The push to the sustainable packaging has gained traction in Spain with regulatory changes and industrial projects that are beginning to be felt in everyday life. In the hospitality industry, it is now mandatory to offer leftovers in containers. free, recyclable or reusable, while technology centers and universities are working on new, safer materials and adhesives.
The Valencian Community concentrates several leading initiatives: on the one hand, the development of biobased adhesives for flexible packaging; on the other hand, an active package and 100% compostable from rice waste that extends the shelf life of food. All of this links to the European objectives of circularity and recyclability for the the packaging.
The hospitality industry is now required to offer sustainable packaging.
The classic Tupperware with leftovers stops being a favor and becomes a legal requirementBars, restaurants, and cafes must provide, free of charge, containers that meet environmental criteria when customers ask to take away uneaten food.
After the first months of implementation, the sector shows clear signs of change: according to a survey by Envapro and FACYRE, the 51,7% of businesses has replaced some of its packaging with sustainable options. Furthermore, data from the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food indicates that the hospitality industry has cut waste by 8,8% up to 28,03 million kilos or liters per year.
The preference for less impactful materials and less plastic is clear. Cardboard and paper have established themselves as majority option (57,5%), ahead of alternatives such as sugar cane (18,4%), conventional plastic (11,7%) or aluminum (10,1%). This choice is associated with its versatility and good performance with different types of food.
The public's response also drives change: four out of ten establishments detect that their customers They value the use of ecological materialsHowever, barriers such as price and doubts about the end of life of the packaging persist, especially in micro-SMEs and self-employed workers.
In distribution, there is an upswing in demand for lightweight and functional formats. The HORECA channel highlights the convenience of tubs and cardboard boxes for strength, stackability and kitchen space savings, key factors when margins are tight.
Bio-based and safer adhesives for real recycling
The ITENE Technology Centre works, together with Inescop and other partners, in sustainable polyurethane adhesives with up to 50% renewable raw materials. The goal is to offer formulations viable on an industrial scale that reduce dependence on fossil fuels.
The SUSTAINPU project incorporates two major changes: on the one hand, the use of resources such as vegetable oils to obtain biobased polyols; on the other hand, the development of formulations isocyanate-free, compounds with health and environmental limitations. This approach facilitates processes of cleaner recycling and safe without sacrificing technical performance.
The solutions are being adapted to technologies common in the packaging sector: water-based, solvent-based, hot-melt and solventlessIn validations, ITENE looks for adhesion forces of at least 3 N/mm on flexible plastics and 5 N/mm on paper, and analyses the suitability for food contact, while Inescop carries out ACV to quantify environmental benefits.
This development is in line with community demands that, by 2030, a high percentage of the packaging sold will be recyclable and safe, supporting the transition towards a real circular economy.
From rice waste to active and compostable packaging
The Department of Innovation, through Ivace+i, promotes Actiurròs, a project coordinated by the University of Valencia together with Aimplas and other partners, with funding SPRINGThe goal: to replace multi-layer plastic structures, which are difficult to recycle, with 100% home-compostable packaging which also extend the shelf life of food.
The solution integrates natural bioactive compounds obtained by fermentation of rice residues with lactic acid bacteria. These compounds are encapsulated to maintain their effectiveness during processing and use, helping to extend their shelf life up to a 25% longer lifespan of meat products already cut around a 5% waste.
In parallel, it has been extracted cellulose from rice straw to manufacture a biopolymer with oxygen barrier properties, suitable for replacing non-recyclable layers. The material is processed by extrusion coating to improve water resistance and durability.
The project does not remain in the laboratory: it contemplates the transfer to companies rice producers, packaging manufacturers and meat distributors, as well as a circularity self-diagnosis tool and a specific seal for the hospitality industry that incorporates these containers.
- Phase 1: obtaining and encapsulation of bioactives via fermentation of rice waste.
- Phase 2: development of the cellulosic biopolymer and processed by extrusion for active packaging.
Impact on SMEs, value chain and European objectives
The three vectors—regulations, materials, and adhesives—push in the same direction: reduce waste, facilitate recyclability, and improve food utilization. For SMEs, the challenge is to balance cost and performance, prioritizing versatile packaging that can be used for hot, cold, liquids or solids without losing integrity.
Valencian initiatives strengthen the productive fabric with solutions that meet technical, health, and environmental requirements. As supply and economies of scale grow, it will become easier for the hospitality and food industries. adopt sustainable packaging without penalizing price or operation, with consumers increasingly attentive to the impact of materials.
Regulatory progress in hospitality, the biobased and isocyanate-free adhesives and active packaging of agricultural origin show that the packaging sector is beginning to translate sustainability into tangible results: less waste, more recyclability and compostable solutions that close the circle from waste to new product.
