[{"command":"openDialog","selector":"#drupal-modal","settings":null,"data":"\u003Cdiv id=\u0022republish_modal_form\u0022\u003E\u003Cform class=\u0022modal-form-example-modal-form ecl-form\u0022 data-drupal-selector=\u0022modal-form-example-modal-form\u0022 action=\u0022\/en\/article\/modal\/6837\u0022 method=\u0022post\u0022 id=\u0022modal-form-example-modal-form\u0022 accept-charset=\u0022UTF-8\u0022\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHorizon articles can be republished for free under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) licence.\u003C\/p\u003E\n \u003Cp\u003EYou must give appropriate credit. We ask you to do this by:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n 1) Using the original journalist\u0027s byline\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n 2) Linking back to our original story\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n 3) Using the following text in the footer: This article was originally published in \u003Ca href=\u0027#\u0027\u003EHorizon, the EU Research and Innovation magazine\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n \u003Cp\u003ESee our full republication guidelines \u003Ca href=\u0027\/horizon-magazine\/republish-our-stories\u0027\u003Ehere\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n \u003Cp\u003EHTML for this article, including the attribution and page view counter, is below:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\u0022js-form-item form-item js-form-type-textarea form-item-body-content js-form-item-body-content ecl-form-group ecl-form-group--text-area form-no-label ecl-u-mv-m\u0022\u003E\n \n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n \u003Ctextarea data-drupal-selector=\u0022edit-body-content\u0022 aria-describedby=\u0022edit-body-content--description\u0022 id=\u0022edit-body-content\u0022 name=\u0022body_content\u0022 rows=\u00225\u0022 cols=\u002260\u0022 class=\u0022form-textarea ecl-text-area\u0022\u003E\u003Ch2\u003ENot so fantastic single-use plastic to get an eco-friendly makeover\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIt may come as a shock to some, but around half of all the plastic products in the world are used only once. After they enter the waste stream, these practically indestructible synthetic materials end up in landfill or oceans, persisting in the environment for hundreds of years.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EConsumer awareness is growing, and improved recycling methods help to alleviate the problem. But while plastic packaging accounts for almost\u0026nbsp;two-thirds percent of all plastics used in the EU, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/waste-management-world.com\/a\/eu-breaks-40-mark-for-plastic-packaging-waste-recycling-in\u0022\u003Eless than half of it is ever recycled\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EReducing the volumes of plastic entering the waste stream at source would be one very effective way to prevent pollution. To do this means developing alternative packaging made from biodegradable materials derived from organic sources such as wood pulp and waste milk.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThese could be as versatile as synthetic plastics while being much more environmentally friendly, and be used for\u0026nbsp;products ranging from dishwasher detergents and swimming pool chemicals to ready-made meals and even foodstuffs like cheese.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMilk-based\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThrough a project called Ecolactifilm, French company Lactips has developed a patented, milk-based thermoplastic packaging material that is biodegradable and water-soluble at low temperatures.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe packaging film is based on casein \u2013 a protein derived from milk \u2013 and breaks down harmlessly in water or home compost. It takes just three weeks to biodegrade, claims the company.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u2018It is a truly disruptive innovation, and we can now make what was previously not possible,\u2019 said Jean-Antoine Rochette, chief financial officer of Lactips and the company\u2019s project officer for Ecolactifilm.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EForming a good oxygen barrier to help keep goods fresh, the material can readily be printed with labels or usage instructions. Proposed applications for Lactips\u2019 packaging include water treatment, agrochemicals, dishwasher capsules and even edible food packaging. \u2018The main thing of interest (to industry) is that our product is fully water-soluble and fully water-soluble at cold temperatures,\u2019 Rochette said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELactips, which is based near Lyon, only uses milk that is unfit for human consumption for its non-food applications. The material is produced as small plastic pellets called nurdles that, with some adjustments, can be used in existing plastic processing machinery. But because it can be formed at lower temperatures than oil-based plastics, the process also saves energy.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u2018We are bringing new opportunities to industry, because you use it for new applications, so it is innovative,\u2019 said Rochette, \u2018But you can manage the product with the same industrial processes, and do it at the same price.