Closed-Loop Compostable Bio-based Packaging Materials

塑料污染问题在世界范围内的严重性是不可否认的。据估计，自20世纪50年代以来，已生产了超过80亿吨的原始塑料(Geyer，Jambeck，Law\_2017)。到目前为止，在全球产生的塑料垃圾中，估计有10%被回收，14%被焚烧，其余76%最终进入垃圾填埋场、垃圾场或自然环境(Geyer 2020)。虽然正在努力提高回收利用率，但生产增长速度和技术挑战超过了目前的废物管理能力和能力。最近的一项研究发现，英国和美国公民人均产生的塑料垃圾最多，分别为99公斤/人/年和105公斤/人/年(Law等2020)。这相当于每个英国公民每年使用1万个塑料瓶，或每周使用近200个塑料瓶。Shellworks是由三名帝国理工学院/皇家艺术学院毕业生于2019年7月创立的，目的是解决这个问题。我们的雄心是用我们的细菌衍生的可堆肥包装材料颠覆全球塑料市场，这种材料利用农业废弃物作为一种可再生和丰富的原料作为关键原材料。我们的创新材料是真正的可生物降解和家庭堆肥。我们已经成功地与化妆品行业的主要目标客户实现了我们产品的中试规模，验证了性能和市场需求。然而，我们的工作还没有完成。我们现在明白，生产更可持续的材料并不能转化为更可持续的包装，除非我们能够确保适当的生命周期结束。为了减轻可堆肥和不可堆肥材料分类回收设施的负担，Shellworks提高了标准，现在专注于提供进一步的创新，以“闭合循环”并优化产品的报废阶段。通过Innovate UK对该项目的支持，以及与新的合作伙伴Impact Solutions的合作，我们将进一步改进我们的材料，以实现最佳降解并开发可扩展的报废流程。通过作为该项目一部分进行的研发，我们将能够指导消费者，并确保我们拥有强大的报废产品管理。通过这样做，我们将为所有可堆肥材料进入英国市场打开一个关键障碍，确保该国现有的废物管理基础设施能够应对并提供环境最优的结果。该项目支持英国成为可持续包装、应对全球塑料废物和气候危机方面的世界领导者的雄心，并与英国塑料公约的目标密切一致。

The severity of the plastic pollution problem world-wide is undeniable. It is estimated that more than 8bn tonnes of virgin plastic has been produced since the 1950s(Geyer,Jambeck,Law\_2017). Of the global plastic waste generated so far, an estimated 10% has been recycled, 14% incinerated and the remaining 76% has ended up in landfills, dumps or the natural environment(Geyer\_2020). While efforts to increase recycling rates are underway, the rate of production growth and technical challenges outstrip current waste management capacities and capabilities. A recent study found that UK and US citizens produce the most plastic waste per person, at 99 and 105 kg/person/year, respectively(Law\_et\_al\_2020). This is equivalent in weight to each UK citizen using 10,000 plastic bottles per year, or nearly 200 plastic bottles per week.Shellworks was founded in July 2019 by three Imperial College/Royal College of Art graduates to tackle this issue. Our ambition is to disrupt the global plastics market with our bacteria-derived compostable packaging material which leverages agricultural waste, a renewable and plentiful feedstock, as a key raw material. Our innovative material is truly biodegradable and home-compostable.We have already successfully reached pilot-scale of our products with key target customers in the cosmetics industry, validating both performance and market demand. However, our work is not complete. We now understand that producing a more sustainable material does not translate into more sustainable packaging unless we can ensure an appropriate end-of-life. In order to alleviate the burden on recycling facilities for sorting compostable versus non-compostable materials, Shellworks has raised the bar and is now focused on delivering further innovations to "close the loop" and optimise the products' end-of-life phase.With Innovate UK support for this project, and in collaboration with a new partner Impact Solutions, we will further improve our material to achieve optimal degradation and develop scalable end-of-life processes. Through the R&D developed as part of this project, we will be able to guide consumers and ensure we have a robust end-of-life product management. In doing so, we will unlock a key barrier for all compostable materials entering the UK market, ensuring that the country's existing waste management infrastructure can cope and deliver environmentally optimal outcomes.This project supports the UK's ambition to become a world leader in sustainable packaging, tackling global plastic waste and climate crises, and is in close alignment with the targets of the UK Plastic Pact.