From peas to boxes – sustainable solutions from the county
The Emsland Group and the bekuplast group of companies have combined their expertise and are focusing on the use of renewable raw materials in plastic products.
The sustainable use of resources and the use of environmentally friendly products has increasingly become the focus of public attention in recent years. For the two companies based in the district of Niedergrafschaft, the idea of sustainability has always been part of their corporate philosophy. This is rooted in the core business of both companies. bekuplast manufactures sustainable reusable transport packaging, while the Emsland Group specialises in the extraction of native and modified starches, fibres, proteins, flakes, and granules from renewable raw materials such as potatoes and peas.
The two companies had already been in contact through the Ems-Achse membership. This is how the idea of combining their expertise came about. The common goal of both companies is to use plant fibres in the manufacture of plastic products. This project was supported by the 3N Competence Centre in Lower Saxony, which promotes the use of renewable raw materials and the development of sustainable products.
The Emsland Group uses renewable raw materials for the manufacture of its products, such as peas, which are peeled before further processing. This means that the outer fibres are removed and further processed separately as a by-product.
In close cooperation, both companies have succeeded in modifying the outer fibres and using them to manufacture plastic containers. However, the use of renewable raw materials in plastic products presented both companies with technical challenges. While plastic is usually processed at around 220 to 230 degrees Celsius, the vegetable pea fibres burn at a temperature of just 190 degrees Celsius.
In the laboratory, specially prepared fibres from the Emsland Group were tested in combination with recycled plastics on test machines. ‘It turned out that pea fibres are better suited than potato fibres,’ explains Maria Bollingerfähr, a member of the application technology team. In the first test productions under laboratory conditions, plastic boxes were made from pea hulls and recycled material from the yellow bag, so-called post-consumer material. By using pea fibre, around 20% of the plastic material was saved and replaced by a renewable raw material. The fibre-reinforced plastic is not only sustainable, but also very stable.
After the first successful test productions on a laboratory machine, the production of the first boxes was finally started at bekuplast in Ringe. ‘The tests with different container models were successful. We have managed to replace around 10 to 20% of the plastic in our containers with pea shells,’ reports Jana Klein, raw materials manager at bekuplast GmbH. This development is highly relevant for the future in view of the fact that an EU requirement for a minimum proportion of recycled plastics in plastic products is expected by 2030.
Currently, containers made with pea fibres are still more expensive, but both companies see great potential for this innovation and continue to work on promoting sustainable solutions from the county.