Aimplas works on new disposable containers accepted by the legislation from algae or starch

VALENCIA, 30 May. (EUROPA PRESS) -

The Aimplas Plastics Technological Institute is working on the 'Oceánide' project, focused on new disposable containers accepted by the new legislation and exempt from the new tax on plastic, made from seaweed, starch, fish gelatin or milk protein.

Specifically, from these natural polymers, in many cases by-products of different industries, they will be produced by conventional technologies, such as injection molding, ice cream tubs, spreadable sausages and cheeses for use in ice cream parlors and delicatessens.

The organization explains that the plastic sector is immersed in continuous legislative changes such as Law 7/2022 on waste and contaminated soils for a circular economy, which integrates the European directive for Single Use Plastic (SUP), as well as the new special tax on non-reusable plastic containers. In addition, the European Green Pact establishes that by 2030 all manufactured packaging must be recyclable or reusable.

As a result of the new legislation in force or that will come into force on single-use plastics and the social demand to generate a lower environmental impact, Aimplas "continues to bet on the development of new materials from a renewable source that allow the reduction of the use conventional plastic to produce more sustainable packaging and reduce plastic waste," the institute said in a statement.

Thus, with the 'Oceánide' project --financed by the Valencian Innovation Agency (AVI)-- the center is working on new single-use containers accepted by the new legislation and exempt from the new plastic tax, made from algae, starch , fish gelatin or milk protein.

The Aimplas Packaging researcher and project leader, Nuria López, explained that "single-use plastic containers such as those used in ice cream parlors or delicatessens are subject to SUP legislation, which prohibits the use of plastic containers made of plastic materials, regardless of their nature or purpose of life".

"The alternative of using natural, physically modified polymers is gaining ground in these applications. They are accepted by the SUP directive and are not included in the payment of taxes, since they are not considered plastics by the legislation," he points out.

For this reason, the researcher continued, "the use of bioplastics in single-use containers not only ensures a reduction in the use of conventional plastic, since they come from renewable sources, and also allows reducing the generation of waste, since they are easily degradable, but it also makes it easier for companies to adapt to the new demands of society and the new legislative demands".

In the Oceánide project, natural polymers of different origins are combined to provide a wide variety of easily industrializable options for ice cream parlors and delicatessens, he details.

The containers will be made with mixtures of agar (a substance obtained from some species of algae), corn or potato starch, fish gelatin or milk casein, raw materials from a renewable source and easily degradable, which reduces the associated impacts. at the end of life of the container.

Aimplas will provide the compounds with different properties, such as viscosity, thermal resistance, mechanical resistance or ability to be in contact with ice cream, spreadable sausages and cheeses with requirements for resistance to fat or freezing.

Aimplas, which leads this research in which the University of Valencia (UV) and Almuplas also participate, will develop the new compounds based on natural polymers, which will be developed on a laboratory and pilot plant scale, so that Almuplas can then validate the materials in an industrial plant and obtain injected containers for different products. On the other hand, the UV will validate the developments obtained in the project to study the compatibility of plastic developments in contact with food.

The project also has the support of the company Nutrinovex, a user of single-use containers for energy foods.

The research is financed by the Valencian Innovation Agency (AVI), with the co-financing of the European Union, within the call for Strategic Projects in Cooperation of 2022.