Novamont and Ecor: Compostable Eco-Packaging for Salads

Thus the convergence between Ecor, Novamont and biodynamic agricultural company Filogea means that a market sector in constant growth such as that of pre-washed packaged salads can now offer consumers a 100% compostable pack.

Sep 15 2010 --- The first non-GMO eco-tray for IV range salads is the fruit of a collaboration between the two companies with Filogea. An innovative solution that further enhances the range of Mater-Bi products for food packaging.

Quality and environmental sustainability: these are the key elements of the non-GMO biodegradable and compostable Mater-Bi packaging for salads, the result of the collaboration between Novamont and Ecor. The experimental project is an absolute first in Italy and the first in Europe to be used for ready-to-serve salad produce of the IV range with Demeter certification, attesting to its biodynamic farming origins.

The idea behind the experimental project was to find packaging for the IV range of products which, besides being suitable to preserve fresh produce and give it a longer shelf-life, is also sustainable, i.e. it limits the environmental impact of the materials used. Added value which becomes a matter of consistency in the case of biological and biodynamic products, which are products obtained by farming that respects the natural rhythms, increases the humus in the soil and gives man a product with high organoleptic and nutritional properties.

Thus the convergence between Ecor, Novamont and biodynamic agricultural company Filogea means that a market sector in constant growth such as that of pre-washed packaged salads can now offer consumers a 100% compostable pack, the non-GMO components of which (coated cardboard and film) are fully compostable. Consumers who choose the biodynamic ready-to-serve salads produced by Filogea in stores specialising in biological products (a list of which is available from www.ecor.it) do not need to be concerned about how to dispose of the pack. Besides using renewable resources and ensuring the optimal conservation of the product, the innovative packaging consisting of cartonboard “spread” with Mater-Bi and packaged with Mater-Bi film can be thrown away along with the kitchen waste.

“Filogea salads will be the first to be distributed with the eco-packaging developed by Novamont” explained Roberto Zanoni, general manager of Ecor NaturaSì, “and this is one of the many projects that the company has undertaken in order to reduce and improve the quality of our packaging. We also plan to extend the scope of this experimental project to provide a sustainable packaging solution for IV range bio products.”

“The use of biodegradable and compostable packaging can be a tool to maximise the recovery of material through composting and recycling, with enormous benefits in terms of environmental sustainability, especially when, as in this case, the product has such a short shelf life. The aim of this project in collaboration with Ecor is to help people choose more conscientious and enlightened lifestyles without forgoing quality”, declared Catia Bastioli, CEO of Novamont.

Mater-Bi, the bioplastic developed by Novamont, is naturally biodegradable and compostable in accordance with Italian standard UNI EN 13432 and can guarantee the same strength and performance as traditional plastics, but is made of renewable resources of agricultural origin. It reduces greenhouse gas emissions and the consumption of energy and non-renewable resources, thus completing a virtuous circle: the raw materials of agricultural origin return to the earth through processes of biodegradation and composting, without releasing pollutants.