This partnership provides packaging manufacturers with credible assurance that Xampla’s Morro materials meet tightening UK and EU regulations on single-use plastics, such as the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR).
At present, there is no universally accepted method for verifying that a material is plastic-free despite increasing regulatory pressure to eliminate single-use plastics. As such this work establishes the basis for a first-of-its-kind validation method for plastic-free claims.
The EU’s REACH regulation defines plastics as ‘polymers to which additives or other substances have been added’ and mandates that natural polymers which have not been chemically modified are not plastics.
The NPL scientists used advanced spectroscopy and high-resolution microscopy to compare the chemical and physical signatures of Morro’s natural polymers before and after processing. The results showed no meaningful chemical changes, confirming that Xampla’s Morro materials are not chemically modified, are therefore not plastic according to the EU REACH definition, and are SUPD-exempt.
Whereas a lot of common household paper and cardboard packaging contain a thin plastic coating, making it unrecyclable, Xampla’s Morro line of coatings and films – which are already used by Just Eat Takeaway – are made from natural polymers derived from plants.
According to the Xampla, the material offers comparable grease and water resistance to plastic; whilst also being biodegradable, home compostable, and compatible with existing recycling infrastructure.
“Given the rapid pace of regulatory change, packaging companies desperately need credible assurance about any plastic-free product they buy,” said Dr Marc Rodriguez Garcia, co-founder and CTO at Xampla.
“We hope this approach – the first of its kind as far as we know – can now be replicated by others to support plastic-free innovation more broadly. For Xampla, this work with NPL conclusively proves that our Morro materials are plastic-free at a chemical level and so meet existing regulations. Having the data from world-leading independent measurement scientists lets us alleviate doubts of even the most cautious customers.”
Professor Max Ryadnov, NPL fellow, added: “Eventually, this work could lead to the development of standards to support plastic-free materials and processes used to manufacture them. Such standards will provide manufacturers and regulators with clear and internationally recognised benchmarks against which plastic-free claims can be verified.”
According to Smithers, the market for functional and barrier coatings for paper and board is projected to reach 4.25 million tonnes, worth nearly $11 billion, by 2028.
Xampla aims to replace 10 billion items of single-use plastic with its Morro materials over the next five years.
