Researchers Aim to Develop New Sustainable Packaging Alternatives

The goal of the Energy First research initiative is to create a new cardboard manufacturing process that reduces the amount of water spent by up to 90% and cuts down energy use by 50%. Image courtesy of VTT.

Finland’s ambitious quest to save billions in energy and water in fiber-based packaging manufacturing.

By Atte Virtanen and Harri Kiiskinen with VTT

The demand for fiber-based packaging solutions continues to grow. At the same time, packaging manufacturers around the world are struggling with rising energy costs, and legislators as well as conscious consumers are increasingly interested in sustainability factors such as their CO2 footprint and recyclability. We see a clear need to develop scalable, high-quality packaging that is easy to recycle while significantly reducing carbon footprint.

Currently, a standard-sized cardboard manufacturing machine uses 1 200 000 m³ of water each year. This is equivalent to the annual water usage of 5 000 households. With the best available technology, water consumption is 4 m³ / ton of board, and the fresh water consumption of an average board machine in the US is more than 20 m³ / ton of board. The goal of our current research initiative, Energy First, is to create a new process that reduces the amount of water spent by up to 90% and cuts down energy use by 50%.

The initiative will establish a new innovative open-access pilot line in Jyväskylä, Finland. The collaborative research aims at developing and testing commercially viable, sustainable alternatives for cardboard packaging, hygiene products, and nonwoven fabrics.

Finding answers to future challenges

The idea for rethinking nonwoven fiber research is born out of the last ten years of efforts in foam forming, in which we have made significant progress. For the next 10 years, the Energy First initiative aims to act as a starting point for an entirely new technology that enables the manufacturing of low-carbon, energy-efficient, and recyclable fiber-based products.

The initial calculations show that reducing the use of water in manufacturing processes is the doorway to billions in cost savings. Conserving water is an important goal in itself; water scarcity is already an issue in many parts of the world and it is only expected to get worse as climate change progresses. However, reducing water consumption in the manufacturing of cellulose-based products also means getting rid of the energy-intensive drying processes.

The key to water and energy reduction is adopting an airlaid process to replace the current wetlaid one. This calls for new methods for treating dry fiber in ways that do not compromise recyclability, as products manufactured with the airlaid process today are not recyclable. In essence, it all comes down to chemistry.

There is also a very practical dimension to this project: we want to make fiber-based production lines shorter. Current cardboard machines are up to 200 meters long, and employees use bicycles to move from one end of the machine to the other. The 600 foot or longer machines naturally require huge premises, as well. Much of the length is taken up by drying equipment. If we can eliminate the drying phase, we can reduce machine size and thereby the space needed.

As the machines become smaller when the drying phase is eliminated, their energy use and the capital expenditure required go down. This can be a significant profitability booster to the forest-based industry – which is not among the most profitable today.

Products manufactured with the new process are designed to be compatible with existing recycling methods. Furthermore, fiber-based packaging is produced in a way that makes it a sustainable alternative to reusable packaging.

What it takes to succeed

For a research initiative of this magnitude to even start, a lot of things need to fall into place. The first thing you need is a strong vision that reaches 10 or more years forward and targets billions in cost savings and revenue. Only then can we convince partners to get involved. The next, extremely important factor is the right team, with the capabilities to support and execute on the required level. You also need to be ready to spend a lot of your own money to create the pilot facility.

Profitability and environmental consciousness must go hand in hand. Companies need to see a positive business case to make big investments in environmentally beneficial tech. In general, companies with revenue in the 5 to 15 billion dollar range are only interested in opportunities that could generate over $100 million of revenue per year. This is only natural, considering the capex investments in the existing machines and facilities.

The hard truth, however, is that small, incremental changes to existing technology and current processes will not be enough to transform the industry. It takes courage, curiosity, and long-term strategic thinking. But we already have 50 companies, from technology providers to pulp and paper providers and brand companies, committed to this project, and the doors are open to others who want to explore new ways of producing packaging materials. Looks like the time is ripe for taking that leap.

Conclusion

We can’t say for certain what 2034 will look like and what the challenges will be. However, we can say that resource efficiency will be increasingly important, not just for companies and industries but for the entire society. The pressure towards sustainable innovations in every industry will grow. Those who wait too long to explore new alternatives will be late to the party.

About the Authors

Atte Virtanen works as a Vice President for VTT’s biomaterials research area. He has leadership of 160 experts in the field of cellulose materials. Atte has plus 15 years’ experience from the industry of product and process development.

Harri Kiiskinen is a Principal Scientist in the Biomaterial processing and products research area at VTT. Harri has 30 years of experience in developing efficient processes and sustainable fiber products for various applications. He has also led several large consortium projects in this research area. Learn more at: https://cris.vtt.fi/en/projects/energy-1st-fiber-product-forming.