Office supply, procurement
Recyclable food package: REFUCOAT Project.Objectives
- developing recyclable food packaging
- reducing landfill waste
- improving food maintenance
Green Value indicator
The creation of recyclable and biodegradable food packaging, whether fresh or dry, reduces environmental pollution and maintains the quality of food.Explanation
In the field of office organisation, the creation, production and promotion of products that are packaged from recyclable material is necessary to protect the environment and for the company to lead by green example.REFUCOAT is a European funded project consisting of 12 partners from Spain, Germany, Croatia, Ireland, and Belgium. A three-year project completed in 2020 aimed at developing recyclable food packaging, reducing landfill waste, and improving food maintenance.
REFUCOAT has 2 main outputs:
- Replacing metal packaging using hybrid barrier coatings for savoury products and cereals. The production of medium chain resins for the development of a fully recyclable and biodegradable packaging for meat products. Any company or organisation that has small meals for its employees may follow the practice of recyclable food packaging.
- Renewable materials are used to produce biopolymers for packaging such as PHA. PHA are biodegradable materials with low moisture permeability, which can be used in fresh meats and then when composted can be converted into fertilizer. PGA acid is used for food coating membranes, so that dry food does not alter its form and quality if water permeates.
- Creation of biodegradable biopolymer product
- Flexible packaging
- Produced food can be kept thanks to packaging for a long time
- Suitable for fresh food
- Bioplastics are still plastics. Just because some are made from plants or have the potential to biodegrade under limited conditions, they can’t be touted as "planet-safe." For the ones that claim to biodegrade or compost, the fine print is crucial
- Land use issues (plants grown for bioplastic production compete with plants grown as food or could be used for environmental protection
- Often based on industrial agriculture which has its own downsides such as large chemical inputs, monocultures and the use of heavy fossil-fuelled machine
During the project, high-performance packaging structures were produced combined with commercial bio-PE, bio-PET, REFUCOAT PHA and polylactic acid (PLA).
PROS/CONS of the action
Pros:Certified
Not Certified.Link to useful sources
Refucoat project website: www.refucoat.euAre bioplastics really better for the environment? Read the fine print www.greenbiz.com
