Text: Tony
World Environment Day is celebrated on 5 June every year, and this year's World Environment Day is themed "Solutions to Plastic Pollution".
According to data released by the United Nations Environment Programme, the world produces more than 400 million tons of plastic every year, half of which is only for single-use purposes. Of this portion, less than 10% will be recycled. It is estimated that 19-23 million tonnes of plastic end up in lakes, rivers and oceans each year. These unrecycled plastics are harmful to human health, the economy, the environment, and threaten the achievement of sustainable development.
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Tackling plastic pollution is urgent
1. At the regulatory level, many regions around the world are restricting the use of single-use plastics, mainly including:
The European Union has taken steps to reduce plastic waste and improve recycling systems, with the regulation targeting single-use plastics that come into contact with food;
The UAE announced that it will ban single-use plastic bags nationwide from 2024;
More and more states in the United States have passed legislation to reduce plastic pollution;
The UK announced that it will ban a range of single-use plastic products, such as cutlery, plates and bowls, from 1 October 2023;
In the future, it is believed that more regions will pass legislation to reduce plastic pollution.
2. The dangers of plastics, according to research published by the Journal of Hazardous Materials Advances, over the past decade, scientists have found the presence of microplastics and nanoplastics in every environmental compartment (from fresh water to soil and air) and in thousands of species, including humans. While research on microplastics in the air is still in its infancy, studies of inhaled microplastics and nanoplastics have shown a range of adverse effects on the respiratory tract and beyond.
Pathways of human exposure to micro(nano) plastics and their impact on the gut microbiota
Source: Microbial Biotechnology
3. As of the end of 2021, 136 countries around the world have proposed "carbon neutrality" commitments, covering 88% of global carbon dioxide emissions, 90% of GDP and 85% of the population. As a by-product of petroleum, carbon emissions from plastic production and manufacturing also occupy a certain market share and cannot be ignored.
In the context of global sustainability, the food and beverage industry is exploring diversified sustainable packaging, from reducing the use of single-use plastics, to paper straws and packaging, and label-free product packaging to achieve plastic reduction goals.
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From plant protein to dietary fiber
Diversified packaging solutions
According to data released by Reportlinker, the global sustainable food packaging market will grow from $211.56 billion in 2022 to $280.1 billion in 2026, with a compound annual growth rate of 7.3% during the period.
Here are some examples of innovative sustainable packaging trends and products in the global market.
1. Edible packaging
As the concept of green, environmental protection and sustainability is highly respected around the world, edible packaging has begun to become a new hot trend, providing food preservation while reducing environmental pollution. In terms of edible packaging, it is basically based on plant-based raw materials, supplemented by technological innovation.
Back in 2020, British design student Holly Grounds created an instant noodle package made from edible and soluble potato starch-based film. In addition, spices and flavorings can be placed in a film that dissolve when in contact with boiling water, rehydrating the noodles and adding flavor. Characterized by being odorless, heat-sealable and dissolving upon contact with boiling water, this solution eliminates the need for single-use plastic bags and is in the conceptual to commercialization phase.
Edible instant noodle packaging
Photo by Holly Grounds
In addition, there are already many companies commercializing edible packaging, and Xampla is one of them.
Based on 15 years of scientific research at the University of Cambridge, Xampla UK has developed a plastic alternative made from plant-based protein. This edible packaging is made by engineering and drying pea protein material into flakes that have the same benefits as plastic, maintaining the flavor and shelf life of the food, but without generating packaging waste. What's more, the material is also vegan and gluten-free.
At present, Xampla has partnered with the lunch box company Gousto to bring some edible packaging to the market and achieved a good consumer experience on the sales side. Xampla estimates that if Gousto massively promotes Xampla's edible cube packaging in all meal kits, it will be possible to replace 15.6 tons of plastic per year.
Xampla collaborates with Gousto on edible packaging products
Source: Xampla
2. Fiber-derived product packaging
According to Innova Market Insights, more and more consumers around the world are demanding transparency in their sustainability claims, with 47% of them wanting to see the extent of a package's environmental impact stated in the form of a score or grade. Based on this, many companies are constantly turning to fiber-sourced packaging to show their commitment to environmentally friendly solutions.
