MONDI has teamed up with advanced biomaterial engineers traceless to develop a new coating solution based on by-products from the agricultural industry.
The bio-circular coating solution is described as the ‘first of its kind’ and will be able to replace traditionally used plastic coating.
Made from renewable plant-based materials, namely residues from the agricultural industry, Mondi said it eliminates the need for fossil raw materials. traceless’ consequential life-cycle assessment showed the provision of traceless material to the market leads to overall greenhouse gas savings of 76% from sourcing to disposal, if the material is used as a replacement for virgin PET. If only the production and disposal phase is considered, these savings add up to 95%. The material is certified home compostable by DIN CERTCO according to NF T51-800.
The joint work of Mondi and traceless on this product started in 2021. The coating granulates are produced in traceless’ pilot plant and applied to Mondi’s kraft paper for further testing of the coated paper in Mondi’s labs. Later production on industrial scale will take place in a designated plant in Hamburg.
Marko Schuster, COO functional paper and films at Mondi, said, “We are always looking at what the next steps are in creating truly circular packaging, following our customers’ demands as well as our own innovative spirit. This is a fantastic example of how we can combine our R&D forces to be one step ahead in the sustainable packaging game, contributing to a circular economy.”
Anne Lamp, CEO and co-founder of traceless, added, “Our mission is to make pollution and waste history by using materials that impact positively. The journey so far has been exciting and insightful, teaching us valuable lessons to ensure our packaging delivers excellent protection. By working with Mondi – its team, its machines and its products and processes – we are adapting our existing expertise in innovative biomaterials to reduce plastic barrier coatings in packaging. The goal is to create a truly fit-for-purpose product, that works for as wide a range of applications and industries as possible.”
