Programme area:
Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation
Outcome:
Increased application of circular economy principles
Output:
Measures for circular economy implemented
Project title:
Learning and Demonstration Alliance for Designing and Manufacturing Sustainable Industrial Packaging from Alternative Lignocellulosic Biomass
Project acronym:
LEAP
Project Promoter:
University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering
Project Partners:
Partner 1: Pulp and Paper Institute
Partner 2: Gorenje Ltd
Partner 3: Surovina, Waste processing company, Ltd
Partner 4: SINTEF AS (NOR)
Start of the project:
01/10/2022
End of the project:
30/04/2024
Co-financing source:
Norway Grants and corresponding Slovenian contribution
Total eligible project expenditure (EUR):
439,931.56
Project grant (EUR):
439,931.56
Main project results:
One demonstration project developed – a learning and demonstration alliance that enables the design of bio-cellulose packaging even for heavier and transport-heavy products that do not yet have an alternative to EPS (expanded polystyrene) packaging, which consequently affects the reduction of CO2 emissions; establishment of a new business model based on the use of local waste plant fibers and enabling the development of sustainable ligocellulose packaging.
Project summary:
The aim of the project is to develop the next generation of advanced functional packaging that incorporates the biomass of non-native invasive plants and enables the production of new high-performance packaging solutions. The project focuses on the problem of industrial packaging of heavier industrial products, for which there are currently no alternatives to EPS (expanded polystyrene) packaging. The project is therefore necessary as it focuses on sustainable transition to circular economy based on biodegradability, reducing the consumption of raw material resources and at the same time addressing the problem of recycling waste from non-native invasive plants. The effects of the project will be reflected in the establishment of a new value chain, which operates on the principle of a closed loop and enables the eco-design of industrial packaging. The environmental effects are the most important, as studies have shown that replacing plastic containers and packaging with cellulose-based packaging can lead to life-cycle CO2 emissions reduction when considering raw material extraction and production, manufacturing, transport, use and disposal.