Förnybar plast kommer från Finland
Anna Tenhunen, är Senior Scientist and Project Manager vid VTT och jobbar med cirkulär ekonomi och det man på engelska benämner new plastics economy. Anna kommer till Pack Point Nordic nästa vecka för att berätta om VTT:s framsteg på området. I höstas tog hon som representant för VTT emot priset Sustainability Packaging Awards på Scanpack 2018. Priset var ett av sex i olika kategorier som delas ut av tidningen Packaging Europe. VTT vann i kategorin Biobaserade Förpackningar.
Anna, what will your presentation be about?
I will showcase new awarded packaging material innovations that VTT has developed. I will address questions like what is the journey from the lab to bench and pilot scale, how can we introduce new biobased packaging materials to the market? How do we make sure that new bioplastics are really sustainable?
How do you look at today's packaging?
When I look at today’s packaging I see value chains and material development behind it - not just the package that is doing a super job but however, at the end, no one is primarily buying as the consumers are just buying the safe and well preserved product. Yet, packaging receives a lot of pressure in the sustainability discussions. I see that today’s packaging provides safety, functionality, affordability, and sustainability in a linear economy. Tomorrow’s packaging needs to go to the next level in sustainability.
What changes/improvements would you prefer to see?
Getting back to the previous question, we need to transition towards circular economy to go to the next level in sustainability. I would also like to see improvements in the chemistry behind the materials, transitioning to circular economy and introducing recycling processes that enable closed loop recycling like for example, food grade packaging recycled back into food packaging instead of cascade use.
Describe your expectations for the conference.
I am eager to be among other packaging enthusiasts who are actively taking the initiative to make a change – no better than that.