In May 2025, an important research program named Greco successfully received 7.6 million euros (approximately 61.8 million RMB) in funding support from the Horizon Europe program. This capital injection will provide a strong impetus for the innovative development of the food packaging industry and is expected to reshape the entire industry landscape with innovative technologies and sustainable solutions.
The Greco project can be regarded as a model of multi-party collaborative cooperation. Led jointly by Dutch polylactic acid (PLA) producer TotalEnergies Corbion, Spanish packaging company Coexpan, Spanish plastic technology center Aimplas and European Bioplastics(European Bioplastics Association) It attracted 22 partners who are passionate about promoting PLA sustainable food packaging solutions to participate. The project will be officially launched at the Aimplas headquarters in Valencia, Spain on June 16-17. At that time, all parties will gather together to discuss development plans.
It is understood that the Greco project has a very clear goal, fully focusing on the development of sustainable packaging. The project is dedicated to creating high-performance, recyclable and biodegradable food packaging, ranging from flexible films for berries to hard containers for cheese, aiming to extend the product's shelf life, effectively retain aroma and moisture, while strictly complying with the EU's "Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation" requirements. To achieve this goal, the project team is dedicated to developing a new generation of polylactic acid copolymers, functional coatings, and environmentally friendly chemical processes to meet the diverse demands of the food packaging industry. They also adopt an iterative development approach to enhance the biodegradability, production efficiency, and material quality of polylactic acid. Just as Dimitrios Bikiaris, the project coordinator of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, said: "Our goal is to create sustainable circular solutions to reduce waste and the impact on the environment."
In terms of technological breakthroughs, the advantages of all the participants have been fully demonstrated. TotalEnergies Corbion is developing advanced polylactic acid copolymers to enhance their recyclability and functionality. The company's polylactic acid factory located in Rayong, Thailand, has an annual output of up to 75,000 tons. The polylactic acid product series it produces are widely used in multiple industries such as packaging, consumer goods, and automobiles. It also leads the chemical recycling of polylactic acid waste through hydrolytic depolymerization technology, vigorously practicing the principle of circular economy. Aimplas, on the other hand, employs cutting-edge technologies such as reactive extrusion and mechanochemistry to customize polylactic acid copolymers and additives, laying a solid foundation for scalable green packaging solutions.
In addition, the Greco project attaches great importance to the end of the product life cycle and the certification process. The project team will explore mechanical and chemical recycling methods and test biodegradability in different environments such as the ocean, soil and compost. The certification partners, the Austrian TUV certification body and the German DIN Certco certification body, will assist in formulating new industry standards based on the actual test results. It is worth mentioning that while the project focuses on laboratory research, it also fully considers social factors. By collecting consumers' insights, it ensures that the final product not only meets the requirements of sustainable development but also satisfies the actual usage needs. Just as Hasso von Pogrell of the European Bioplastics Association said: "The Greco project demonstrates how collaboration and innovation can power the European bioeconomy."
