Public Funding for DS Smith PLC

Fashion busts (torso mannequins) are used by designers to produce and sell work. Most are manufactured outside UK from non-recyclable Glass Reinforced Polymer (GRP) emitting >280tonnes CO2-eq/yr. 40k busts are landfilled in UK each year. There is insufficient demand for End-of-Life polymer in UK, with 15% Polypropylene (PP) exported to China/yr creates an opportunity. Systematique have designed a globally unique low-cost, flat-pack bust made from sheet PP. This study will establish the feasibility of implementing a closed-loop circular system for UK manufacture using UK polymer recyclate, with recycling at EoL. This project will allow sustainable design agency Wax RDC, and manufacturer DS Smith to work with Systematique to develop the design and calculate financial, environmental and social benefits for customers and UK.

**The project aims to address an identified commercial demand for sustainably produced, lighter, stronger paper and board.** This is highly desirable because their use reduces the quantity and weight of packaging and the associated transportation costs and greenhouse gas emissions. Presently, paper and board are manufactured primarily from pulp obtained from recovered paper. The pulp can be strengthened by the presence of cellulose fibres that have been processed to increase their length in proportion to their diameter. Presently, the production of materials with these features such as microfibrillated cellulose (MFC) and nanocellulose (NC) is insufficient to meet industry needs and is prohibitively expensive. **The objective of the project is to build on an ultrasonication process that can produce pulp suitable for the production of lighter, stronger products at the scale required by the industry.** Ultrasonication of pulp produces highly fibrillated cellulose fibres (HFCFs) that contribute to the strength of the finished product. Although effective, ultrasonication is energy intensive and additional mechanical, chemical and biological pre-processing methods will be examined to reduce overall energy consumption and increase cost-effectiveness. Additives to aid water drainage and drying of pulp containing HFCFs, reduce paper breakage and facilitate high speed paper production have an important role in manufacturing efficiency and sustainability will be optimised. **The combination of processing technologies will be disruptive; enabling scale-up of production whilst reducing the financial and environmental costs**. The project will initially focus on the production of pulp containing HFCFs for which there is a substantial market need. In addition to waste paper and board, side-stream materials from paper production such as wet-end trim will be used. Other agricultural and food waste streams containing fibre, such as brewer's spent grain, may also become usable enabling the increasing demand for paper and board to be met. New opportunities for process additive formulations will also be established. The engineering designs developed during this project will be scalable and usable throughout the industry. Demonstration of industrial scale HFCF production is a key target as it will increase the energy efficiency of paper and board production. Fibre sources that are currently wasted or under-utilised will help meet growing demand for sustainable packaging. In addition to the economic and environmental benefits, this will aid progress towards net-zero carbon emissions and a circular bioeconomy. **Manufacturing of light-weighted products will help grow the UK economy and create employment opportunities in the paper and chemical industries.**

Awaiting Public Summary