Plastic-free single-use sachets: Unilever to invest in crowdsource solution

11 Dec 2018

11 Dec 2018 --- Unilever has invested €100,000 (US$114,000) in a new plastic-free laundry tablet as part of its drive to “rethink” plastic packaging. The crowdsourced innovation has the potential to replace single-use sachets of laundry powder, a popular format for laundry detergents in the developing world. Hundreds of billions of the sachets are used every year, ending up in landfill or as litter as there isn't a viable recycling solution for them, a Unilever spokesperson tells PackagingInsights.

The chosen idea was one of 10 new solutions to emerge from Unilever’s “Rethink Plastic” Hackathon, a one-day event that brought together Unilever teams with leading designers, innovators, venture capital and packaging experts.

The winning concept, an innovative laundry tablet, aims to replace the billions of single-use laundry sachets sold every year to provide an affordable solution for low-income consumers in developing markets. The innovation resides in an affordable plant-derived coating that protects each tablet against humidity, one of the main reasons for using plastic packaging in the first place. The tablet will be further developed before being trialed in a suitable market.

“The impact of plastic waste on our planet is disastrous. We need to highlight the importance of creating plastic-free solutions that can be replicated across industries and markets. This hackathon is a great example of where innovative young leaders can showcase their abilities in bringing sThe chosen idea was one of 10 new solutions to emerge from Unilever’s “Rethink Plastic” Hackathon.olutions to the table and utilizing the power businesses hold in implementing change,” says Kate Robertson, Co-Founder of One Young World.

This investment is part of a series of efforts taken by Unilever to reduce its plastic footprint globally. In 2017, the company made an industry-leading commitment to ensure that all its plastic packaging will be designed to be fully reusable, recyclable or compostable by 2025. To help create an end market for this material, the company also committed to increasing the recycled plastic content in its packaging to at least 25 percent by 2025. These targets are driving real change in the business, in particular how packaging is designed for recyclability and reuse.

As part of Unilever’s Sustainable Living Plan, the company is also piloting CreaSolv Process technology, which recycles plastic sachets, at a plant in Indonesia to test its long-term commercial viability. Single-portion packets are particularly suitable for certain emerging markets due to the lack of refrigeration and the benefits they bring regarding affordability – some people may only be able to afford one portion at a time.

“To recycle plastic sachets using our CreaSolv technology we need to work with municipalities and retailers to set up waste collection schemes so that the sachets to be recycled. For example, in Indonesia we’ve helped communities to develop over 2600 Community Waste Banks in 18 cities where they can collect inorganic waste and sell it based on its value, ultimately reducing the amount of waste sent to landfill. We hope that CreaSolv will transform sachets from a global problem into a sustainable economic opportunity,” the spokesperson adds.

“We aim to develop a closed-loop system for sachets so that we can use them in future packaging. This will allow us to continue to provide consumers with the price and convenience of sachets while tackling the environmental issues associated with their use,” says David Blanchard, Unilever’s Chief R&D Officer.

By Laxmi Haigh