The overall objective of the project was the development of environmentally friendly paper packaging material for food contact, thus reducing the amount of packaging material waste and its environmental pollution.

The specific objective of the project was to develop 100% biodegradable, compostable, moisture resistant, food contact antibacterial packaging from recycled and recyclable paper materials by replacing fossil paper enhancers with a natural polymer.

The sustainability of the project was based on the needs of the community and the demand for EU and Latvian legislation (EU Directive 94/62 / EC Directive and LV Law on Natural Resources Tax) on environmentally friendly packaging material.

The following activities have been implemented within the project:

Industrial research:

Paper Recycled Fiber and Chitosan Additive System Development Research - Optimal Composition and Additive Stability.
Physico-mechanochemical, barrier properties, microbiological, biodegradability and compostability studies of the resulting paper casts.
Public access to research results.

Experimental Designs:

Design of food contact material from molded pulp, in a small industrial plant.
Investigation of the prototype properties and comparison with analogue products offered in the market.
Commercialization of results through the preparation of a description of the license upon which the knowledge transfer under the intellectual property license agreement will be based.
  

The project resulted in the development of an environmentally friendly, waterproof, antibacterial, compostable paper packaging material for food contact with additives from renewable resources.

Place of project implementation –  

        Latvian State Institute of Wood Chemistry,
        Dzērbenes street 27, Rīga, LV-1006 (www.kki.lv , koks@edi.lv).

Project scientific leader: Dr. Uldis Grīnfelds (uldisg@edi.lv).

Project started: 01.08.2014.

Project duration: 13 months