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Erema Group got the go-ahead to use its technology to recycle HDPE into food and drink packaging and foodservice wares. Meanwhile, other companies got federal green lights for PET recycling.

Over the past seven months, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued three letters of no objection (LNOs) to companies involved in plastics recycling. The letters allow reclaimers to use their recycling technologies to produce recycled resin for use in food and drink packaging.

In issuing the letters, the FDA was convinced the recycling processes would result in contaminant concentrations of 0.5 parts per billion or less in the food, below its “threshold of regulatory concern.”

This edition of the twice-yearly LNO roundup from Plastics Recycling Update looks at applications from three companies: Erema Group, LPET and REPET. The prior roundup was published in early September and included LNOs issues issued in May and June 2019.

On Aug. 29, the FDA issued a letter for the recycling of HDPE scrap into milk and juice bottles, meat trays, and disposable tableware and cutlery. The LNO, which was issued to recycling equipment company Erema Group, covers the use of post-consumer HDPE at up to 100% in new products.

The feedstock is limited to HDPE food-grade containers, and the packaging made with the recycled plastic could only be filled or used at room temperature or refrigerated temperatures, with no hot filling or heated pasteurization in the container allowed.

On Sept. 18, the FDA issued a letter to a company called LPET for the recycling of PET into thermoformed trays to hold fresh produce and shell eggs. The feedstock consists of clear beverage containers. The post-consumer PET could be used at up to 100% in the new packaging; however, use of the new packaging would be limited to temperatures ranging from frozen to room temperature.

Finally, on Sept. 20, California PET reclaimer REPET was issued an LNO to recycle post-consumer PET beverage containers into 100% recycled food packaging. The letter says the new packaging would consist of trays, clamshells and other containers for holding raw fruits, vegetables and shell eggs. Use of the new packaging would be limited to temperatures ranging from frozen to room temperature. REPET runs a facility in Chino, Calif. with a flake production capacity of 80 million pounds per year.

REFS

Published on resource-recycling.com

FDA issues letters for HDPE and PET recycling

Lidl has become the first supermarket in the UK to launch new packaging made from “ocean bound plastic”.

The latest research published in Environmental Science & Technology showed that tiny mealworms are not only able to eat and digest various forms of chemical-laden plastic waste, but they also remain safe as a protein-rich food source for other animals.

As the world seeks to curb the use of single-use plastics, Stanford University researchers may have found a way to create value from plastic food packaging waste.

The latest research published in Environmental Science & Technology showed that tiny mealworms are not only able to eat and digest various forms of chemical-laden plastic waste, but they also remain safe as a protein-rich food source for other animals.

“Previous research had shown that [the mealworms] could eat polystyrene,” said Anja Malawi Brandon, PhD candidate in environmental engineering and science at Stanford. “In our lab, we then discovered that they could eat polyethylene as well.” This discovery is significant because polyethylene is a plastic that is chemically dissimilar from polystyrene, meaning that these insects could break down multiple types of plastic.

“When thinking about how these discoveries can be used, we learned that mealworms are already widely used as a feed supplement for agriculture and aquaculture,” Brandon said.

Her team sought to test whether plastic-fed mealworms could safely be used as a food supplement for other animals, such as shrimp.

Many of the chemicals added to plastics, such as the flame retardant hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD), are known to be persistent and bioaccumulative, which makes them toxic.

After consuming the polyethylene containing HBCD, the mealworms excreted about 90% of the HBCD within 24 hours and almost all of it within 48 hours. All that was left of the polyethylene was partially degraded fragments and carbon dioxide.

The researchers then fed the mealworm biomass to Pacific white shrimp and found no evidence of bioaccumulation or toxicity in the shrimp.

Mealworms’ ability to digest these plastics without becoming toxic means they can still be used as safe food for other animals and they can be used to help break down plastic.

“It was very surprising that these chemicals passed through the mealworms without bioaccumulating, meaning that the mealworm biomass remained free of chemicals,” Brandon said.

This research may be a positive step towards recovering value from plastic waste. However, the researchers noted that further studies are needed to evaluate the possibility of nanoscale toxicity.

Additionally, the researchers acknowledged that the excreted fragments of polyethylene and carbon dioxide still pose an environmental hazard that requires further efforts to solve.

REFS

Published on ift.org

Mealworms make a meal of plastic before becoming animal feed

Visitors to stunning Sardinian beach will need a ticket — and a biodegradable bracelet — this summer.

