SUSTAINABLE AND HIGH PERFORMANCE PACKAGING FROM SEAWEED AND USED COOKING OILS

Objective

The packaging market highly relies on fossil-based plastics, which derive from non-renewable resources and producing products that are not biodegradable in different environments, increasing waste production. Renewable bio-based raw materials can be the alternative to produce safe and sustainable packaging materials. SUSHI-PACK will use sustainably sourced seaweed polysaccharides, especially alginate and agar, together with the secondary raw material Regenerated Used Cooking Oils. SUSHI-PACK will use advanced technologies in Metabolic Engineering and Biocatalysis to improve the production of hydroxy fatty acids from RUCO and for the production of a sustainable Bioprocess which can be further scaled-up at industrial scale. The SUSHI-PACK process is based on the use of biocatalytically produced hydroxy fatty acids and on their chemical transformation into polyesters, poly(ester urethane)s and modified polysaccharides, which will be processed in blends and multi-layer material to be tested in the packaging sector. Chemicals, polymers, additives and technologies will be chosen in terms of different Regulations and will be assayed with the SSbD framework to produce a process which can be fully sustainable both at the environmental, socio and economic scale. The latter, together with LCA, will aid to identify bottlenecks and to identify other chemicals or processes to improve their sustainability. The End of Life of the products will be assessed for different destinies: Compostability, Biodegradation and Enzymatic hydrolysis. Enzymatically hydrolyzed polymers and materials will also be tested for their revalorization as feedstock for the production of industrially valuable polymers, such as polyhydroxyalkanoates. SUSHI-PACK will offer sustainably and economically alternatives to fossil-based plastics, with a reduction of at least 15% of GHG emission and an economic turnover of 58 M€.