On the road for new insights into the plastics and algae economy

Christoph Beierl | October 31, 2023

Explore the future of plastics and packaging, and immerse yourself in the burgeoning world of the algae economy – two sectors with the potential to revolutionize our industries and environment. Join us as we witness how in Amsterdam, the leading minds of the plastics industry convened to discuss innovative solutions for a sustainable plastic recycling cycle, and discover why there's a surge of optimism in Paris from the startup scene surrounding algae. We cover exciting breakthroughs such as Notpla, a startup transforming the packaging industry with its compostable algae coating, and discuss pioneering developments like algae oil and Asparagopsis, which have the potential to redefine our food production and environmental conservation.

Innovation Forum on "The Future of Plastics and Packaging"

In early October, representatives from the plastic industry gathered in Amsterdam to discuss the path to closing the plastic recycling cycle. Over two days, 40 speakers and 150 participants exchanged ideas on innovations, obstacles, and expectations surrounding the topic of plastics. As a supporter of the "Business Coalition for a Global Plastics Treaty," Bonafide was also present to gauge the mood of the industry and the current state of affairs.

The atmosphere at the event was somewhat subdued, as even the giants of the consumer goods industry face a problem that can only be solved through collaboration.

Source: Bonafide

For a resounding success, material innovation, packaging design, recycling infrastructure, and changed consumer behavior must converge on a scale that promises at least approximate competitiveness. Only in this way can small-scale pilot projects truly grow into the circular economy of the future.

The regulator is particularly seen as a beacon of hope for problems of this magnitude. Even though the track record of the EU, in particular, may be viewed as mixed, there is great hope that with the Global Plastics Treaty, a significant breakthrough may indeed be possible. An initial draft, while still lacking some details, has been generally well received by the public. The goal of ending plastic pollution by 2040, therefore, remains within reach for the time being.

Visiting Europe's First Algae Summit in Paris

Immediately following was a trip to Paris for Europe's first Algae Summit. Around 240 participants gathered there to learn from each other and to advance the development of the industry in Europe.

There was significantly more optimism among the startups in Paris than among the giants in Amsterdam. They are confident that algae are true jack-of-all-trades, which is already reflected in the broad range of products available today, including cosmetics, food, climate solutions, fertilizers, feed, pharmaceuticals, bioplastics, and even fuel. Considering that the extreme genetic diversity of algae still offers a multitude of opportunities and the fact that Europe is largely an untapped market in this sector, the industry's optimism is quite understandable.

Source: EU Alage Awareness Summit

The startup "Notpla" has already delivered an early success story, producing a compostable coating made from algae extracts for selected food boxes. Thanks to a change in legislation that imposes high EPR (Extended Producer Responsibility) fees on plastic-based food containers, Notpla almost overnight went from being the most expensive to the most affordable provider in the Dutch market.

Source: Notpla Limited

A Glimpse into the Future

We are eager to see which innovation from the algae sector will be the next to make a breakthrough. Hot contenders include algae oil as an alternative to fish oil, which could limit the recently increasing production costs of fish farmers and further reduce their ecological footprint, or the algae species Asparagopsis, which can significantly reduce methane emissions in cows. One thing is certain: the algae sector will continue to be exciting.

Source: seaExpert

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