The present and future of bioplastics in the juice industry in Europe will be debated on 18 April in Brussels, at an international workshop organized by AINIA Technological centre and the European Fruit Juice Association (AIJN).
In the workshop, the latest in bioplastic materials (those obtained from alternative sources to petrochemicals) and some of their applications in packaging for fruit juices will be presented.
Reflecting on the value of using renewable sources to obtain new packaging materials and learning how to apply these new materials in juice packaging, their development, production processes, limitations and potentials… from cases and experiences of the companies in the sector who are pioneers in this field will be other objectives of the workshop.
Presentation of the results of PHBOTTLE, first juice packaging prototype made with a bioplastic material obtained from sugars in the wastewater of the juice industry
Interest is growing in the presentation of the first prototype of fruit juice packaging made with PHB (biodegradable bioplastic) obtained from the juice industry wastewater. This packaging is the result of four years of R&D work in the framework of the European project PHBOTTLE, pioneer in its field in the development of the concept of “Circular Economy” that drives the EU in its commitment to innovation and sustainable technological development, under the 7th Framework Program.
PHBOTTLE, a project coordinated by AINIA, brought together an international consortium composed of the European Fruit Juice Association (AIJN), the companies Citresa (part of Suntory multinational), Logoplaste Innovation Lab (Portugal), Logoplaste (Brazil), Omniform (Belgium), Sivel Ltd (Bulgaria), and Mega Empack (Mexico), as well as the technology centres TNO (the Netherlands), Aimplas (Spain), and INTI (National Institute of Industrial Technology, Argentina).
The prototype packaging PHBOTTLE was obtained from the transformation of organic matter (sugar and others) present in the wastewater of the juice industry into a bioplastic material. This material was enhanced with antioxidants to prolong the shelf life of the juice, as well as its resistance and other ergonomic characteristics. Progress has been made possible by combining the latest advances in biotechnology, packaging and microencapsulation technologies, to demonstrate the value of organic waste from the juice industries as raw material to produce packaging for their products.
Other developments in packaging materials made with biopolymers will be presented in this workshop
In addition, the Swedish multinational Tetra Pak will present Tetra Rex, a new type of carton which is fully biodegradable. And the Dutch multinational Avantium will explain the development of its new PEF bottles, a bioplastic with improved properties compared to conventional PET (plastic).
The momentum of bioplastics and a commitment to more sustainable packaging
The EU produces annually more than 67 million tonnes of packaging waste, of which about one-third is municipal solid waste. In developed countries, food packaging accounts for 60% of all packaging, becoming the main generator of waste.
With this workshop, the PHBOTTLE project partners, well as the other participants in the event, aim to transfer to the sector the knowledge generated and demonstrate how innovative and sustainable solutions can be incorporated in food packaging, through discussion and assessment of the opportunities offered by new technologies and the development of new packaging materials obtained from organic sources alternative to petrochemicals.
WORKSHOP:
Biopolymers: Present and Future Direction
DATE: 18 April 2016
TIME: 09h00 – 14h30
PLACE: Silken Berlaymont Hotel, Boulevard Charlemagne 11, 1000, Brussels
This is a free entry event.
Source: packagingeurope.com
