PROGRESS REPORT

Raw Materials

The raw materials choice is a critical part of the circular economy, which is why we choose rapidly renewable, reclaimed, plant-based raw materials as alternatives to regular plastic. We invest in innovative, sustainable materials and customisation technology to expand our sustainable packaging range across industries. Worldwide single-use plastic bans are in full effect and will continue to grow. Plastic production, pollution and the very limited recycling infrastructure are front of mind with consumers. At BioPak, we continue to support these concerns and invest heavily in research and development to bring innovative alternatives to market, like water-based dispersion coating Aqueous.

Leanne Osborne,
Managing Director UK

Plastic-Free Plant Fibre

A recycled, rapidly renewable resource that is a by-product of the sugar-refining industry.

Bioplastic

Ingeo™ bioplastic is made from plants and reduces CO2 emissions by 80% compared to conventional plastic.

FSC™ Paper & Wood

FSC™ certified paper is sourced from sustainably-managed forests or other controlled sources.
(FSC™ C110879 – www.fsc.org)

Aqueous

Our certified home compostable Aqueous dispersion lining is a unique water-based barrier coating.

Our Progress

COMPLETED

Achieve compost certification for our BioBoard range and Straws

Our paper straws are now certified home compostable to European standards NF T51-800. Our bioplastic-lined BioBoard range of lunch and noodle boxes are certified industrially compostable to Australian AS4736 and European EN13432 standards.

Expand our fibre-based solution

We have already made the switch to a plastic-free plant fibre solution with no added PFAS for our produce trays and lids for coffee cups and cold cups, and lids for our plant fibre takeaway bowls and containers. We are expanding our plant fibre lid range adding 4oz cup lids, and natural coloured coffee cup lids.

Phase out plastic sleeves used to protect our retail product range from contamination during transport and storage

For food safety, we need to seal all our products, and due to cost and functionality considerations, we have been using plastic sleeves. We continue our material research to find a suitable non-plastic/bioplastic solution. In 2022, we upgraded our retail products to be completely plastic-free using recycled paper sleeves. This year, we will also be introducing a new retail range that includes a plant fibre plate range that is certified home compostable and does not contain any added PFAS. The retail range will also include certified home compostable cups.

Certify our Aqueous BioCups Home Compostable

Our Aqueous cups are manufactured using a unique water-based barrier coating instead of traditional plastic or bioplastic. They are now certified home compostable to Australian (AS5810) and European (NF T51-800) standards and also certified industrially compostable to Australian (AS4736) and European (EN13432) standards.

ON TRACK

Support our customers with single-use plastic bans

We have been expanding our range of products to support increased demand from businesses looking to move away from plastic. We have grown our FSC™ certified cutlery (Greencore use our fork in their ready-to-go supermarket salads), provided a brand new 4-ply paper spoon straw (used by both McDonalds & KFC ) and a range of FSC™ paper cold cups (used by 7-Eleven). We are also launching unbranded and uncoated wooden cutlery for a cost-effective solution, and new certified home compostable plant fibre cutlery launching July 2023 – another great alternative to single-use plastic cutlery.

Source a new home compostable lining

Our Aqueous cups are manufactured using a unique, certified home compostable water-based barrier coating instead of traditional plastic or bioplastic. This is a huge breakthrough for BioPak, and we will start using Aqueous for our other paper products that require lining, such as our bowls, rectangle containers, noodle and lunch box BioBoard range. We are committed to bringing you the most sustainable and innovative materials.

BioPak is currently working on the next steps for cup linings beyond Aqueous. Within 12 months, we plan to launch a plant-based and home compostable PLA bioplastic and a new revolutionary material, PHA – an innovative material that will be certified to biodegrade even in marine settings. Choose our certified home compostable Aqueous Biocups, and we will migrate you across to better alternatives as they are released.

Migrate all BioCups across to FSC™ certified paper

We are now in the process of transitioning all our BioCups to FSC™ paper by the end of 2023.

Phase out PFAS from BioCane products

Some meals require greater grease resistance than others. Traditionally the foodservice industry has been using PFAS, a greaseproof additive, as a solution in both plant fibre products as well as pizza boxes and paperboard.

