Compostable Coalition UK: M&S and WWF join advisory board for £60M research project

01 May 2023 --- Tesco, Marks and Spencer (M&S) and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) are among the first names to be unveiled as part of the Compostable Coalition UK advisory board, which will work toward finding and implementing compostable solutions for plastic packaging.

As part of the coalition’s UK Research & Innovation (UKRI) funded “Closing the Loop for Compostable Packaging” research project, it has assembled an advisory board of industry and packaging experts from major companies. 

The project aims to address the potential role of mainstreaming compostable packaging to replace some hard-to-recycle plastics while ensuring these can be effectively treated and organically recycled post-consumption. 

“At M&S, we know that meeting our commitments to customers on plastic will require us to explore all options. Plastic waste is a difficult problem to solve and compostables could be part of the solution,” says Sam Clough, senior packaging technologist at M&S. 

“But [plastic’s] lifecycle is complex, and the benefits are hard to validate. I look forward to supporting this important initiative and being able to critique the findings and help shape the future of compostables on behalf of our customers.”

 An advisory board for the Compostable Coalition UK will work to reduce plastic waste. Tackling plastic waste
UKRI’s flagship Smart Sustainable Plastic Packaging Challenge has funded £60 million (US$75 million) into the research project, which examines the practicality of effectively collecting, sorting and recycling compostable packaging via the UK’s existing collection and treatment streams.

According to the coalition, 1.2 million metric tons or 50% of the UK’s plastic packaging are not currently recycled. 

“Finding solutions to tackle the plastic pollution crisis remains a pressing issue and considering what role compostable packaging can play is critical,” adds Paula Chin, senior policy advisor for consumption at WWF. 

“Exploring the potential of its contribution to a circular economy is an opportunity which WWF is supportive of. I look forward to reviewing the emerging findings regarding the environmental benefits and the potential wider positive impacts on soil health.”

Collaboration on compostables
The companies assert that key application segments where little to no recycling is feasible – such as tea bags, coffee pods, fresh produce packaging and foodservice packaging – will be evaluated and assessed within the project, in alignment with The Waste and Resources Action Programme and The Plastics Pact vision of the most suitable applications for compostable packaging.

They continue that advisory board members, who are also members of the UK’s Plastics Pact, will ensure the research project is objective, robust and supports the priorities and interests of key stakeholders.PPWD will call for certain packaging to be made from compostable materials. 

“In the absence of a dedicated forum to further examine, challenge and critically reflect on the potential of this industry to support the attainment of Plastics Pact targets, Compostable Coalition UK’s research project offers an opportunity to plug some of the missing evidence gaps and to signpost further areas in need of research or examination, including on-pack labeling and consumer behavior,” explains Margaret Bates, the executive director at OPRL.

Janek Vahk, climate energy and air pollution program coordinator for ZWE, previously told PackagingInsights, 116 million metric tons of waste end up either burned or landfilled in the EU versus 115 million metric tons that get recycled or composted.

The increase in compostables
Last year, it was revealed that as part of the EU’s Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive legislation stipulated that certain plastic packaging, such as tea bags, coffee pods, very light plastic bags and sticky labels for fruit and vegetables, must be compostable. 

Therefore, many packaging companies have been responding with compostable coffee pod solutions. Last month, Danimer Scientific and TotalEnergies Corbion developed a new compostable coffee pod made from biopolymers. 

Additionally, Solinatra and ATMI IGI launched a Center of Excellence in Surakarta, Indonesia, to provide education on transitioning from plastics to natural, biodegradable materials. 

The companies say that the collaboration will bring together the engineering knowledge of ATMI and the materials of Solinatra, such as its entirely natural, compostable alternatives. 

Edited by Sabine Waldeck