H2020 CIRC-PACK Project: Towards a circular economy in the plastic packaging value chain

All the demonstration activities carried out were grouped into three Demo Cases (DCs). Upon completion of the project, the main results obtained from each DC are:

- CD-A: New packaging solutions made with biodegradable and compostable (B&C) plastics from renewable resources.
The production of key building blocks from mixed renewable and fermentable sugars (including testing of the residual cellulose fraction obtained from AHP recycling) in biopolyesters was obtained and validated. The results showed equivalence in terms of chemical and physical properties with their standard counterparts.
Based on these results, six different B&C biomaterials with high renewable resource content were studied, developed, and tested for flexible and rigid packaging applications, namely plastic bags, shampoo bottles, trays and films for fresh food, coffee capsules, and flexible boxes. The prototypes demonstrated high performance and were validated by brand owners and consumers with good acceptance.
The recyclability potential of the new biomaterials was also demonstrated. A 30% recycled content requirement was defined to maintain the quality, functionality, and longevity of the biomaterial.
In addition, the large-scale recovery of bio-THF, a valuable byproduct of the polymerization process, was demonstrated, obtaining a high-purity bio-THF suitable for market needs.

- DC-B: Eco-friendly packaging designs. Creating innovative formats and testing materials that improve recyclability and shelf life.
A new multi-material packaging for a powder detergent box was developed, produced, and validated, enabling its commercialization. It is based on a biopolymer dispersion coating that provides the necessary barrier properties and improves shelf life. Its sortability and recyclability were tested, and the bioplastic fibers and coating were shown to be recyclable.
In addition, a bio-based, compostable film was validated to replace current multilayer films. The film's compostability improves its shelf life compared to existing solutions, which are not recyclable.

- DC-C: Creating an efficient post-use plastics economy through a multi-sector approach, adapting sorting technologies, and an online monitoring system.
Regarding improved recycling, the CIRC-PACK project achieved a percentage increase in recyclable post-consumer and post-industrial plastic waste thanks to the use of compatibilizers and the control of final properties through monitoring and adapting extrusion parameters. This made it possible to generate new plastic parts using recycled plastic from different sources.
In addition, a recycling protocol was created and validated so that the automotive sector can recover and recycle its own plastic waste, a first step toward a zero-waste industry.

All innovations were evaluated to quantify improvements in terms of sustainability and circularity. Significant reductions were achieved, of up to 30% and 53%, in Global Warming Potential and Fossil Resource Scarcity, respectively.

With the experience gained during the project, an online tool ( https://circpack.fcirce.es ) was launched to help packaging manufacturers and designers in the transition to more sustainable packaging and to raise awareness on how to improve the circularity and recyclability of packaging.

The work of developing countries was supported by a non-technological analysis (involving end-users) and an advanced methodological analysis that led to a broad deployment of the tested solutions. The integration of Industrial Symbiosis concepts, the evaluation of replicability, and the scaling-up of the developed solutions were carried out, along with a roadmap for the large-scale implementation of the innovations. Legislative barriers and the standardization landscape were also analyzed. Furthermore, Key Exploitable Results were defined, and market potential, exploitation, and business plans were outlined. Validation actions with consumers were also carried out, as well as seven events in different European countries.

Finally, a wide range of communication and dissemination activities have been carried out, such as videos, brochures, updating the project website, posting on social media, attending events, etc. In addition, two scientific articles and one industrial article were published, showcasing the achievements of CIRC-PACK.