Reducing single use plastic-aluminium packaging for <50ml sachets through development and scale up of the Ooho seaweed sachet

“**抱负：**我们的目标是通过开发，扩大和推出我们的天然，完全可生物降解的塑料替代技术Ooho-一种独特的，专利的海藻衍生膜材料，减少和取代一次性包装液体，酱汁和凝胶袋的使用。**重点：**在2017年完善了膜技术的强度、结构和保质期后，我们现在需要开发先进的生产硬件和机械，以工业规模生产和填充一次性小包，以满足需求——取代目前50mL的调味料（酱汁、沙拉酱）、凝胶（能量凝胶）和化妆品（洗发水、护发素）的层压铝和塑料包装。我们的藻酸盐材料有潜力像塑料和铝一样大规模廉价，但在制造过程中，需要大量人工干预的困难，将我们的最大生产能力限制在300吨/天。这意味着，尽管有很强的商业利益，我们无法以具有成本竞争力的方式满足餐馆、外卖店和零售商的需求。作为我们长期增长战略的一部分，我们的目标是开发一种方法（硬件和生产过程）来制造Oohos，工业规模的一次性液体包装范围，以一致，高质量，低成本的方式满足供应商（亨氏，联合利华，Lucozade）和客户（Just Eat, Selfridges,Sky）的要求。**方法：**与合作伙伴合作，Just Eat项目的重点是克服与设计和开发一种独特的自动化机器相关的技术困难，该机器可以在不影响结构完整性或包装膜一致性的情况下，每天生产和填充3000个Oohos小袋，其中包括各种调味品/酱料。我们的海藻酸盐包装是天然来源，可生物降解，坚固（感谢以前的英国项目），甚至是可食用的。唯一阻碍其采用的问题是我们在工业规模上制造和填充膜的能力。**意义：**英国每年扔掉超过3亿个塑料和铝制一次性小袋（2毫升-50毫升）（联合利华；2017），只有不到9%的人被回收利用（国家地理；2017）。由于它们的一次性和塑料铝成分。根据英国政府2025年的“塑料公约”承诺，通过发展规模化生产能力，海藻膜将与塑料/铝小袋和包装相比具有成本竞争力，使零售商能够采用我们的技术生产一次性液体物品。这反过来将节省大量的二氧化碳废物，降低运输成本和塑料生产，并使我们能够利用全球对该技术的兴趣，率先使用天然塑料替代品。”

"**AMBITION:** Our aim is to reduce and replace the use of single use packaging for liquids, sauces and gel sachets through the development, scale up and roll-out of our natural, fully biodegradable plastic alternative technology Ooho- a unique, patented, seaweed-derived membrane material.**FOCUS:** Having perfected the strength, structure and shelf-life of our membrane technology in 2017, we now need to develop the advanced production hardware and machinery to manufacture and fill single-use sachets on an industrial scale in order to meet demand -- replacing current laminated aluminium and plastic packaging for condiments (sauces, salad dressings), gels (energy gels) and cosmetics (shampoo, conditioner) up to 50mL.Our alginate material has the potential to be as cheap as plastic and aluminium at scale as input material however difficulties in the manufacturing process, requiring significant human intervention, restrict our maximum production capacity to 300 Oohos/day - meaning that despite strong commercial interest, we are unable to meet the volume demanded by restaurants, take aways and retailers in a cost-competitive manner.As part of our long-term growth strategy, our goal is to develop an method (hardware and production process) to manufacture Oohos, packaging range of single-use liquids on an industrial scale, in a consistent, high quality, low cost manner required by both suppliers (Heinz, Unilever, Lucozade) and customers (Just Eat, Selfridges,Sky).**APPROACH:** Working with partner, Just Eat the project focuses on overcoming the technical difficulties associated with designing and developing a unique, automated, machine to manufacture and fill 3000 Oohos sachets/day with a variety of condiments/sauces, without compromising structural integrity or consistence of the packaging membrane.Our alginate packaging is naturally sourced, biodegradable, robust (thanks to the previous IUK project) and is even edible. The only issue holding back its adoption is our ability manufacture and fill the membrane on an industrial scale.**SIGNIFICANCE:** The UK throws away over 300m plastic and aluminium single-use sachets (2ml-50ml) each year (Unilever;2017), with less than 9% ever recycled (National Geographic;2017). due to their disposable nature and plastic-aluminium composition.In line with UKGOVs 'Plastic Pact' 2025 commitment, by developing manufacturing at scale capability, seaweed membrane will be cost-competitive with that of plastic/aluminium sachets and packaging, enabling retailers to adopt out technology for single-use liquid items. This in turn will save considerable CO2 in waste, reduced transport costs, plastic production and enable us to take advantage of global interest in the technology, spearheading the use of natural, plastic alternatives."