It is challenging to apply the waste hierarchy of _reduce, reuse, recycle_ to food packaging. Reduction would lead to shorter shelf life and greater food waste, with worse impact than the reduction in packaging. 46.2% of food packaging is currently recycled, with the remainder incinerated, buried in landfill or exported with unknown fate. Virtually no food packaging is re-used, due to concerns around hygiene. Re-used packaging requires sterilisation between users to be acceptable to consumers. The environmental impact of high temperature washing or chemical sterilisation means it is not beneficial to re-use food packaging. CodiKoat have developed novel antimicrobial technology called Cydal. This can be applied as a surface coating to many materials and kills viruses or bacteria. We have already shown that materials treated with Cydal are safe for humans to handle. In this project, we will develop new food packaging materials that contain Cydal. We will design containers suitable for use in grocery delivery. We will work with supermarkets and consumers to see how we could replace current food packaging with our re-usable alternative. We will determine how much washing is needed between users to prevent bacteria or viruses being passed between users. We will also determine how many times packaging can be used safely and design a system to indicate when it needs replacing. We will also calculate how much better for the environment our new food packaging could be. We have strong interest from two supermarkets to use our technology once we have completed this project.

Single use plastic packaging, whilst used throughout global food/drink supply chains, has had a major impact on finite resource use, waste generation and pollution. Five million tonnes of plastic are used in the UK each year (UK Government, 2021). There is an urgent need to address plastics use, with international organisations (e.g., UN Sustainable Development Goals 12\. Responsible Consumption and Production and 14\. Life Below Water) and national governments implementing targets for single use plastics reduction (e.g., UK Plastics Pact and implementation of a plastic tax on non-recycled materials in 2022). The UK Plastics Pact commits to 100% of plastic packaging being reusable, recyclable or compostable. Prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, re-usable packaging e.g., coffee shop cup schemes, were gaining in popularity. However, issues with hygiene/disease spread limited use (e.g., Starbucks March 2020) as food retailers and others moved back to single use plastics to help combat the virus; Covid-19 was a massive blow for the transition to sustainable plastic packaging. We aim to create an innovative, reusable plastic packaging that is coated with a proven anti-microbial coating that destroys viruses/bacteria within 10 seconds. It is effective on surfaces even after extensive re-use washing cycles. Project lead CodiKoat will utilise their patented anti-microbial coatings which have already been proven and developed for use on personal protective equipment to coat a plastic food box suitable for use at events/venues and within general food supply chains. CodiKoat will work with collaborator Recup, a supplier of reusable cups to the events sector, to design and test boxes. We will also develop the logistics e.g., centralised washing and quality assurance, business model and impact case (e.g., carbon emissions, resource use) for a box (Codibox) that can be re-used \>50 times with no re-coating required. By building in anti-microbial functionality to re-useable food packaging we create re-assurance for consumers/retailers against disease spread from touch points. Concerns over related to the growth of other microbes from food contamination are allayed, and the hygienic surface should also reduce the temperatures needed to clean the boxes between uses, thus also lowering carbon footprint. We will initially develop our business model for events/venues which have historically created large amounts of waste, with the view to other food supply chains e.g., online deliveries, takeaways where delivery/collection logistics can be controlled and supported by zero emissions transport, once proven.

The coronavirus pandemic has reversed the move towards reusable plasticware and other materials, with single use product utilisation increasing as a way of reducing the risk of infection spread. As businesses and events open back up this return to disposable plastic use will put a massive strain on both resources and the environment. Recup (Project Lead) provide branded (event details), washable, reusable, recyclable cups to events and venues including Lord's Cricket Ground, Royal Ascot and Arsenal football club. Consumers pay a small deposit per cup, encouraging return, and at the end of the event Recup collects, cleans and reuses (or recycle into new cups if branded with a specific event) the cups at more events. Concerns over using reusable cups (due to Covid) is that they pose an infection risk to customers and those collecting them, and residual virus may remain following cleaning (particularly if cleaned at the venue/festival if reused at the same event). CodiKoat (Project Partner) is developing a surface treatment using a novel (IP protected) combination of antimicrobial metallic nanoparticles and surface electrochemistry that provides a weak electric current. This disrupts the virus membrane and is effective within seconds and has long lasting anti-microbial properties (up to two years). CodiKoat has already tested the viability and stability of the materials coating on substrates. By applying this to self-adhesive tapes and films they are creating a product that can be used on any solid surface, instantly rendering it antimicrobial. This removes the need for constant surface disinfection, significantly reducing cleaning costs and the hazardous waste generated. The aim of this project is apply the CodiKoat antiviral surface treatment to in mould labelling (IML) to create a safe, reusable and branded cup suitable for use at events. This will enable Recup to supply event venues with a unique product and significantly grow market share.