Citresa, new biodegradable packaging for its juices made from sugars obtained from waste water

The Valencian company Citresa (belonging to the multinational Suntory) has accomplished the first prototype packaging for juices made from PHB (biodegradable bioplastic obtained from natural sources) material. This material has been obtained through bioproduction processes in which certain bacteria transform and synthesize the company’s wastewater into this type of bioplastic.

It has been possible to transform 30 percent of the sugars contained in the company’s wastewater into this new material. In addition, the first laboratory tests on biodegradability and compostability show that 60 percent of this package is degraded in nine weeks, significantly improving the biodegradability of current plastics. It is the result of the European project PHBOTTLE, funded by the Seventh Framework Programme and coordinated by AINIA. PHBOTTLE is a pioneer in developing the concept of "Circular Economy" project. The consortium has been formed by a large number of companies and European and international research centres.