Paper produced in Sweden by Mondi fuels the journey from organic waste to biogas
Produced by Mondi Dynäs, Advantage MF EcoComp makes organic waste sorting easier and neater – and generates sustainable biogas for vehicles
From the first idea of producing a paper that is fit for organic waste to fuelling a vehicle with biogas, Mondi Dynäs mill, Sweden, took a successful road. Together with Svenco, one of Europe’s major manufacturers of paper bags, Mondi launched Advantage MF EcoComp, which is used to produce the so called Matavfallspåse waste paper bag that has since become indispensable for most Swedish households.
But the bag’s journey is not done once it has collected organic kitchen waste. In fact, Advantage MF EcoComp is still picking up speed when it enters the recycling plant. The bag, the paper and its contents go straight to the biogas facility for conversion into a fuel that is supplied by Swedish petrol stations. One full waste bag made of EcoComp can power a car over a distance of up to 4 km [1]. “Biogas is an environmentally friendly vehicle fuel because it is not fossil-based, but extracted from biological material. The use of biogas as a fuel is increasing all the time, and it is therefore important that food waste is collected. Biological treatment enables engineers to take advantage of the parent plants’ nutrients and energy. We can recycle nutrients and manufacture vehicle fuels or produce electricity, both of which are sustainable,” explains Christer Hansson, Managing Director of Svenco.
Advantage MF EcoComp – the natural choice for organic-waste sorting
Advantage MF EcoComp is a brown speciality kraft paper produced at the Mondi Dynäs mill. It has been developed specifically to produce bags used for the simple and neat collection and composting of organic kitchen waste. The paper is made of virgin fibre from Scandinavian pine forests. “It is crucial that virgin fibre is used in the manufacture of the brown speciality kraft paper in order to obtain the strength required for the bag. Thanks to its water-repellent qualities, which prevent leaks while minimising odours and allowing water vapour to pass through the paper wall, Mondi’s speciality kraft paper is the perfect material for our waste bag,” comments Hansson. Another factor that persuaded Svenco to adopt this paper solution was its compatibility with the company’s open-mouth ventilation system. “Our open mouth system facilitates aerobic digestion of the food waste instead of anaerobic degradation, which occurs in closed systems. The open mouth system allows water to evaporate from the waste, which therefore dries out instead of stagnating. Among the benefits are a reduction in unpleasant odours, lower weight, which is good for transportation, and a decrease in the risk of the waste freezing to the bin,” insists Hansson. The use of a paper bag in a ventilated bin mitigates the problems of a messy and smelly environment because the paper has a unique ability to absorb and remove moisture when ventilated. Given that the paper itself is certified as fully biodegradable and compostable, the whole bag and its contents can be composted.
“Together with Svenco we have developed a sustainable product that makes a difference. But the journey of our Advantage MF EcoComp and the waste bag is not over yet. We are continuously refining our product to meet new challenges and market needs. Adjusting the paper to run even more smoothly on vacuum systems, and compatibility with optical sorting will be among the next steps and challenges we will be tackling with our partners. Waste management – especially biodegradability and composting – is sure to remain a hot topic worldwide for generations to come. Mondi takes its responsibility for the environment very seriously and is proud to contribute to Svenco’s game-changing approach to organic waste composting,” remarks Gerhard Pachler, Sales Director Speciality Kraft Paper Mondi Europe & International.
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Contact
Waltraud Seiner, Head of Marketing Packaging Paper
Tel: +43 (1) 79013 – ext. 4754,
Email: waltraud.seiner@mondigroup.com
Elisabeth Dock, Communications Manager Packaging Paper
Tel: +43 (0) 664 8446520
Email: Elisabeth.dock@mondigroup.com
About Mondi Speciality Kraft Paper
Mondi Speciality Kraft Paper is a business segment of the business unit Packaging Paper and one of the leading European suppliers of speciality kraft paper grades. It maintains four production sites that are focused on achieving superior quality, excellent runnability, optimised converting machine productivity, and the best possible packaging characteristics for the end-user. Mondi Speciality Kraft Paper offers a broad selection of machine-finished (MF) - including our EcoVantage paper range - smooth-finished (SF) and machine-glazed (MG) grades.
Customer focused. Every day.
With Mondi Speciality Kraft Paper customers can benefit from a comprehensive range of products to fit individual requirements from industrial packaging, to retail shopping bags, and attractive food packaging for supermarket shelves. Furthermore, Mondi strives to apply the latest technology in the paper making process to ensure that the highest customer standards can be met.
Innovative. Every day.
Mondi Speciality Kraft Paper fosters innovative research and cutting-edge technology. Its commitment is reflected in the work of its R&D and Bag Application Centres, the Print Competence Centre, where packaging and printing solutions are developed and tested in close cooperation with customers. In addition, the team of specialists at our Food Safety Laboratory develop optimised solutions that meet highest requirements for food contact and other sensitive applications.
We are Mondi: IN TOUCH EVERY DAY
At Mondi, our products protect and preserve the things that matter.
Mondi is an international packaging and paper Group, employing around 25,000 people across more than 30 countries. Our key operations are located in central Europe, Russia, North America and South Africa. We offer over 100 packaging and paper products, customised into more than 100,000 different solutions for customers, end consumers and industrial end uses - touching the lives of millions of people every day. In 2015, Mondi had revenues of €6.8 billion and a return on capital employed of 20.5%.
The Mondi Group is fully integrated across the packaging and paper value chain - from managing forests and producing pulp, paper and compound plastics, to developing effective and innovative industrial and consumer packaging solutions. Our innovative technologies and products can be found in a variety of applications including hygiene components, stand-up pouches, super-strong cement bags, clever retail boxes and office paper. Our key customers are in industries such as automotive; building and construction; chemicals; food and beverage; home and personal care; medical and pharmaceutical; packaging and paper converting; pet care; and office and professional printing.
Mondi has a dual listed company structure, with a primary listing on the JSE Limited for Mondi Limited under the ticker code MND and a premium listing on the London Stock Exchange for Mondi plc, under the ticker code MNDI.
For us, acting sustainably makes good business sense and is part of the way we work every day. We have been included in the FTSE4Good Index Series since 2008 and the JSE's Socially Responsible Investment (SRI) Index since 2007.
[1] http://kfsk.se/biogassyd/uncategorized/hur-langt-kan-en-gasbil-kora-pa-en-pase-matavfall/