Visitors will be given biodegradable bracelets which they will have to wear to show they have paid the charge

Holidaymakers heading to one of Sardinia’s most celebrated beaches will have to get up early this summer after the local authorities announced that visitor numbers will be capped at 1,500 each day.

In the latest response to the growing problem of over-tourism, visitors wanting to spend the day on the stunning white sands of Pelosa beach will have to pay a €3.50 entrance fee.

They will be given biodegradable bracelets which they will have to wear to show they have paid to access the beach, famed for its turquoise shallows and views of nearby islands. Children under the age of 12 will be exempt.

Read more:

Visitors to stunning Sardinian beach will need a ticket – and a biodegradable bracelet – this summer

High performance biomass extracted functional hybrid polymer coatings for food, cosmetic and medical device packaging.

Today, fresh as well as convenience food is sold in packages and the hygienic conditions, long shelf life and easy availability of these packaged products are part of our modern lifestyle.

However, the result is significant environmental impacts and pollution due to the plastic materials associated with the packaging.

One answer to plastics in packaging are biodegradable materials, on the market for many years and their market share continues to grow.

Cocona, Inc. has announced that all of its 37.5® staple fibers and filament yarns will include a new biodegradable additive.

This announcement comes after more than three years of research and testing of the sustainable technologies available to textile manufacturing, and specifically testing 37.5 products containing this new biodegradable additive.

“Starting July 1, 2020 Cocona is adding a biodegradable additive to all 37.5 polyester and polyamide staple fibers and filament yarns,” said Jeff Bowman, CEO. “Importantly, we have confirmed that the additive does not affect the ability of products to be recycled and will not add any manufacturing cost or complexity. Because of this, we will be providing this new additive at no additional cost to 37.5 fiber and yarn spinners.”

Dr. Gregory Haggquist, Cocona’s CTO, stated that, “After years of research we were unable to identify any unintended consequences and are confident this decision is in the direction of goodness.”

Third-party testing using the industry standard for biodegradation, ASTM D-5511, has shown that 37.5 products containing the new biodegradation additive decompose by 54% in 341 days reducing to methane, carbon dioxide and a biomass in an estimated 3.35 years if disposed of in a landfill that simulates the conditions found in this standardized test. This is significantly faster than untreated polyester products that are not expected to biodegrade in less than 450 years.

“While there’s little doubt about the need for an answer to end-of-life biodegradation, we also recognize this is not the final solution. Our commitment is to continually evaluate and develop better and more sustainable ways to bring the benefits of 37.5 Technology to the marketplace,” explains Bowman. “We also intend to transparently provide consumers with information regarding the benefits and limitations of the technology.”

“37.5 Technology will continue to be marketed on the basis of comfort and performance. Products containing the biodegradable additive will be sold with a modified hangtag that calls out the presence of the biodegradable additive and includes a scannable QR code that takes consumers to a detailed section on the thirtysevenfive.com website where they can get more information on the additive and others sustainable technologies,” stated Cocona’s Director or Marketing, Preston Brin.

About 37.5® Technology

37.5 Technology is synonymous with Temperature Regulation and has been scientifically proven to significantly reduce the heat index (the mix of temperature and humidity) under garments, thereby increasing the wearer’s performance and comfort.

The Technology is not a chemical finish, but rather permanently infused into fibers and filaments, meaning it will never wash out and last the lifetime of the garment. 37.5® Technology is used in outdoor gear, sports apparel, designer clothing, workwear, police and military uniforms, footwear and sleep systems designed to help the body manage and maintain the optimal core temperature. It was created by Cocona Inc., a world leader in the development, commercialization and marketing of active particle technologies.

The company is headquartered in Boulder, Colorado.

REFS

Published on pr.com

37.5® Technology Announces New Biodegradable Offering

IUV Srl is an innovative start-up that was set up in May 2019 focusing on the research, development, production and commercialization of modern, sustainable and natural packaging. The idea behind it, however, dates back to 2011.

“I was in high school in 2011 and, during a Business English lesson, the teacher talked about food waste by analyzing the data released by FAO. I found myself thinking: why not use waste to make something good? My course of studies provided me with the tools necessary to come up with formulas with a practical use thanks to the Columbus’ Egg technology,” explains Cosimo Maria Palopoli,CEO and founder of IUV (in the photo above with Maria Lucia Gaetani, Cto and nutritionist).

