Page 43 - Plastics News December 2021

PRoDUCT NEwS

Melodea Develops Two Recyclable Cellulose Suntor y Gr oup

Barrier Coatings Introduces Plant-Based

PET Bottle prototype

apanese beverage company Suntory
JGroup has developed a prototype
polyethylene terephthalate (PET)
bottle made entirely from plant-based
materials.The prototype was developed
using a plant-based paraxylene derived
from wood chips, which had been
supplied by US-based sustainable
technology company Anellotech. The
paraxylene was converted to plant-
based terephthalic acid (PTA) and
combined with pre-existing plant-based
monoethylene glycol (MEG) from
molasses to make the bottle prototype.
srael-based green technology start-up do not compromise products’ quality In a statement, Suntory Group said it
IMelodea has developed two recyclable or performance and can be used for plans to use the bottle for its Orangina
cellulose-based barrier coatings to both solid and liquid items. In addition brand in Europe and its Suntory
protect packaged products and reduce to being recyclable, the coatings are Tennensui bottled mineral water brand
plastic waste.The first of these products compostable and non-toxic for people in Japan.Suntory MONOZUKURI
is MelOx, a high-performance, plant- and the environment.The high-barrier Expert executive officer Tsunehiko
sourced barrier coating that can prevent coatings can be applied to a broad Yokoi said: “We’re delighted with this
products from the transmission of range of packaging products, including
oxygen, oil and grease.The company pouches, lids and food and beverage
has also developed Melodea VBcoat, a cartons. They are currently being trialled
coating designed to stop water vapour, by a number of companies in the
oil and grease from coming into contact industry. Melodea chief financial officer
with goods. Melodea uses wood pulp as Zvika Weiss said: “Our cellulose-based
a raw material to create barrier coating barrier coatings offer an economically
instead of traditionally used materials affordable, naturally abundant and
such as plastics and aluminium. The sustainable alternative to oil-based
company extracts cellulose nanocrystals products. “Our coatings can easily be
from wood pulp from industrial forests integrated into standard industrial coating
using its patented technology. Melodea lines, including slot dies, rod coaters and achievement, as it brings us one step
CEO and co-founder Shaul Lapidot said: gravures.” Earlier this year, US-based closer to delivering this sustainable
“Cellulose, the primary building block compostable packaging company World PET bottle into the hands of our
of the cell walls of all plants, is the most Centric introduced a range of takeaway consumers.“The significance of this
abundant biopolymer on the planet. boxes with bio-based linings as part of technology is that the PTA is produced
“It provides plants with extraordinary from non-food biomass to avoid
strength and is a lightweight—yet its NoTree packaging line. Melodea was competition with the food chain while
strong—material. “We found that this founded in 2010 by researchers from the MEG is also derived from non-food
bounteous and renewable material Hebrew University in Israel and industrial grade feedstock.” The production of
can be utilised to produce novel, eco- composite experts from the clean-tech the plant-based bottle prototype is
friendly packaging alternatives for the sector to address different environmental expected to reduce carbon emissions
packaging industry.” According to challenges, the most pressing one being ‘significantly’ compared with that of
Melodea, the sustainable barrier coatings the plastic waste challenge. petroleum-derived virgin bottles.

42 PLASTICS NEWS DECEMBER 2021 43 PLASTICS NEWS DECEMBER 2021