Paper and packaging company Mondi Group recently announced that it has contributed to a biogas initiative in Sweden, producing biodegradable bags for organic kitchen waste used as fuel.
Mondi and Svenco, one of Europe's leading paper-bag manufacturers, launched a joint venture called Advantage MF EcoComp, which produces the Matavfallspåse waste paper bag that is used in Swedish households to collect organic kitchen waste.
It is made of a brown specialty kraft paper produced at the Mondi Dynäs mill, produced from virgin Scandinavian pine. It is certified fully biodegradable and compostable.
The water-repelling material prevents leaks while decreasing odours and letting water vapour pass through the bag, the company said.
Once it is full, the bag and its contents are sent to a biogas facility for conversion into a fuel that is then supplied to Swedish petrol stations. One full bag can power a car for up to four kilometres.
"Biogas is an environmentally friendly vehicle fuel because it is not fossil based, but extracted from biological material. The use of biogas as a fuel is increasing all the time, and it is therefore important that food waste is collected," explained Christer Hansson, managing director of Svenco. "We can recycle nutrients and manufacture vehicle fuels or produce electricity, both of which are sustainable."
Svenco's ventilation system works well with the bags, as it facilitates aerobic digestion. This allows water to evaporate from the waste, keeping it dry and preventing it from stagnating.
Gerhard Pachler, sales director of specialty kraft paper for Mondi Europe and International, commented that waste management is a "hot topic" worldwide, and that the company is constantly innovating.
“We are continuously refining our product to meet new challenges and market needs. Adjusting the paper to run even more smoothly on vacuum systems and compatibility with optical sorting will be among the next steps and challenges we will be tackling with our partners."
© 2016 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Karen Henderson. To subscribe to ESM: The European Supermarket Magazine, click here.
