Complex Packaging Structures Based on Wood Derived Products: Actual and Future Possibilities for 1-Way Food Packages

Abstract

Paper and paperboard are the most widely used packaging materials for both food and non-food products. Because they are composed of highly porous cellulose networks, they readily absorb moisture in high humidity environments or when in contact with liquid or high moisture foods. Therefore they are often coated with hydrophobic coating materials such as polyethylene (PE) to improve their water-resistant properties. One of the major uses of such hydrophobic material coated paperboard is a disposable single-use paper cup with or without a lid. Today, the paper-based materials are coated with a thin layer of a petroleum derived plastic, mostly polyethylene, which has provided the cups and other packaging solutions with the required barrier property and water resistance. Hence, the ongoing challenge is to coat the paper with a biobased, hydrophobic polymeric material which must be repulpable or otherwise biodegradable in most of the environments considered.Many interesting developments are already known for the manufacturing of cellulose-based products, such as microfibrillated celluloses (MFC's) or modified celluloses, usable in the paper packaging industry. Paper and paperboard in combination with Green-Polyethylene, MFC's and polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA's) seems to be the most promising solution for the packaging industry in the near future and the development of the thermoplastic modified celluloses for the next future. Regarding environmental considerations, PHA is a promising solution for the paper packaging industry but the problem of material recycling has to be solved and a solution comparable with the recyclability of PE-coated paper packaging products should be obtained.This review consists of a critical analysis of published results of 1-way food packaging and discusses more in detail what will be necessary for the development of 1-way food packaging based solely on wood derived products and biodegradable polymers.

Mineral-filled biopolyester coatings for paperboard packaging materials: barrier, sealability, convertability and biodegradability properties

“…The density of the neat Mater-Bi biopolymer coating was >1 g/cm 3 (1.24 g/cm 3 ) meaning it would not float in water system like PE. This feature might cause challenges in the separation process (Schoukens et al 2014). Repulpability of different barrier coated materials have been tested (Abhijit 2015, Glasenapp et al 2018, Ojanen et al 2021.…”

“…Recyclability of a packaging material has become one of the key demands of packaging value chain (Ojanen et al 2021). It has been reported, that good repulpability of a paperboard based material is one of the key requirements of its efficient recycling (Schoukens et al 2014). Coated paperboard can be repulped in a hydrapulper located at paper or paperboard mill (Kirwa 2013, Robertson 2021.…”

CNCs extraction from single‐use cups: effects of grafting it onto MMA monomer

“…1,2 In the plastic recycling field, only 13.7% of SUP cups are recycled because there are limited collecting, sorting and processing schemes around the world. 3 This is a consequence of the fact that the coating is difficult and costly to separate from the paper 2,4 owing to the strong bonding between fibers and coating. 5 In consequence, if there is an incorrect disposal of SUP cup waste, environmental problems such as damage to biodiversity and public health are occasioned.…”

Towards biodegradable barrier packaging: Production of films for single-use primary food liquid packaging

“…"Biodegradable barrier packaging," BioResources 17(3), 5215-5233. 5217 However, PE or PP coating on the paper or cardboard reduces its reusability, recyclability, and biodegradability (Schoukens et al 2014). Strategies have been evaluated to replace these single-use materials with more environmentally friendly alternatives obtained from renewable sources (for example, from other processes by-products), using an integrated process (complete approaching of raw material), and with short periods of biodegradation.…”