Stora Enso, Valio to trial biocomposite lids

Finnish companies Stora Enso and Valio are introducing reusable biocomposite lids this autumn at Valio’s sales demonstrations.

This cooperation is intended to trial how this new material works when combined with a traditional food package and to encourage Finns to reduce their food waste, said Valio in a press release.

Biocomposite products in food packaging are one step Stora Enso is making towards their goal of replacing fossil materials with renewable solutions. DuraSense™ by Stora Enso bio composites, made of wood fibre, can be used to replace over half of fossil-based plastics and, depending on the product, reduce a product’s carbon footprint by up to 60% compared to conventional plastic.

“We were the first in the world to start using fully plant-based one-litre milk cartons in 2015. Last year, we converted all of our 250 million gable-top milk, yoghurt, cream, and sour milk packages to fully plant-based ones. These packages are a part of a larger concept where Valio is aiming towards carbon-neutral milk, i.e. resetting milk’s carbon footprint in 2035. We continue to think about new package innovation possibilities that we could try out and implement,” said Valio Packaging Development Head Tanja Virtanen-Leppä.

Stora Enso continues to develop new replacements for plastic from renewable materials. Biocomposite products have similar properties to conventional plastic ones, and these durable and hygienic reusable lids are dishwasher proof. The wood fibre used brings the strength of wood and a pleasant feel to the biocomposite material.

Roughly six per cent of the food that Finns buy ends up being thrown away, adding up to 150 million kilos of food waste per year. The packaging – and the lid – is meant to protect the food and help to reduce waste. In this collectible campaign, we intend to distribute 10,000 reusable lids to Finnish homes.

“With this pilot project, we want to encourage people to take small concrete actions to prevent food waste. For instance, the leftover crème fraiche sauce for fish, made on a cabin weekend, is now easy to pack away in a cooler with this lid instead of throwing the leftovers away. This new lid can be reused after it’s been washed,” said Virtanen-Leppä.