Mondi is working with Traceless biomaterial engineers to develop a new coating solution based on by-products from the agricultural industry. This biocircular coating solution is the first of its kind and should be able to replace conventional plastic coatings.
There is a growing need for alternatives to plastic in packaging and this new coating aims to fulfil this need: Made from renewable, plant-based materials, namely from agricultural industry residues, it reduces the need for fossil raw materials. The Traceless Life Cycle Assessment has shown that the market supply of traceless materials as a replacement for brand new plastic from procurement to disposal leads to overall greenhouse gas savings of 76 per cent. If you only consider the production and disposal phase, savings of up to 95 per cent are even achieved. In addition, the material is suitable for home composting in accordance with DIN CERTCO NF T51-800.
The collaboration between the two companies on this product began in 2021, bringing together Mondi's knowledge of paper coatings and packaging solutions and Traceless' expertise in material solutions based on natural polymers. The coating granules are in the Traceless pilot plant manufactured and in Mondi's research and development centre The coating was applied to Mondi's kraft papers in order to further test the coated paper in the company's laboratories. Later, the Production on an industrial scale will take place in a designated facility in Hamburg.
Solution for different end markets
Different products require different barriers in their packaging and the coated kraft paper solution is carefully tested for various applications. The aim is to ensure that it can be used safely for different end markets: Thorough series of tests have confirmed this, that the Traceless-coated kraft paper can withstand water, oxygen and grease, while it has good printability.
At the same time, the aim is to develop a solution that also can be recycled in Europe's existing recycling streams. The properties of the bio-based coating are currently being further optimised and the solution fine-tuned to prepare it for various packaging applications in different end markets; for example for eCommerce, frozen food, fatty and non-fatty foods. The aim is to develop a packaging solution that can be scaled for a range of different industries and significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions during the life cycle of the packaging.
Source: Mondi
