The intensive input of Stora Enso and UPM-Kymmene in developing barrier-coated paper and board products has provided the packaging industry with a globally significant innovation - packaging board coated with biodegradable polymers. This type of packaging has been reported to possess good barrier properties, but after primary use it degrades into compost within six months. Biodegradable products are expected to become especially popular in the fast food sector.

In their test coating laboratories, Stora Enso and UPM-Kymmene have developed an efficient production coating method that allows biodegradable plastic to adhere to paperboard, thereby enabling the creation of biopolymer coated packagings suitable for serial production. The project is based on co-operative research started at the beginning of the year between Stora Enso, UPM-Kymmene and the Tampere University of Technology with a view to developing barrier coated paper and board products and packaging solutions, and improving the recyclability of materials.
The first test runs carried out with end customers were done using hot and cold beverage cups, ice-cream cartons and packaging for the fast food sector. Test runs are also currently being made using biodegradable lid material. In principle, nearly all food packaging could be biopolymer coated Stora Enso reports.
"We have all sorts of opportunities ahead of us now. As a matter of fact, the biggest challenge lies in marketing the innovation", says Tapani Penttinen, Development Manager at Stora Enso Packaging Boards. "Biodegradable polymer coating is efficient technically speaking, and offers a unique alternative, in terms of the environment. The only problematic factor in developing the field is the high price of polylactic acid (PLA). We are confident, however, that we will be able to benefit from the price reductions associated with eventual mass production and that legislation will favour packaging which breaks down in the ecocycle".
The polymer chains in bioplastic packaging materials are constructed so that they disintegrate when composted. Board packaging coated with biodegradable polymers breaks down into biomass and carbon dioxide, in other words, the package becomes compost. The actual biopolymer coating turns into compost under appropriate conditions even within a few weeks. Estimation of the timeframe for the composting process complies with the EN 13432 and DIN 54900 standards, according to which more than 90% of the packaging should degrade into compost within six months.
"It has been crucial to combine all the elements needed to produce a successful packaging solution. Both companies have sufficient research and testing resources, which has made it possible to create a production-efficient coating method for biopolymer coatings. On the other hand, good contacts with further processors and end customers are also needed in order to ensure that the innovation is adopted as widely as possible throughout the world," says Pekka Vähävihu, Development Engineer at UPM-Kymmene.



For further information, please contact:
Stora Enso Packaging Boards
Karhula Mill
P.O.Box 25
FIN-48601 Karhula
FINLAND
Tel: +358 2046 121
Fax: +358 2046 26774

Stora Enso Australia Pty Ltd
Mr Alan Rochford
Level 17, NCR House
8-20 Napier Street
AUS-North Sydney NSW 2060
AUSTRALIA
Tel: +61 2 9955 4855
Fax: +61 2 9955 7933
E-mail: alan.rochford@storaenso.com.au

Stora Enso Belgium
Mr Stefaan Temmerman, Sales Manager
Airport Business Center
Vuurberg 80
B-1831 Machelen (Diegem)
BELGIUM
Tel: +32 2 715 0500
Fax: +32 2 715 0579
E-mail: stefaan.temmerman@storaenso.com

Stora Enso Deutschland
Ms Jalliina Järvinen
Große Bleichen 30
D-20354 Hamburg
GERMANY
Tel: +49 40 350 99 150
Fax: +49 40 350 99 101
E-mail: jalliina.jarvinen@storaenso.com

Stora Enso France S.A.
Mr Alain Piattier / Ms Maila Grastilleur
15/25 boulevard de l'Amiral Bruix
F-75782 Paris Cedex 16
FRANCE
Tel: +33 1 5364 79 00
Fax: +33 1 5364 79 90
E-mail: alain.piattier@storaenso.com / maila.grastilleur@storaenso.com

Stora Enso Interamericas, Inc.
Mr Timo Petteri Vuorio
8750 Doral Boulevard
Suite 270
Miami, FL 33178
U.S.A
Tel: +1 305 716 9799
Fax: +1 305 716 5441
E-mail: timo.vuorio@storaenso.com

Stora Enso Nederland b.v.
Mr J.W.Klarenbeek
Postbus 12386
NL-1100 AJ Amsterdam
THE NETHERLANDS
Tel: +31 20 650 5555
Fax: +31 20 650 5622
E-mail: jan-willem.klarenbeek@storaenso.com

Stora Enso North America Corp.
Mr Michael Walsh
Two Landmark Square, 3rd Floor
Stamford, CT 06901-2792
U.S.A
Tel: +1 203 356 2300
Fax: +1 203 356 2343
E-mail: michael.walsh@storaenso.com

Stora Enso Scandinavia AB
Packaging Boards
Mr Joakim Stockhaus, Sales Director
P.O. Box 70395
SE-10724 Stockholm
SWEDEN
Tel: +46 8 613 6600
Fax: +46 8 613 6770
E-mail: joakim.stockhaus@storaenso.com

Stora Enso UK Ltd.
Packaging Boards
Mr Roy Bray
1 Phoenix Place, Phoenix Centre
GB-Nottingham, NG8 6BA
UNITED KINGDOM
Tel: +44 115 964 7100
Fax: +44 115 964 7170
E-mail: roy.bray@storaenso.com

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