Overcoming information barriers: Digital platform for the closed-loop recycling of plastic food packaging
Only 9% of the 4,372 kt of plastic used in packaging each year in Germany are recyclates. And it is precisely in the case of food packaging that the safe use of recyclates is more difficult. The reason for this is often a lack of information on the recyclate content and recyclate quality of the existing packaging. SKZ, together with six consortium partners, wants to change this in the research project "Open Circular-Collaboration-Platform for Sustainable Food Packaging from Plastics", or COPPA for short.
Circular economy scheme for recyclates as a basis for COPPA (Image: SKZ)
Project with SKZ participation aims to increase use of recycled materials in food packaging
In the project, which is funded by the German Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL), an open platform is to be developed that provides information on secondary materials throughout the entire cycle by means of a digital product passport, thus paving the way for the circular management of food packaging made of plastics.
The amount of waste generated from packaging is steadily increasing. Particularly in the case of plastic packaging for food, there is still great potential for material avoidance and recycling. In addition to technical challenges, the main obstacles are lack of transparency and information on the origin, quality, quantity and future availability of recyclates. The project objective of COPPA is therefore the development and demonstration of an open and scalable Circular Collaboration Platform (CCP). The CCP is a cross-company information concept that recyclers, reprocessors and converters of plastics, packaging manufacturers, brand owners and food retailers use to establish a seamless tracking of plastics from packaging. The CCP enables accurate and efficient information exchange on the recyclate content and quality of plastic packaging. At the same time, by linking relevant environmental information, COPPA makes the increase in individual and industry sustainability performance calculable and provable for sound communication. The project result is intended to represent a practical demonstrator that will be accessible to all companies in the entire food chain at the end of the implementation phase. COPPA is thus intended to drive forward the circular economy in the area of plastic food packaging, conserve natural resources by reducing the use of materials and the associated reduction in the use of fossil raw materials, and contribute to climate protection.
In addition to the project consortium, other associated partners from the "plastic packaging for food" value chain are indispensable as project advisory board or for testing and further development of the CCP. Companies wishing to become part of COPPA can contact the SKZ.
The cooperation partners
The SKZ and the Wuppertal Institut für Klima, Umwelt, Energie gGmbH contribute knowledge in the field of sustainability and circular economy. The Forschungsinstitut für Rationalisierung e.V. (FIR) of RWTH Aachen University is active in the field of business transformation. GS1 Germany GmbH, as a standardization organization, underpins the market-based orientation of the CCP. The European EPC Competence Center GmbH (EECC) operates in the market as a leading provider of traceability solutions, while Infosim GmbH & Co. KG covers the areas of network management and ERP systems. The consortium is rounded off by the Reifenhäuser Group, which supplies equipment for the production of plastic packaging.
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