Melinda and Novamont Allied for Sustainable Packaging

The agreement between Melinda, an apple producing company and Novamont , a producer of plastic materials from renewable sources, is not only interesting as an agreement between a fruit producer and a leader in raw materials for increasingly sustainable packaging, but it is also important, as we read in the Adnkronos article, as the two companies are studying to reuse apple waste as a source of sugar extraction for bioplastic production processes.

Reduce the impact of packaging on the environment as much as possible. This is the objective of the partnership signed by Melinda with Novamont - an Italian company in the production of bioplastics from renewable, biodegradable and compostable sources according to the Uni En 13432 standard, which has allowed the development of a bioplastic film which together with a tray , stickers and labels makes the packaging for the entire Melinda Bio line totally compostable.

All the packaging, created with consumer friendly graphics, can be recycled by collecting the organic fraction of waste to be transformed into compost, i.e. fertilizer for the soil, after treatment in special industrial plants.

To guarantee certified biodegradability and compostability, each pack of the Melinda Bio line will bear the 'Ok compost Industrial' mark valid for each individual component of the pack.

The entire process will not only allow better management of waste flows, reducing their contamination, but also to bring clean organic matter back into the soil, contributing to the restoration of its fertility and the reduction of Co2 emissions.

Thanks to this partnership, each package of Melinda Bio will also feature the MaterBi brand, owned by Novamont, which identifies the high-quality bioplastic raw material of which the film is made, a further guarantee for the consumer.

According to a learning by doing logic, the partnership between Melinda and Novamont has also given rise to a research project on the use of apple processing waste from the Melinda supply chain for the extraction of second generation sugars which will be used for the process production of the bioplastic itself: a perfect example of a circular bioeconomy which sees two companies belonging to extremely different sectors collaborate on a local project.

“The objective is to develop increasingly sustainable processes in a valley that has the requirements to be a model of sustainability on the national and international scene, continuing to find innovative solutions to conduct modern and increasingly environmentally friendly fruit growing" he declares Paolo Gerevini, General Director of the Melinda Consortium.

"We have found in Novamont the ideal partner with which to develop projects that allow us to be increasingly respectful of the environment even in the creation of packaging for our fruit and we look to the future by collaborating with them from a circular economy perspective.

An ambitious project certainly but in line with the capabilities and desire for development of our companies, both leaders in their sector".

“I want to thank Melinda for choosing to experiment with us with new solutions with a pioneering and constructive spirit – says Catia Bastioli, CEO of Novamont, – in awareness of the interconnections between climate change, degradation of ecosystems, loss of biodiversity, food, pollution, cohesion social and territories. Having a partner like Melinda at our side in our research journey is an extraordinary result for us."

"Like Novamont, by applying the circular bioeconomy model, we have contributed to the creation of the first integrated Italian supply chain for bioplastics and biochemicals, with soil health as the starting and finishing point, reactivating 5 deindustrialized sites and creating supply chain agreements with the world of agriculture, collaborating with composting plants, as well as with a network of innovative processors, with large-scale distribution, with brand owners, with universities and research centres.

Today this model has grown and become a demo project at an Italian level and the development of innovative bioproducts as systemic solutions has shown that it can feed the many diversified high-value supply chains present in the country" concludes Bastioli.

Category: news - plastic - circular economy - packaging