The winners were:
- Golden Compound
- KNN Cellulose
- Bcomp
Golden Compound (DE): HOMEcap – Home Compostable Coffee Capsules
HOMEcap is the world’s first and only home compostable capsule successfully introduced in the market that is ‘OK compost HOME’ certified. Biodegradation in home compost avoids considerable waste streams.
The capsule was successfully launched on the market in the spring of this year. It is made from a unique compound comprising PTTMCCs PBS and PBSA mixed with sunflower seed shells and inorganic fillers.
It comes with a paper and cellulose based lid, sealable to the capsule without additional glue, home compostable as well. The material composition results in low oxygen transmission rates, which allows to avoid additional barrier packaging and is therefore saving waste.
A VDI 4605 sustainability assessment showed that this capsule outperforms current state of the art capsules, like deep-drawn PP EVOH multilayer capsules, in terms of sustainability.
More information: www.golden-compound.com
KNN Cellulose (NL): Recel Biocomposite – The Competitive Alternative
Recell® biocomposite is a granulate at competitive pricing and with low environmental impact. The biocomposite is made from recovered toilet paper (a tertiary cellulose source) mixed with a variety of polymers like bio-resins, PLA or PHA. So, the cellulose-based product therefore fits ideally in the circular economy.
The granulate is suitable for standard injection moulding and extrusion operations.
Current applications are e.g. flowerpots, cladding, fencing, decking and crates. The product taking part in the competition is a picnic table produced by EcoDeck.
The Recell® cellulose fibres are efficiently produced from Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) with Cellvation® technology. STPs thereby benefit from lower operational cost, an increase in processing capacity and the fibres are reused instead of incinerated, benefiting their environmental impact dramatically.
More information: www.recell.eu
Bcomp (CH): PowerRib – Sustainable Lightweighting
The Swiss company Bcomp has developed proprietary light-weighting solutions for high performance applications by applying the latest composites knowledge to natural fibres.
Thanks to powerRibs™ technology, a reinforcing grid inspired by the thin veins in leaves that provides maximum stiffness at minimum weight, natural fibres can achieve the performance of carbon fibres in a motorsport body and thus replace them.
The result is a 75% lower CO2 footprint, 30% lower costs and improved safety without toxic dust and sharp shattering, as well as viable end-of-life options. The powerRibs™ are also used to make automotive interior panels up to 40% lighter.
More information: www.bcomp.ch
READ MORE ABOUT THE AWARD
Six Final Candidates Competing for the Biocomposite of the Year 2019 Award