WIREDGOV

UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) has invested almost £2 million in 14 projects to address consumer problems with plastic packaging.

Awarded funding through the Smart Sustainable Plastic Packaging challenge, these projects will develop better options for future plastic packaging whether you’re in the kitchen, the bathroom or on the move.

Consumers will continue to be able to enjoy some of their favourite products and use essential medicines, with a lower impact on the planet.

This research and development investment will reach regions across the UK, including:

• Northern Ireland
• Scotland
• Wales.

Alternative consumer packaging

To date, the challenge has invested over £30 million for innovation in smart and sustainable plastic packaging for consumer products.

Projects include a number of new biobased, high-performance polymers which have the potential to replace the current oil-based plastic packaging materials in multiple applications for everyday consumer products.

Funding will also help prototype new cleaning product ranges in reusable and refillable packaging, which when disposed of, will create significantly lower CO2 emissions than single-use alternatives.

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