PulPac has developed a dry-molded fiber technology, a manufacturing technology designed for the circular economy that uses renewable pulp and cellulose resources to produce low-cost, high-performance, fiber-based packaging and single-use products. In addition, this fiber bottle can be used with water, dairy products, non-carbonated soft drinks, adult drinks, detergents, skin care products, hair care, etc.
Given the process speed and energy use, dry-molded fibers reduce their CO2 footprint by more than 80% at a cost similar to plastic. At the same time, it is ten times more efficient than traditional fiber molding, invented more than 100 years ago. Since the molded product does not need to be dried, the dry process can also save a lot of valuable water and energy costs.
Cold brew coffee bottles made with PulPa dry mold fiber technology
Source: PulPac
Not only startups are looking at fiber packaging, food and beverage giants are also paying attention, and Carlsberg Group is one of them.
Carlsberg Group, a major global beer company, is conducting large-scale trials of its new fiber bottles, which are lined with plant-based PEF polymers that protect the taste and foaming properties of beer better than traditional fossil fuel-derived PET plastics.
The bottle shell consists of sustainably sourced wood fibers that are also bio-based. Compared to cans or glass bottles, this housing has the added benefit of insulating properties that can help keep beer cold for longer.
Carlsberg Group fiber beer bottle packaging
Source: Carlsberg Group
3. Bio-based packaging
Bio-based packaging is also a hot direction in plastic substitution, reducing dependence on fossil fuels while providing products that are as durable as plastic products. At present, material alternatives such as seaweed and fungal materials are developing relatively fast and attracting many new investments.
Currently, Ecovative is developing mushroom mycelium packaging designed to replace polystyrene and be easily composted after use. It is reported that the package is produced using AirMycelium technology and contains 2 natural ingredients, namely industrial hemp shell and mushroom mycelium, which is a high-performance, cost-competitive insulation protective packaging solution.
Mushroom mycelium
Source: Ecovative
In addition to mushroom mycelium, seaweed raw materials also have important application potential in bio-based packaging.
B'ZEOS is a company focused on developing new bio-based packaging solutions with seaweed as the core raw material for many applications, including food and beverage, electronics, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. In addition, B'ZEOS is developing flexible films, paper coatings, thermoforming materials and injection molding for a variety of packaging applications.
Seaweed-based packaging industry chain
Source: B'ZEOS
Seaweed does not require land or fresh water to grow, and can be grown without pesticides or fertilizers. This sets it apart from other raw materials, such as corn. It also has the potential to sequester large amounts of carbon from the atmosphere, as well as nitrogen in water.
According to the Life Cycle Assessment, the company uses less than 3 kg of CO2 equivalent in this process, which is lower than fully production-scale bioplastics such as PLA. At the same time, soil degradation tests under normal conditions show that the material can degrade within 47 days.
Sustainable packaging is not only popular abroad, but also has great market potential in China.
As early as 2021, Jindian announced the launch of the "plant-based dream cover" product, which replaces the raw material for plastic lid opening from petroleum-based polyethylene to plant-based polyethylene derived from sugar cane. This cap looks and seals almost exactly like a regular cap, but significantly reduces the carbon footprint.
Golden "Plant-based Dream Cover" product
Source: Jin Dian
With the introduction of "plastic restriction" policies and regulations around the world, and the obvious increase in consumers' awareness of health and environmental protection, more and more people are willing to pay for sustainable products. Data from Shorr Packaging's Sustainable Packaging Consumer Report 2022 shows that sustainability is a focus for consumers and even influences their purchasing decisions. In addition, 47% of consumers surveyed are willing to pay more for sustainable packaging products.
Although sustainable product packaging is still in the early stages of development, many alternative plastic materials have not yet been applied on a large scale, but this has become the mainstream trend of market development, and there is also a certain awareness on the consumer side. It is believed that in the future, with the maturity of technology and the reduction of costs, sustainable packaging will appear in more product packaging.