The Brief: is the use of straw and grain in packaging a scalable option?

In a rush? Click here to read a short summary of this report

Introduction:

Recently, more companies have begun producing packaging made from crop waste such as sugarcane bagasse, molasses, straw and grains. In this edition of The Brief, we examine current developments in straw and grain packaging and whether it is a scalable option.

Key takeaways:

• Current applications include AB InBev and Sustainable Fiber Technologies’ collaboration to create Corona beer packs from recycled fibres and barley straw; Craste’s compostable millet straw packaging; TIPA’s recyclable, home compostable tray made from rice waste pulp and alterpacks’ food containers made from spent grains such as malt and barley. 
• Some of the main issues are environmental impact and competitiveness (especially when it comes to price), the product’s end of life, as not all products can biodegrade naturally, and the availability of commercial composting facilities – as current wheat straw material packaging is not fully biodegradable and composting facilities in the US that accept food scraps are not widespread.

Conclusion:

Currently, the use of straw and grain packaging does not seem to be scalable, bearing in mind issues such as plastic components preventing full biodegradability and US composting facilities not accepting food scraps. However, the recent uptake of crop residue in packaging means we may see continued development and further integration into - or adaptation of - existing systems for the life cycle of straw and grain packaging.

In the last few years, more companies have been producing packaging made from crop waste, such as sugarcane bagasse, molasses, straw and grains. In this edition of The Brief, we will take a closer look at straw and grain packaging and whether it is a scalable option.

Back in 2015, Dell began to use wheat straw packaging in its shipping boxes, transitioning some of its notebook product packaging from bamboo to paper and wheat straw cushions and continuing to use wheat straw for laptop boxes and cushions produced in China for global distribution.

More recently, in the summer of 2022, DS Smith announced its trials to produce packaging made from materials including cocoa shells, straw and seaweed. Experimenting with cocoa shells to produce carton board, the company hoped to undertake similar projects in future and speculated that recycling agricultural waste and annual plants such as straw and hemp would reduce the amount of energy and water used in the production process.

A few months later, as part of our Finalist Interview series for the Sustainability Awards 2022, we spoke to AB InBev about its collaboration with Sustainable Fiber Technologies to produce Corona beer packs made from recycled fibres and barley straw. The company claimed to have created a new type of recyclable packaging carton using a straw pulping method developed by Sustainable Fiber Technologies, aiming to have a global roll-out of the solution by 2024.

AB InBev suggested it could provide value and new opportunity to local farmers, as they would be able to sell the straw and help create a micro-economy around the collection, transportation, and delivery of the biomass material across the supply chain. It also identified the biggest challenges: developing the right recipe for appropriate product usage while reducing environmental impact and developing a new supply chain to allow the packaging to reach scale in the market.

By the end of last year, Craste was a finalist in our Sustainability Awards with its compostable millet straw packaging, which it said is food-grade and ‘100% tree-free’. The company converts crop residue into paper, working with various types of crop residue to ensure a consistent supply of paper throughout the year.

Apparently, this approach requires one-third less water compared to traditional papermaking systems and its Agro-Fiber conversion units are set up in the fields themselves to reduce transportation distances and lower carbon emissions.

Craste said the main demands for developing new materials from renewable feedstocks for packaging is driven by two key factors: the annual deforestation rate of “approximately 3.2 billion trees” for traditional paper production and the projected growth of the global packaging market from “USD 1,098.81 billion in 2023 to USD 1,333.02 billion by 2028 at a CAGR [Compound Annual Growth Rate] of 3.94%”. As well as bags, boxes and gifting kits, the company also produces “engineered green boards” designed as an equivalent to wooden boards.

The next month saw TIPA introduce its recyclable, home compostable tray made from rice waste pulp and intended as an alternative to plastic and paper food packaging. Set to package products including fruits, baked goods and hot foods, TIPA said the tray can be disposed of via paper recycling streams or home compost bins, expected to cut down on emissions from burning agricultural waste and integrate into local waste management streams. The pack responded to a ban on polystyrene takeaway containers in England, Scotland and Wales, said to be capable of storing hot meals for up to 48 hours and fully decomposing at end-of-life.

