Sustainable packaging design must address all steps of the material’s lifecycle no matter what material is being used. Even biopolymers do not guarantee product sustainability, if not designed circular. 

Hydal PHA is produced by waste upcycling. We have developed the biotechnology process to be environment friendly – we do not use polluting chemicals in the production of PHA. Compared to fossil-based plastics, this is a huge step forward. But it is only the beginning of the PHA lifecycle. 

To develop sustainable packaging from waste-based and biodegradable PHA, we run Horizon 2020 BioSupPack project. Here, we will design packaging materials that are durable and reusable. The biggest challenge is the end-of-life. Even though Hydal PHA is biodegradable, littering or landfilling are no ways in future waste management. We want to develop biotechnological PHA recycling so that our PHA packaging can become a feedstock for other circular products.