“Development of a new recyclable long life co-injected high barrier packaging for food applications, with broad design possibilities and reduced manufacturing costs”

The objective is to develop a new recyclable packaging based on renewable materials, manufactured by co-injection and featuring oxygen barrier properties.

The project scope is focused on obtaining co-injected packaging by combining either PP or HIPS as external materials with good mechanical and thermal characteristics, along with starch in the inner layer, offering oxygen barrier features. The starch also increases the sustainability of the packaging since it is from a renewable source, has a lower cost when comparing to barrier materials such as EVOH and as it is soluble in water eases the recycling because of the traditional recycling process comprises a grinding stage followed by a washing process, and it is in the latter where the starch will be removed from the plastic material.

Overall description

Biopolymers are a little portion of the global polymer industry. The worldwide market for bioplastics comprises less than 1% total produced plastic. But that volume will grow 20% in one year because of the environmental friendly substitution demand for packaging and products intended for automotive and electronics industry. The advantage of using bio-based plastics is the reduction the use of fossil derivatives required to produce the conventional plastics. Within the next decade a drastic change will be visible in the world plastic production, with the presence of a new bio-based range of products:

-The environmentally concerned consumers will be willing to pay a slightly higher price for products made out of materials from renewable sources.

-The companies which took care of the consumer inquiries through the creation of a sustainable development image by launching biodegradable products.

-The government regulations, such as the EU Regulation on landfills and the German Packaging Directive, in addition to the global political strategies laid down by the EU on the renewable resources and the recycling.

-A sharp increase in material and energy prices, not to say the extreme volatility related to the oil prices.

National / International Partners

HT Masterbatch (Spain)
CRIIMPLA SL (Spain)
SIVEL Limited (Bulgaria)
Lajovic Tuba EMBALAŽA d.o.o. (Slovenia)
Termoplasti Plama, d.o.o. (Slovenia)
DEM, S.r.l. (Italy)
H.J. Heinz Company Limited (UK)
Asociación de Investigación de Materiales Plasticos (Spain)
D’Appolonia S.p.A. (Italy)
Instituto Agroquímica y Tecnología de Alimentos-CSIC (Spain)

Outcomes

Development of a know-how to turn the natural starch into thermoplastic starch, base material for the biodegradable packaging.

Development of a know-how to create a recyclable packaging for co-injection manufactured from renewable and biodegradable materials.

Applications

Packaging made by co-injection

Call

7^th Framework Programme

Execution Time

24 months

Investment

Total 1,327,873.32 (HTM: 230,189.27)

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