Future Plastic Packaging in the Circular Economy

FuturePack has mapped potential Norwegian feedstock for a pyrolysis process to produce ethylene and propylene and recommended wood, straw and plastic waste (preferably PE and PP, but not marine biomass. The proposed raw materials have been used in pyrolysis tests. Laboratory reactor systems for testing catalytic fast pyrolysis conversion of biomass and plastics was stablished at both RISE PFI and NTNU IKP. In a novel two-stage catalytic fast co-pyrolysis reaction the gaseous product yield was strongly influenced by feedstock composition, pyrolysis condition and catalytic upgrading conditions, max 7 and 45 wt% of olefins and monoaromatics. The targeted ethylene and propylene were minor components. A two-step catalytic pyrolysis process showed no higher yields than a one-step process and did not meet expectations. NTNU IKP has developed a two-component zeolite catalyst that gives more selective conversion into olefins. Co-production of olefin gas, biocrude and energy by catalytic fast pyrolysis may be an opportunity for further research. Norner has mapped the possible effect of other polymers (PET, PA) often used in PE and PP multimaterial packaging and identified challenges and mitigation strategies in pyrolysis process for such feedstock. Aspen-HYSYS simulation results showed that undesired contaminants could be removed from the desired pyrolysis products ethylene and propylene by a tailormade adsorption/desorption processes followed by distillation. The heat & mass balance from various product mixture originating from PE, PP, Pine and Straw, respectively, was generated for different feed flow rate scales including commercial ones. Norner has shown that detailed sorting of household waste into different grades of PE and PP may secure high quality mechanically recycled plastics with mechanical properties comparable to virgin PP and HDPE. Norner has blown 3-layer monomaterial films in industrial scale, using recycled PE in the core layer and virgin PE in the outer layers. The measured overall and specific migration were below the allowed migration limit. Although the mechanical properties were reduced the films, such multilayer monomodal packaging were concluded to be a very promising concept for further development. Norner has produced thermoformed trays containing up to 25 wt % of used packaging materials and demonstrated no loss in mechanical properties. Such of mechanically recycled materials with virgin materials is a promising concept for further successful development In a large pilot trial, collected municipal plastic waste from IVAR was recycled at Erema, a global leader of recycling systems. The recycled materials obtained mechanical properties similar to commercial recycled materials. Norner demonstrated that odour removal by use of the Erema Refresher system is more efficient than use of odour scavengers and that the treatment also significantly reduces the overall migration into food simulants. Nofima has investigated how mono materials with different oxygen transmission rates affect food quality and shelf life for meat products with different shelf life requirements in which microbial growth is a limiting factor. A study with fresh chicken breast fillets showed that storage in the recyclable mono material HDPE resulted in a similar level of bacteria and acceptable odour after 19 days of storage as storage in multi material APET/PE. The use of active packaging like O2 scavenger and CO2 emitter was not required or resulted in prolonged shelf life. The study concludes that there is potential to replace complex materials with mono materials for chicken fillets and similar products. Recycled plastic and challenges related to odour have been studied. Nofima found that type and origin of recycled PE packaging in direct contact with fatty products like cheese affects only some odor / taste attributes. An LCSA model has been developed in the SimaPro LCA software. Key data for foreground processes (pyrolysis, polymerisation) are based on data provided in FuturePack. Relevant data for recycled plastic from Norwegian Industry and households have been used. Environmental LCA results were calculated. The systems analysed cover several different types of value chains relevant for Norway. These include international value chains in their background system (e.g. resources). None of the systems analysed is unequivocally better than all of the others for all of the environmental aspects analysed. In order for decision-makers to interpret these results, the interpretation part of the LCA needs to be built upon to include damage assessment and/or weighting. For bio-based raw materials the use of renewable energy (rather than fossil-fuels) for agricultural and harvesting processes is likely to improve the environmental performance of these systems. Secondary (?waste?) raw materials are likely to have lower environmental impacts than primary.

Betydelig kompetanseløft på mange områder: - økt kompetanse på gjenvinning av plastemballasje - konkrete løsningsforslag til re-design for å gjøre emballasjen gjenvinnbar. - konkrete tiltak for økt kvalitet på gjenvunnet plast - innsikt i muligheter og begrensninger ved bruk av norske bioråstoffer og plastavfall i kjemiske prosesser for å lage byggesteiner for jomfruelig plast - FuturePack-konferansene har gitt en bred internasjonal formidling av prosjektets funn og resultater Effekter: - økt bevisstgjøring ved betydelig formidlingsaktivitet internt i organisasjonene og ellers - bedriftene kan ta bedre beslutninger om emballasjemateriell for fremtidige innovasjoner - økt bruk av plast designet for gjenvinning bidrar til FNs bærekrafts mål, forbrukerne legger positivt merke til bedriftene og produktene får økt popularitet - bedre rutiner, prosesser og kvalitetssystemer for å gjenvinne plast med høyere kvalitet må utvikles

The FuturePack project will develop a comprehensive knowledge platform for production of sustainable packaging materials from Norwegian biomass and polymer waste resources, in accordance with the principles of circular economy. Plastics and plastics packaging are an integral and important part of the global economy. Plastic materials, due to low cost, durability and high strength-to-weight ratio have contributed to economic benefits for different sectors including packaging. The plastics industry is today highly reliant on feedstock based on oil and gas. Within 2050, 20% of the oil resources will be needed for plastics production compared to 6% today (2014). Focus on circular economy is a potential way to reduce the demands on finite raw materials and minimizing negative effects while still have possibility to increase prosperity. This requires systemic and holistic approach. Firstly, an overarching vision is that plastics never becomes waste but re-enters the economy as valuable recycled materials or chemicals. Secondly, a green shift to renewable feedstock will decouple plastic from fossil feedstock. The major elements of the FuturePack project represent new knowledge and innovations for the partners, at the scientific forefront. The project will evaluate the fit of Norwegian biomass and plastics waste resources for polymer production, followed by developing a technology for cost-efficient conversion of biomass and plastics waste by pyrolysis into building blocks for polymers. The chemical composition after pyrolysis will require purification before olefins will be used in polymerisation of bio based PE and/or PP. Another aspect of circular economy is the design and solutions for improved material recycling. This relates to the re-use of plastic materials, and to develop novel solutions where complex materials are replaced by mono-material solutions. The new technologies and value chains will be assessed by Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment (LCSA).