\u2019\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBy using leftover protein from milk that is suitable for human consumption, however, another potential application for Lactips is edible-grade food packaging. This makes for strong prospects in packaging cheese, a substantial industry in France and other parts of Europe. It also makes for a certain symmetry, where both the product and its edible wrapper are made from milk.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAs awareness of plastic waste is growing, so too is the demand for more sustainable products. Responding to this, a project called Fresh\u0026nbsp;is working to demonstrate that bio-based raw materials are a good alternative to ready-made food packaging and can biodegrade in compost after use.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESteve Davey, Fresh project manager at food packaging firm Huhtamaki\u2019s operation in Lurgan, Northern Ireland, said: \u2018(We are) developing a product using a naturally based raw material, and applying the mechanics and engineering that we already have, in order to deliver something that is new and useful to the market.\u2019\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIf you have ever consumed a ready-made meal from a supermarket or delicatessen, you probably took delivery of your food in a black plastic tray.\u0026nbsp;After a one-time use, the trays are discarded and although some of these containers are incinerated, others just end up in landfill.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\u0022tw-text-center tw-text-blue tw-font-bold tw-text-2xl lg:tw-w-1\/2 tw-border-2 tw-border-blue tw-p-12 tw-my-8 lg:tw-m-12 lg:tw--ml-16 tw-float-left\u0022\u003E\n \u003Cspan class=\u0022tw-text-5xl tw-rotate-180\u0022\u003E\u201c\u003C\/span\u003E\n \u003Cp class=\u0022tw-font-serif tw-italic\u0022\u003E\u0026#039;A fully bio-based ready-meal package is vital to ensure that more sustainable products are fabricated in the packaging industry\u0026#039;\u003C\/p\u003E\n \u003Cfooter\u003E\n \u003Ccite class=\u0022tw-not-italic tw-font-normal tw-text-sm tw-text-black\u0022\u003ESteve Davey, Fresh, N. Ireland\u003C\/cite\u003E\n \u003C\/footer\u003E\n\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe alternative packaging is based on Durapulp, which is a bio-composite developed from a wood fibre and a biopolymer from Fresh consortium partner S\u00f6dra, of Sweden. Through the use of renewable raw materials, Durapulp is environmentally friendly and ready for mass production.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWith headquarters in Finland, Huhtamaki researchers, led by Harald Kuiper in the Netherlands, have been working to create a tray that will cook the food safely and can handle the temperatures and humidity of a microwave or conventional oven.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ENot content merely with materials that have much greener properties, the Fresh team is aiming for food packaging trays with a sustainable source, as well as strength and stability when heated during cooking, delivering functional improvements for the consumer.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhile Fresh is focused on the ready-meal market, success could point to new areas for future exploration, such as takeaway, ready meals or even airline meals.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u2018A fully bio-based ready-meal package is vital to ensure that more sustainable products are fabricated in the packaging industry,\u2019 Davey said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThe research in this article has been supported by the EU. If you liked this article, please consider sharing it on social media.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\u0022moreinfoblock\u0022\u003E\n \u003Ch3\u003ERe-inventing plastics\u003C\/h3\u003E\n \u003Cp\u003EThe first ever \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/ec.europa.eu\/environment\/waste\/plastic_waste.htm\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022\u003EEuropean Strategy for Plastics in a Circular Economy\u003C\/a\u003E is an EU plan to transform how plastics are produced, consumed and recycled. The strategy is intended to support industry while contributing to sustainability goals and the fights against marine litter and climate change. Plastics play an important role in the economy and the strategy is designed to address the particular challenges of plastic production such as pollution and reuse.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/bit.ly\/newsalertsignup\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022\u003E\u003Cimg src=\u0022https:\/\/horizon-magazine.eu\/research-and-innovation\/sites\/default\/files\/hm\/news-alert-final.jpg\u0022 alt width=\u0022983\u0022 height=\u0022222\u0022\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/textarea\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\n \u003Cdiv id=\u0022edit-body-content--description\u0022 class=\u0022ecl-help-block description\u0022\u003E\n Please copy the above code and embed it onto your website to republish.\n \u003C\/div\u003E\n \u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cinput autocomplete=\u0022off\u0022 data-drupal-selector=\u0022form-qxzwt1-xvh5njil6hebxt0yi3-ny1rn7iqueibgajds\u0022 type=\u0022hidden\u0022 name=\u0022form_build_id\u0022 value=\u0022form-qXZwt1_xVH5NJIL6HEbXT0YI3-NY1Rn7IqueIBGaJDs\u0022 \/\u003E\n\u003Cinput data-drupal-selector=\u0022edit-modal-form-example-modal-form\u0022 type=\u0022hidden\u0022 name=\u0022form_id\u0022 value=\u0022modal_form_example_modal_form\u0022 \/\u003E\n\u003C\/form\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E","dialogOptions":{"width":"800","modal":true,"title":"Republish this content"}}]