BIOPACKMAN

Biodegradable packaging materials advancing circularity, sustainability & eco-innovation

ETHNICON METSOVION POLYTECHNION (NTUA) | AIMPLAS | BEWARRANT (BEWARRANT) | BIOPLASTECH LTD (BIOPLASTECH LTD) | BIO-MI DRUSTVO S OGRANICENOM ODGOVORNOSCU ZA PROIZVODNJU, ISTRAZIVANJEI RAZVOJ (BIO-MI) | LOGOPLASTE INNOVATION LAB LDA (LOGOPLASTE ILAB) | INSTITUTO TECNOLOGICO DEL EMBALAJE, TRANSPORTE Y LOGISTICA (ITENE) | NOVAMONT SPA (NOVAMONT SPA) | INSTITUTO TECNOLOGICO DE ARAGON (ITA) | BOLTON MANITOBA S.P.A. (BOLTON MANITOBA) | YIOTIS ANONIMOS EMPORIKI & VIOMIXANIKI ETAIREIA (JOTIS) | FUTERRO (FUTERRO) | ASOCIACION DE INVESTIGACION METALURGICA DEL NOROESTE (AIMEN) | NORGES TEKNISK-NATURVITENSKAPELIGE UNIVERSITET NTNU (NTNU) | TALLINN UNIVERSITY (TAL) | EXUS SOFTWARE MONOPROSOPI ETAIRIA PERIORISMENIS EVTHINIS (EXUS) | ATHANASIOS CHATZOPOULOS VIOMICHANIA YLIKON SYSKEVASIAS A.E. (AHSA) 18. UNIVERZITA TOMASE BATI VE ZLINE (TBU) | ARISTOTELIO PANEPISTIMIO THESSALONIKIS (AUTH)

Objectives

The design of biodegradable polymer materials (BDPM) is at the core of BioPackMan, aiming to explore an extended material design space of Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs), Poly(butylensuccinate) and its copolymers (PBS, PBSA) and Polylactic Acid (PLA) to develop tailored compounds that harness synergistic effects, leading to biodegradable, recyclable packaging with application-specific mechanical strength, thermal stability, chemical resistance and gas permeability. Biodegradable compounds will be developed with tailored morphology, to meet diverse flexible & rigid packaging requirements and also embrace a ‘biodegradation as a system property’ approach from initial material and packaging design, considering specific environmental conditions for intended and unintended disposal pathways. By establishing a complete value chain (material producers, compounders, packaging converters and end users), BioPackMan aims to provide a complete set of compounds, sustainable additives and innovative processing technologies for the production of sustainable packaging demonstrators for food, home care and personal care sectors. The target is to obtain benchmark fossil-based products quality, ensuring compliance and safe use in packaging, showcasing that BDPMs can be recycled. Circularity, safety, and sustainability are considered at all stages of development through SSbD framework, and liaise with society & industry, to assure interaction, knowledge exchange and adaptation of circular business models. To secure societal impact, stakeholders will be involved early in the project to identify barriers and facilitate the adoption of sustainable practices.

Description

Adaptable and recyclable biodegradable packaging materials.

Food and material packaging is largely dominated by unsustainable solutions that often use materials like plastic, leading to large quantities of waste and requiring unsustainable manufacturing processes. This creates a strong need for green and sustainable packaging solutions. The EU-funded BioPackMan project will design and develop biodegradable compounds based on biodegradable polymer materials, enabling recyclable packaging with chemical resistance, thermal stability, gas permeability, and application-specific mechanical strength. Furthermore, to meet diverse packaging requirements, the project will develop compounds with tailored morphology, allowing them to meet specific needs. Finally, it will establish a complete value chain to maximise sustainability and innovation.