PACKAGING
60 effective oxygen barrier that prevents beer , fruit juice , etc , from spoiling . To top it all off , PEF is completely recyclable and biodegradable . “ It really is the next generation material that people have been looking for ,” van Aken says .
The development of viable bioplastics is the prize for years of research aimed at reducing the environmental damage of fossil fuels in the packaging industry . Although petroleumbased products haven ’ t gone away , the recent global shift towards eco-conscious business practices has changed the nature of the conversation : informed customers are now expecting the market to reflect ‘ green ’ attitudes . “ Fossil fuels and their impact on climate change have become a very dominant factor , but the other factor is plastic waste in natural systems ,” says van Aken . Avantium ’ s stance has been to ensure that the technology it develops addresses these two key issues . “ The solutions that we ’ re looking for are focused on materials that can be recycled or biodegraded . Our materials will degrade via bacteria , avoiding the possibility of masses of plastic that will stay on Earth for hundreds of years .”
Consumer demand for alternative packaging has generated great interest among big players within the drinks industry . At this point , the obstacle to overcome is gaining visibility and awareness of PEF in the market . “ We are , in this sense , just a small company in the global economy . The only way to get our new technologies to the market is by forming close partnerships with other companies .”
“ IT REALLY IS THE NEXT GENERATION MATERIAL THAT PEOPLE HAVE BEEN LOOKING FOR ”
— Tom van Aken , CEO of Avantium
MARCH 2020