NEWS and EVENTS
Biopac tackles food waste with a €3.9 million project
Biopac announces a leading role in ISA-Pack an international consortium which has secured a €3 million grant from the European Commission to develop innovative packaging to reduce food spoilage. ISA-Pack aims to develop fully sustainable packaging for fresh foods to extend shelf life, improve quality and reduce waste. Perishable fresh food wastage in the supply chain is estimated to be approximately 10%. ISA-PACK seeks to reduce this wastage by more than 50%.
Stretch wrap packaging produced from microbes that feed on sustainable natural materials may have the answer to high performance protection stretch film packaging. Intelligent indicator systems that can be directly printed onto packaging materials will also be investigated to combine time / temperature indicators (to monitor bacterial growth) with freshness indicators.
The ISA-Pack project is funded by the European Commission’s 7th Framework Programme bringing together research and development effort from five countries. European companies and research organisations will collaborate over a three year period to create innovative sustainable materials, accurate and reliable indicator systems and cost benefits to both supply chain and consumer.
Mark Brigden of Biopac says “For retailers ISA-Pack has the potential to extend shelf life and reduce wastage of fresh foods. The opportunity to combine the use of sustainable materials and create significant supply chain benefits in extending shelf life is a major leap forward in fresh food packaging.”
This advanced research keeps Europe at the forefront of packaging innovation. The project will invite food processors, retailers and consumers to participate in shaping this breakthrough programme.
For more information ISA-Pack
New Green Cup
Biopac launches 100% compostable ‘I’m a green cup’, now available for the catering industry
Biopac are proud to launch ‘I’m a green cup’, aimed at coffee outlets who want to demonstrate their commitment to the environment. The new cup is a sister product to Biopac’s ‘I’m not a plastic cup’, launched last year.
Made from certified FSC board lined with a starch material, the cup is 100% compostable, so very kind to the environment. The cups are available in 8oz and 12oz and there is also a fully compostable sip through lid to fit each size. The cups are packed in quantities of 1000 cups.
Mark Brigden, Director at Biopac said, “We wanted to design a compostable hot cup which would help our clients give a clear message about their commitment to the environment. The bold printed graphics help to achieve this.”
Whilst the graphics are standard, Biopac also offer a bespoke design service for companies wishing to have their logo printed.
Mark added, “The cups are ideal for coffee outlets, festivals and outdoor events, as well as general foodservice. They are in stock now and are already proving popular with a number of our clients.”
The cups are certified to European standards for compostability – EN13432.
Supermarkets will be told to reduce excessive packaging within the next 12 months – or face new laws that will force them to.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2075942/Stores-told-cut-packaging-year--face-crackdown.html#ixzz1h5mwFbvR
The Society of Independent Brewers (SIBA) and Biopac Produce a branded Tumbler for SIBA Members
The Society of Independent Brewers (SIBA) and Biopac, a leading environmentally responsible packaging and disposables company, have again joined forces to produce a branded tumbler specifically for use by SIBA members.
The tumbler is 100% compostable and sustainable. It is produced using an innovative Biopolymer – PLA (Poly lactic acid) this is made using sustainable field crops, predominantly Maize. The material undergoes a complex fermentation process to produce a material similar in appearance to conventional plastic. There is no oil based material used in the production of the tumblers and at the end of life they can be disposed of by composting.
The tumblers are branded with the new SIBA logo together with a statement stating the green credentials of the tumbler.
The SIBA tumblers were in evidence at the recent Ludlow spring food festival where SIBA sponsored the beer festival held in the grounds of Ludlow castle
Biopac announces tackling non-degradable plastic packaging
“PLA FOAM” is tackling non-degradable expanded polystyrene waste. Biopac is harnessing state-of-the-art technology to develop biodegradable and compostable alternatives to petrochemical based plastics by leading a collaborative project to develop a process to manufacture compostable packaging from renewable plant based materials.
The PLA FOAM project is developing a replacement for synthetic oil based polymers which are difficult to recycle economically. 450,000 tonnes of foamed polymer packaging (mainly expanded polystyrene) is used in the EU each year. Foam packaging is an essential part of the food processing and transport process to prevent damage and spoilage but has a serious and lasting impact on the environment. The project which is supported by the EU, aims to create high performance food packaging, from polylactic acid (PLA) which is derived from renewable resources, such as corn starch. Food retailers are looking for foamed packing solutions based on biodegradable polymers from natural sources to improve their sustainability credentials – “It pays to prove you’re green”
A supercritical CO2 assisted foam extrusion process and thermoforming method will produce unmodified PLA foam products that will greatly reduce heat loss. Low density foams using unmodified PLAs provides high performance and biodegradation behaviour that will exceed current alternatives.
Biopac Technology sponsors bat research to pinpoint environmental impacts
Biopac Technology Limited will become a lead sponsor of research into impact of the human environment and waste on the dwindling populations of certain UK bat species.
The research is fundamental to the understanding of the accumulation of heavy metal in bats and may also lead to better understanding of the impact on other wild mammals. The research is being undertaken by the University of the West of England (UWE) MSc student Frankie Bright who said “The research will attempt to establish whether bioaccumulation of heavy metal derived from soil concentrations occurs in bats. Excessive levels can be damaging to organisms. We do not know if toxins and chemicals are becoming concentrated in the tissues of animals that are higher up in the food chain. This bioaccumulation effect may occur with harmful chemicals from plastics as well.”
Biopac Technology’s Technical Director Mark Brigden said “This kind of research is vital to support the move to more environmentally friendly packaging solutions. Soil contamination may result from poorly chosen packaging materials and poor disposal methods. Bio materials that are natural and will compost offer a safer and more sustainable route”
Bat guano (droppings) will be tested using Optical Emission Spectroscopy to establish the presence and concentrations of heavy metals and matched with soil, plant and insect samples from surrounding locations. This unusual approach has been adopted as bats are a protected species so cannot be tested directly. There are 17 species of bat found in the UK. Accumulation of heavy metals has been confirmed in a number of insects and fruits that satisfy the dietary requirements of bats so it is possible that the bat population may be adversely effected via this pathway.
Biopac Technology’s sponsorship will enable regional and national bat conservation groups to be contacted to collect important data and samples. The findings will support the packaging industry to make sound decisions about new materials and technologies and innovation. Mark Brigden presents Biopac’s perspective “As Biopac Technology works with leading companies the University of the West of England (UWE) study will provide an important viewpoint to our clients and customers who are looking to improve their environmental footprint”
Packaging products from Wheat Straw
Biopac is harnessing state-of-the-art technology to develop biodegradable and compostable alternatives to petrochemical based plastics by leading a collaborative project to develop packaging from renewable plant materials.
The production of wheat straw in the UK is estimated as 5 to 6 million tonnes per annum as a residue of food production. A consortium of research and industrial partners is developing a portfolio of bio-composite materials utilising this renewable waste source for industrial applications. The imperative to use waste materials is driving the development of the wheat straw project. The consortium includes Biopac (UK) Limited, Brunel University, Imperial College, Bangor University and other industrial partners. The concept is based on work at Brunel using novel twin-screw extrusion technology for processing wheat straw to create reinforced bio-composite material. Straw that is ploughed back to farmland has the potential to provide an abundant source of raw material for packaging manufacture that can satisfy diverse technical and environmental performance requirements in all packaging sectors, horticulture and building/construction. It demonstrates that straw waste, as a raw material, can be restructured to deliver environmental friendly packaging with better functionality, performance and economics.
