Advanced Technologies & Innovations: Beyond the Plastic and Paper Discussion

The Green Dot Bioplastics has a goal to achieve faster rates of biodegradability in secure conditions while concomitantly catering to the growing sustainability demands of the brand owners and consumers. Their products have an expanded offering for film extrusion, thermoforming, and injection molding which are now an integral part of the company’s extensive bioplastics portfolio which includes biocomposites, elastomers, and natural fiber-reinforced resins all produced at Onaga, Kan.

While commenting on the launch of these compostable resins, Mark Remmert, CEO of Green Dot said, “This launch culminates our extensive development of a new category of compostable materials for single-use applications and packaging markets. We’ve successfully developed unique materials that have a faster rate of biodegradation in ambient composting conditions and the functional performance that the market demands.”

The benefit of this type of packaging is that it delivers higher heat performance and enhanced processability (lower cycle times) for caps/closures, food service ware, and takeout containers. According to PW, Physical and mechanical properties of typical bioplastic resins have not previously allowed the molding of a living hinge capable of hundreds of flexural openings and closures while delivering mechanical properties necessary for a polypropylene-type enclosure.

Not too long ago, researchers from the University of Cambridge created a polymer film by replicating the properties of spider silk, one of the strongest materials in nature. The result is that now Xampla, a Cambridge company will be commercially selling this as an innovative method of packaging products making it a worthy rival of single-use plastics.

Commercialized, shelf-ready packaging applications are in the limelight because of the question of workability but in a rare first, a trailblazer has been found in Sweden’s Blue Ocean Closures’ (BOC) paper-based bottle cap prototype which is slated to take the world by storm. Swedish company Absolut, a Pernod Ricard brand says it will develop the cap for use on its current glass bottles as an addition to existing cap solutions, and depending on its success may even opt to use it as a packaging innovation. According to sources, there are likely to be several iterations of the cap through prototyping and testing stages in 2022, with plans to share it commercially in 2023. 20220518 Boc8

“We are still in the early stages of this project with Blue Ocean Closures, however, based on use of renewable raw materials to create a recyclable and biodegradable cap, we’re excited about the impact the change will make on the products’ sustainability,” says Eric Naf, Director Packaging Development at The Absolut Company.

With the pandemic behind us and with the hotel industry topping the list of most consumer-facing markets there is an escalation in guest requirements and the need for eco-friendly ideas has got a huge boost. According to Statista, 81% of travelers surveyed as late as 2021 showed a strong preference for sustainable accommodation.

Chris Breen, Head of Partnerships at Public Goods, a popular brand with sustainability playing a critical roles since its founding, confirming the need for sustainably packed toiletries, stated, “I saw the trend starting before the pandemic, and since the industry has recovered, it is moving even more quickly now. Eco-friendly ingredients are a priority, but the most important is the product [packaging] material and how we use it. For example, small-format products create quite a lot of waste and are generally made with virgin plastic.”

It is interesting to note that Public Goods’ first offerings were personal care products formulated with toxin-free ingredients in bottles made from sugarcane-based plastics, as well as biodegradable, tree-free toilet paper and toothbrushes made from bamboo. “Since then, we’ve only expanded on that, with products that are refillable, reusable, and made from recycled materials,” says Public Goods co-founder and Head of Product Development Michael Ferchak.

The move is rather interesting given that in the current scenario, bottle caps are made from virgin polypropylene. When Public Goods first sought “greener” packaging in which to launch its products, it considered both bioplastics and PCR plastic. “Back then, it was not possible to get recycled plastic in a pure white, which is why we opted to go with I’m Green PE,” explains Ferchek. “However, the PCR industry has improved lately, and it is possible now to get pure white PCR. As such, we’ve recently made a decision that it’s better to reuse existing plastic than to introduce new plastic into the environment, even I’m Green PE. So we are in the process of transitioning our products over to PCR.”

U.K based Bottle Up is also looking at different ideas on sustainably packaging its products given the fact that it’s been reported that more than 7.7 billion single-use plastic water bottles are consumed every year, with such bottles making up half of the plastic waste in the Thames.

The Dutch-based entrepreneurs want to enable their tourist audiences with the opportunity to buy inexpensive, reusable bottles prefilled with water for the duration of their stay to avoid the ‘grab and go’ culture.” Because sugarcane is a source of renewable carbon, Braskem reports that for every kilogram of I’m green PE used, around 5 kg of CO2 is saved. “We’re very happy that Bottle Up decided to use our I’m green polyethylene for their bottles and are contributing to developing a way to transition from a single-use solution to a multi-use solution as well as significantly reducing the carbon footprint of the product,” says Marco Jansen, Circular Economy & Sustainability Leader for Braskem Europe & Asia.

Should one look to the Middle East, the Agthia Group has come up with its own version of customised innovations. Agthia’s line of ideating stems from one important thought, “Plastic is not the problem. Consumer habits are.” And this is true. Customising packaging according to client needs but also the actual need of the packed material is of equal consideration.

In a recent Parliamentary reception, Frugalpac revealed that as its Frugal Bottle uses six times less carbon than a glass bottle and four times less water to produce and dispose of, the company will manage to save 932 tonnes of CO2 and 3.8m litres of water.

Apart from these contributions, there are multiple innovations from across the world worth noting. Rema 1000 Maskinrens  is a Danish detergent manufacturer that is using bottles made from recycled fishing nets.  Scientists in Singapore are now working on a sustainable way to extract chitin from prawn shells by fermenting it with fruit waste.

In Italy, pouches for dishwasher pods are being made from 100%-recyclable mono-material film as per manufacturer Reckitt Benckiser. Alba Cheese on the other hand has switched to an organic pallet stretch wrap from Biogone Plastics that can degrade 20-times faster than conventional film in a landfill. Gualapack is also using a 100%-recyclable monolayer pouch for German company Frucht Bar’s baby food pouches.

Researchers have improved the recycling process of polyurethane via a twin-screw extrusion process that improves mixing and air removal in foams.

Another country that has topped the Sustainable Packaging charts is Germany. Hermann, their top vegetarian food expert has reduced the plastic in its thermoform packaging by 80% and replaced it with Schur Flexibles’ recyclable VACUflex(re) EX-T as bottom film combined with a more transparent and recyclable top film. German coffee expert Tchibo which has gained popularity over its non-coffee products recently changed the packaging for its clothing line to prefabricated cardboard sleeve and a cardboard insert. This is a steep change from its previous plastic packaging.

These are just a few of the landmark technologies and inventions that have birthed out of the singular need to go ‘net-neutral.’ The human race is slowly confronting its own mess, one that was being created and recreated multiple times. Now, we are moving towards an era of green development. What is yet to be seen is how soon the impact of these changes and technologies can reverse the damage done and how soon before all stakeholders within the circular economy become active enablers of a carbon-free planet.