“There were also experiments with essential oils on fresh produce as post-harvest agents. The research focused on apples, pears and strawberries. But it was not enough, so we shifted to biopolymers, a class of molecules that derive from matrices connected to life, i.e. vegetable, animal or of fungoid and fossil origin.”

Columbus’ egg is a basic formula featuring biobased biodegradable-compostable natural biopolymers that preserves or improves the freshness, stability, shelf-life, appearance, flavor, color and aroma of food. The solutions offered include edible-biodegradable coatings and biodegradable films.

Australian-based biomaterial technology company Nanollose Ltd has created the world’s first wearable garment using the company’s eco-friendly Tree-Free Rayon fibre (NullarborTM), sourced from sustainable coconut waste.

The sweater is the first of its kind and marks a breakthrough for an industry that is urgently seeking sustainable alternatives to clothing made from traditional rayon and cotton, both of which cause significant environmental issues.

Nanollose Managing Director Alfie Germano said; “We have successfully taken waste and created clothing, and we have done it following industrial protocol. Our fibre was spun into yarn and made into fabric, then manufactured into this garment using existing industrial equipment. It validates our entire process.”

150 million trees are cut down each year, then chipped and treated with hazardous chemicals to extract the raw material used to make Viscose Rayon fibres for clothing. By contrast, Nanollose’s Nullarbor fibre is made without harming a single tree.

“We didn’t have to cut down any trees to create this sweater, and we have now demonstrated that our Tree-Free Rayon fibre can be used in the same way as other commonly-used fibres to make clothing and textiles, without the hefty environmental footprint.” Mr Germano said

Nanollose’s innovative biomaterial technology process begins in a facility where microbes naturally ferment liquid waste products from food industries into cellulose, a cotton-like a raw material that then is transformed into their Nullarbor fibre.

Their process to produce cellulose requires very little land, water or energy and a production cycle is just 18 days, compared to the eight months seen in the cotton industry.

“We believe that we are the only company producing Tree-Free Rayon fibres from waste, and we have now reached a point where our technology is moving out of the laboratory and into the factory. Once we achieve this increased scale, manufactures will have an alternative eco-friendly option available to them.” said Mr Germano.

As more and more headlines revealing the environmental impact of the textile industry emerge, there is an increasing urgency among consumers, brands, retailers and manufacturers to seek and cultivate alternative fibre resources.

“Progressive brands and companies are starting to facilitate this new shift by involving themselves deeper in the supply chain and searching for feasible, sustainable long-term alternatives. This is evident in the increasing number of enquires we have received over the past six months.” Mr Germano said.

This urgency for cleaner alternatives saw retail juggernaut H&M release a sustainability report in April 2017, highlighting their commitment to use 100% sustainably sourced materials by 2030. Similarly, Zara joined the movement with the launch of their new sustainable line ‘Join Life’ modelled by Sasha Pivovrova.

To ensure Nanollose can supply future partners with commercial qualities of fibre, the company is developing a supply chain within an ecosystem around waste from the Indonesian coconut industry (along with waste streams from other industries), and aims to significantly increase fibre production over the next 3-6 months.

“We are a technology company, that has also become a steward in facilitating a new raw material supply chain. The goal is to work with key partners who will simply take waste (instead of trees), produce our Nularbor fibre, and seamlessly integrate them into their clothing supply chain with no retrofitting to existing machinery or processes required”

REFS

Published on nanollose.com

Nanollose creates the world’s first wearable fashion garment made from liquid waste

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Waste is a fact, but it doesn’t have to be feared. We can tackle this through collection, sorting and processing; and by understanding where and why trash is finding its way into the environment, so we can stop it.

In November, I joined more than 300 volunteers in São Paulo, Brazil, as part of Dow’s #PullingOurWeight clean-up initiative — which brings together employees, partners, customers and local organizations to not only clean-up litter, but to educate “by doing” on the importance of proper disposal of waste and the value of recycling.

Arriving at our clean-up site, which was near a beautiful reservoir, it was surprising to see that a seemingly clean area at first glance was in fact polluted with an abundance of waste. In a short amount of time, our team rallied together to clean up plastic bottles, caps, straws, metal cans, paper wrappers and pieces of wood.

Our local partner, Coopercaps Cooperative, supported our efforts by sorting the collected waste that would later be sold to the appropriate recycling streams.