Periodic Reporting for period 2 - ECOLACTIPACK (A Material to Unlock Plastic-free Paper Packaging for Food)
Periodo di rendicontazione: 2023-01-01 al 2023-12-31
Over the past decade, the food industry has been increasingly concerned about consumer preferences and is facing stricter regulations. In response, there is a growing interest in transitioning from multilayer plastic packaging to paper-based alternatives. Paper is natural using renewable resources, is biodegradable in all environments and offers significantly improved recyclability. However, the limitations of paper-based packaging in terms of barrier performance and sealability have led to the continued widespread use of multilayer packaging, with a significant portion ending up in landfills (34%) or being incinerated (66%).
While facing these challenges, the food industry is under immense pressure from evolving and forthcoming regulations. The European Commission aims for all packaging to be reusable, mechanically recyclable, or compostable by 2030 (Circular Economy Action Plan – 2020), while the Japanese government is advocating for "marine biodegradable plastics" specifications in ISO standards to safeguard oceans.
Current research and development efforts are focused on achieving chemical recyclability for multilayer structures and transitioning to single-layer designs. However, these solutions are not yet completely finalized and may not adequately address the industry's needs and does not address the consumers’ concerns to eliminate plastic. In this context, paper-based packaging is gaining attention and strong momentum.
Lactips, a material producer for coatings, is pioneering the use of its innovative material based on proteins (casein or plant-based) to develop paper coated barrier food packaging. Their technology is sealable and offers excellent barrier performances to grease, mineral oil and gas, like conventional plastics used today, while providing a unique coated paper-based packaging that is fully recyclable (close to 100% paper fiber recuperation) and biodegradable in all environments at the same rate as organic food (less than 30 days). Targeted paper-based applications are protection of dry and fatty foods in markets such as confectionary, seasonings, culinary and dairy products. This approach significantly reduces plastic waste entering the environment and oceans.
While facing these challenges, the food industry is under immense pressure from evolving and forthcoming regulations. The European Commission aims for all packaging to be reusable, mechanically recyclable, or compostable by 2030 (Circular Economy Action Plan – 2020), while the Japanese government is advocating for "marine biodegradable plastics" specifications in ISO standards to safeguard oceans.
Current research and development efforts are focused on achieving chemical recyclability for multilayer structures and transitioning to single-layer designs. However, these solutions are not yet completely finalized and may not adequately address the industry's needs and does not address the consumers’ concerns to eliminate plastic. In this context, paper-based packaging is gaining attention and strong momentum.
Lactips, a material producer for coatings, is pioneering the use of its innovative material based on proteins (casein or plant-based) to develop paper coated barrier food packaging. Their technology is sealable and offers excellent barrier performances to grease, mineral oil and gas, like conventional plastics used today, while providing a unique coated paper-based packaging that is fully recyclable (close to 100% paper fiber recuperation) and biodegradable in all environments at the same rate as organic food (less than 30 days). Targeted paper-based applications are protection of dry and fatty foods in markets such as confectionary, seasonings, culinary and dairy products. This approach significantly reduces plastic waste entering the environment and oceans.
During the 2 years course of the ECOLACTIPACK project, we have been able to develop adapted formulations for dispersion coating and extrusion coating of our casein-based material for paper-based applications, bringing therefore much interesting barrier properties to the paper layer: O2 barrier, grease barrier, sealing properties in particular. Our material has been positively assessed for direct food contact as well as full biodegradability in all environments. Our material has been proven to dissolve completely in water, allowing the full recovery of paper fibers for reuse, simply through a dissolution of the Lactips layer without leaving any residues or microplastics. Our formulations are fully adapted to dispersion coating at industrial speed, readily available for use after testing at converters' premises. Extrusion coating processes must be assessed with our formulations at industrial speeds since last tests with partners show very promising results. Converters using lamination techniques are welcome to contact us to check the adequacy of our material with their processes.
Lactips also worked on plant-based formulations in order to improve even further the life-cycle assessment of end-users' packaging. Formulations with a mixture of casein and plant-based polymers respect converters and end-users requirements. Development of fully plant-based formulations of our material is on-going, their finalization is planned during 2024.
Finally, we developed and validated a formulation of our material which is adapted to multi-layer water-barrier packaging: the layer composed of our material brings sealability as well as 02 and grease barrier properties, whereas an additional biosourced layer brings water-barrier properties. We also developed a formulation adapted for paper-based packaging of food powders, able to resist high weights, while being compostable in methanisers. We developed a biodegradable formulation which is adapted for caps in packaging, opening the way to fully biodegradable doypacks and bricks.
Lactips also worked on plant-based formulations in order to improve even further the life-cycle assessment of end-users' packaging. Formulations with a mixture of casein and plant-based polymers respect converters and end-users requirements. Development of fully plant-based formulations of our material is on-going, their finalization is planned during 2024.
Finally, we developed and validated a formulation of our material which is adapted to multi-layer water-barrier packaging: the layer composed of our material brings sealability as well as 02 and grease barrier properties, whereas an additional biosourced layer brings water-barrier properties. We also developed a formulation adapted for paper-based packaging of food powders, able to resist high weights, while being compostable in methanisers. We developed a biodegradable formulation which is adapted for caps in packaging, opening the way to fully biodegradable doypacks and bricks.
Thanks to our work in developing formulations adapted for paper-based packaging, end-users (brand-owners) as well as converters now have access to our raw material in the form of pellets for paper coating. This results for the first time in paper-based packaging which is fully bio-based, fully biodegradable, full recovery of paper pulp in recycling centers thanks to the dissolution of our material in water. Our materials provide sealability, O2 and grease barrier properties, and has been positively assessed for direct food contact, full biodegradation in water, soil, methanisers, home composters.
As a result, brand-owners can respect regulations in regard to single-use packaging, while providing packaging ensuring food safety and shelf life. This packaging allows full recovery of paper pulp, therefore respecting the reusability principles. The layer of Lactips' material dissolves in water, releasing proteins and bio-based, biodegradable additives in nature. In the event of people discarding packaging in nature, which still occurs too often in particular with low-value added packaging, such as food items available in food distributors, the packaging is fully biodegraded in nature without any microplastics. Partnerships developed during the project also allow for water vapour-barrier packaging, fully bio-based and biodegradable.
Finally, our dissemination campaigns with a white paper freely available and our participation through fairs, in addition to communication on social networks, have shown a high interest of the market for our product, that are to be finalized and commercialized in 2024.
As a result, brand-owners can respect regulations in regard to single-use packaging, while providing packaging ensuring food safety and shelf life. This packaging allows full recovery of paper pulp, therefore respecting the reusability principles. The layer of Lactips' material dissolves in water, releasing proteins and bio-based, biodegradable additives in nature. In the event of people discarding packaging in nature, which still occurs too often in particular with low-value added packaging, such as food items available in food distributors, the packaging is fully biodegraded in nature without any microplastics. Partnerships developed during the project also allow for water vapour-barrier packaging, fully bio-based and biodegradable.
Finally, our dissemination campaigns with a white paper freely available and our participation through fairs, in addition to communication on social networks, have shown a high interest of the market for our product, that are to be finalized and commercialized in 2024.