So far this year, DS Smith and Nafici Environmental Research (NER) have teamed up to explore the conversion of ‘second harvest’ materials including straw and grain into packaging materials. NER apparently developed a process to convert agricultural waste into paper-making pulp, with DS Smith’s research team claiming that materials like straw and spent grain from brewers can save up to 10% of the virgin fibres used in the papermaking process.

Several companies are currently creating packaging from spent grains and straw, such as German company Trebodur. Made from brewers’ spent grains (the residues accumulated from barley malt during the process of lautering while producing beer), the company says its “mabeerial” is bound by the natural amount of proteins in the grain, meaning no additional binders are needed. Trebodur’s website displays examples of the material being used for drink coasters, food trays and ring binders for beer cans.

Australian company COPAR makes wheat straw packaging as an alternative to traditional packaging materials, claiming that its locally sourced wheat straw reduces carbon emissions and supports farmers, helping them to find value in wheat straw that was previously burned or considered waste. COPAR’s packaging includes plates, bowls and punnets with applications in the food service and hospitality, fresh produce and healthcare sectors. Last year the company introduced a fibre-based packaging solution featuring moisture-absorbent pads for fresh produce applications.

Elsewhere, Singapore-based company alterpacks produces packaging from spent grains such as malt and barley. Aiming to provide an alternative to single-use plastic packaging, the grains are said to be “upcycled” into 100% organic, home compostable food containers which can be used in the freezer and microwave. The company also carried out pilot schemes in 2022 in Vietnam and Indonesia.

What are some of the main issues and considerations when using straw and grain in packaging?

The possibility of utilising wheat in packaging was investigated as far back as 2004, in an article from Bakery & Snacks. Referring to research by Gregory Glenn of the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) Western Regional Research Centre in California, who worked with EarthShell (a producer of potato starch based foodservice products) on manufacturing wheat-starch disposables, it asked whether wheat-starch containers could eventually replace polystyrene-based products. The article identifies the two main considerations for this as environmental impact and competitiveness, especially when it comes to price.

Apparently, Glenn’s research proved that the biodegradable products matched their polystyrene counterparts in being leak-proof, convenient, and sturdy, but as they were easily biodegradable, they would lessen the burden on American landfills. The article also mentioned Glenn’s belief that having a selection of different starches available would give biodegradable product manufacturers purchasing flexibility, which could help to keep their prices competitive with polystyrene items.

For wheat straw packaging (and possibly other grain and straw based packaging), one of the main considerations is the product’s end of life. While some products can biodegrade naturally, this may not always be the case, depending on the product composition.

For example, while Nicer Packaging’s article emphasises wheat straw as a renewable resource and an alternative to paper products made from trees, it also points out that “commercial composting facilities that accept food scraps are not yet widespread in the US”, adding that current wheat straw material packaging is not fully biodegradable because of the other PE and PET plastic contents, and that only the company’s PLA Packaging is 100% biodegradable and compostable.

Overall, there seems to have been an increase in the last few years of packaging companies incorporating straw and grain into their products, with Dell’s use of wheat straw and AB InBev and SFT’s barley straw packs for Corona beer, but the number of companies solely dedicated to grain and straw based packaging appears to be at a small at present. However, companies such as Craste, Trebodur and COPAR represent a range of applications for straw and grain based packaging, from gifting kits to beer ring binders, plates and punnets.

While the use of straw and grain packaging does not seem to be scalable currently - bearing in mind issues such as plastic components preventing full biodegradability and composting facilities in the US not accepting food scraps, for example – the uptake in utilising crop residue in packaging means we may see continued development of these innovations and further integration into - or adaptation of - existing systems for the life cycle of straw and grain packaging.

If you liked this story, you might also enjoy:

Report: The ultimate guide to global plastic sustainability regulation

The Brief: Oxo-(bio)degradables: the who, what, and why of breaking down fossil-based plastics

Sustainable Packaging Summit: How Kraft-Heinz uses collaboration to drive innovation

The Brief: Using ocean-bound plastic in packaging – how, why and should we?