Project description
Thermoplastic material for biodegradable paper food packaging
Paper food packaging contributes to environmental pollution – piling up in our cities and at the beach. A fully recyclable solution is needed. The EU-funded ECOLACTIPACK project proposes a thermoplastic material based on casein, milk protein resulting from an excess of production. This is the only one to be biodegradable in days and soluble in water. The solution relies on the addition of a layer of this material to paper that makes food packaging completely recyclable, home compostable and biodegradable in days in the marine environment if thrown away. The innovation allows the use of recycled paper in food packaging (through protection from inks) for the first time.
Objective
Lactips is a raw material producer specialised in a thermoplastic material based on casein (milk protein resulting from an excess of production). This material is the only one to be biodegradable in days (even in marine environment), and soluble in water. The addition of a layer of this material to paper unlocks the use of a food packaging completely recyclable, home compostable and biodegradable in days in marine environment if thrown away (common for take-away food, notably on beaches, cities…), therefore cutting a major plastic stream into the environment and seas. This comes from the following unique properties: full biodegradability in nature (Lactips’ polymer is natural, bio-based), water-solubility at cold temperatures (Lactips material dissolves in current recycling centres, thus free the other layers of packaging that can be recycled), together with ink, gas, O2, fat barriers. For the first time, reycled paper can be used in food packaging (through protection from inks).
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HORIZON-EIC-ACC-BF - HORIZON EIC Accelerator Blended FinanceCoordinator
42740 Saint-Paul-En-Jarez
France
The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.