The REA is one of ten partners to the Compostable Packaging Coalition (CPC), which was formally established and backed by £1.2 million in funding from UK Research and Innovation (UKRI). The aim of the CPC is to establish the role that compostable packing can play, within the existing bio-waste infrastructure, in transitioning to a new plastics economy. The project comes after Defra called for further evidence to support the case for including compostable packaging in the UK’s bio-waste treatment streams.

The project will consist of consumers in a specific area diverting compostable packaging into appropriate food waste bins, while some coalition parties work to decrease the number of non-recyclable plastics, some focus on analysing consumer behaviour, and others, including the REA, will provide general support for the entirety of the project.

The overall aim of the study is to investigate whether compostable plastic can be processed to create high-quality compost that can be applied to support soil fertility. The study will take 24 months.

You can read the press release here.