Issue 36: Smart Plastics

An initiative funded in November 2020 called Smart Sustainable Plastic Packaging from Plants (S2UPPlant) led by James Elliott, Prof Paul Dupree (Department of Biochemistry) and Dr Jonathan Cullen (Department of Engineering) will research the potential for components of packaging sourced from food or agricultural waste, or from genetically altered plants. New materials will show improved properties, such as strength or low permeability to water or oxygen, reducing the volume of plastic packaging needed to keep food fresh. The investment is part of the Enabling Research competition in the Smart Sustainable Plastic Packaging Challenge.