustainable alternatives. The IHSM La Mayora research team travelled to Esmeraldas, Ecuador, to share their scientific knowledge with the local cocoa producers and assist in bioplastic production. The project aims to add value to the local cocoa production, which women in the area primarily carry out. Currently, cocoa husks are considered low-value by-products of the agri-food industry, but their abundance has resulted in significant waste. The research team have successfully developed a bioplastic suitable for food packaging using cocoa husk residues, and the knowledge has been transferred to the Esmeraldas producer community to create their own packaging. The collaboration involves other researchers from IHSM La Mayora and the Institute of Materials Science of Seville.
This innovation not only addresses the issue of waste management but also creates opportunities for local communities, such as women involved in cocoa production, focusing on utilizing cocoa husk waste to develop a bioplastic solution for food packaging.
This has opportunities for Food sector products.
Citeo is a company with a mission to reduce the environmental impact of their packaging and paper, by offering companies a combination of reduction, reuse, sorting and recycling solutions. The two main glassmakers established in France, the French Verallia and the American O-I, which hold some 80% of the national market, have now signed up with Citeo to produce the first reusable glass packaging formats for mass consumption, based on models created by French designer Fabrice Peltier. Two models of bottles and four jars have been developed. Citeo launched the ReUse project in January 2023, supported with €350 million until 2029. The French Anti-waste law for a circular economy (Agec) has set a target of 10% reused packaging by 2027. See also: Organic food supermarket introduces returnable deposit jars.
The growing refillable and reusable market lacks scale, so this move will be well received.
This has applications for Food products.
A new additive has been refined that promises to make plastic packaging biodegradable. The additive, called d2w, is made by Symphony Environmental Technologies. It is a bio-based additive that can be added to conventional plastics to deliver biodegradability. d2w works by breaking down the plastic into small molecules that bacteria and fungi can absorb. The process of biodegradation takes about 12 months and reportedly produces no harmful byproducts. d2w can be used to make various plastic products, including bags, bottles, and food packaging. Several companies, including Coca-Cola, Unilever, and PepsiCo are currently utilising it. The development of d2w is being reported as a significant step forward in the fight against plastic pollution that could help reduce the amount of plastic that ends up in landfills and the environment.
Symphony has been under scrutiny in recent times about its oxo-biodegradable plastic solutions but some brand owner endorsement suggests that this might have some traction.
This has applications for products across packaging products.
German research organisation, the Fraunhofer Society, is developing a novel labelling system to uniquely verify and authenticate products via smartphones. Counterfeits of high-quality products such as medicines, cosmetics, watches, or even food and beverages circulate in large numbers, especially in online retail. Consumers usually have little chance to verify the authenticity of a product in this marketplace. The solution takes advantage of the fact that every pack possesses a unique, characteristic surface texture. The texture is comparable to a human fingerprint and can be detected by standard smartphone cameras, which scan the printed barcode and, at the same time, the texture of the surface. A specially developed app compares whether the information stored in the barcode matches the data from the scanned surface, so a tamper-proof barcode is created. The team presented the solution at Interpack 2023 in Düsseldorf.
This is a new and interesting way to develop anti-counterfeiting solutions that does not require any pack changes and it would also be easy for consumers to verify.
This could have opportunities for premium Food, Beverage, Household, Health & Beauty and Consumer Goods sectors.