BioPak, like all our competitors, use PFAS in some of our BioCane products. It can also be used in pizza boxes and paperboard, BioPak does not add PFAS to our paper products.

Out of an abundance of caution and to always be ahead of the rest with regards to sustainability, we are on track to be the first in our industry to have a plant fibre pulp range that has absolutely no added PFAS in production by the end of 2023.

To date we have removed added PFAS from our BIoCane coffee and cold cups lids, produce trays, and lids from our BioCane takeaway container and bowl lids.

Print compost certifications on all products

We now print the compost certifications on all new products, including our cold paper cups and the BioCup Art Series. We are working on printing our certifications on all of our products.

Phase out regular plastic products

7% of our range is made from conventional plastic due to either cost or functional requirements. These products will be phased out of our range by the end of 2025. We have made strong progress this year replacing PS and PLA coffee cup lids with plant fibre lids. Single-use plastic legislations have seen many plastic items banned, which has helped drive customer support to reduce single use plastics.

Offer reusable cups and containers

We are designing practical, scalable and commercially viable solutions to distribute and recirculate reusable foodservice products.

Raw Material Highlights

BioPak Awards

BioPak is a leader in innovative packaging, recognised with numerous prestigious awards for our commitment to sustainability, product stewardship, and exceptional customer service. Our environmental accolades reflect our dedication to responsible product disposal and recovery, while our packaging awards highlight our innovative design and commitment to quality. We are also proud of our recognition for outstanding customer service, ensuring our customers receive the best support possible throughout their experience with us. Here are some of the most recent awards we have received.

McDonald’s Japan Sustainability Award

BioPak & BioStraws

World Star Packaging Gold Sustainability Award

Home Compostable Hot & Cold BioCup Lids

7-11 Sustainability Excellence Award

BioCup Coffee Cups & Plant Fibre Lids

Reward Hospitality Best Service Level Award

BioPak Team

First Home Compostable FSC™ Cup Solution

BioPak have released certified home compostable Aqueous coffee cups on FSC™ certified paper. This breakthrough technology is a game-changer in the world of disposable paper cups, offering an eco-friendly alternative that is food safe, odourless and can be disposed of right in your backyard compost bin.

Aqueous technology utilises a unique water-based dispersion coating, which is applied like a paint and absorbed into the paper fibres of the cup. This process significantly reduces the amount of material needed while still providing the same leak and grease-proof benefits as other coatings like traditional PE plastic.

Pair these cups with our award-winning plastic-free plant fibre lids, and you have a certified home compostable solution (AS5810).

This year we released a range of plastic-free plant fibre hot and cold cup lids made entirely from plants. We were able to create various sizes of a hot cup lid to fit our coffee cups. When working with 7-Eleven, we realised the opportunity to create a sustainable alternative to plastic dome lids that are often used for slurpees, sodas and milkshakes, and so we created a range of plant fibre dome lids to match our FSC™ Paper Cold Cups . Expanding on this idea, we created flat lids in two sizes as well, all of which are certified home compostable to Australian Standards (AS5810).

Plant Fibre Cutlery

Introducing our new Plant Fibre BioCutlery made from plastic-free plant fibre. Certified home compostable, you can conveniently add them to your compost with other food waste. Our Plant Fibre BioCutlery is made from reclaimed plant fibre pulp with no added PFAS, making them the most sustainable option for your next meal. This range includes our ingenious Chinese soup spoons, knives, forks, spoons and teaspoons. As single-use plastic bans expand across the globe, we are offering more alternatives that are compliant and better for the planet.

See Range >

Welcome

Responsible Supply Chain

This report and the associated sustainability initiatives include statements concerning BioPak's future business expectations, goals, and commitments to environmental, social, and governance (ESG) objectives. It is important to note that these forward-looking statements carry inherent risks and uncertainties. The actual results may deviate from the envisaged outcomes due to various factors, including but not limited to the actions of our suppliers and business partners, the market appetite for certain materials and the availability of end-of-life options. In addition, BioPak relies, either wholly or partially, on publicly available information and data provided by our suppliers and business partners. Further, our ability to verify such information (whether now, in the past, or in the future) may be limited by the integrity of the underlying data available at the relevant point in time and the status and evolution of global, supranational and national laws, guidelines and regulations in relation to the tracking and provision of such data.