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New legislation is on the horizon and the packaging industry is hurrying to find sustainable options without compromising on protective qualities and performance. Source: Timberbiz Across industries, companies relying on packaging are facing urgent and complex challenges. Plastic taxes, bans, the implementation of the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), and the critical need to reduce carbon emissions are driving a major shift. The time for disruptive change is here and legislation is catching up. The move away from fossil-based materials is no longer optional. It’s becoming mandatory, with legislation gaining speed across markets. Here’s what’s coming: Plastic must be recyclable√ Plastic must be recycled at scale √ Minimum levels of recycled content in packaging Re-use targets for packaging. For companies involved in packaging and shipping, the carbon footprint of transportation is well known. Reducing the carbon footprint in every part of the value chain including packaging, is becoming business critical. Because of this, there is a rising demand for materials that are not only more sustainable, but also protective and high performing. “As plastic taxes, bans, and extended producer responsibility fees rise, the need for viable alternatives will only grow both from producers and consumers. Companies that aren’t proactive risk higher costs and increased administrative burdens,” said Juulia Kuhlman Business Development Director Wood foam at Stora Enso. At Stora Enso is working with biomaterials, after decades of research and development on how to phase out fossils and find a sustainable alternative that doesn’t compromise on quality or performance. “The implementation of PPWR will drive a strong move towards recycled content within the EU. However, limited supply in the secondary market means demand and prices will inevitably rise,” said Mr Kuhlman. “Our renewable packaging innovations are helping phase out fossil-based expanded polystyrene (EPS) a plastic that is notoriously difficult to recycle by offering high-performance, more sustainable alternatives.” Stora Enso Wood foam is a sustainable game changer in protective packaging, a recyclable alternative sourced from sustainably managed forests. Easy to fabricate and offering both flexible and rigid options. Fibrease is a bio-based, flexible and lightweight wood foam. Designed to replace fossil polymer foams in protective packaging, Fibrease offers thermal insulation and memory foam–like properties all while being recyclable. Papira is a semi-rigid, wood-based foam made from renewable materials. The foam is recyclable with paper & board globally, biodegradable and plastic free. With excellent cushioning performance, Papira is ideal for protective packaging and is currently produced at our pilot plant. It offers a sustainable alternative to traditional plastic foams reducing plastic waste and helping companies meet future regulations.

Choosing the right trees to plant is key to successful forest restoration and now there’s a tool to make it easier. Source: Timberbiz At a recent SUPERB workshop in León, Spain, “Seed4Forest” was launched, it is a free, online, decision-making tool that helps users find suitable and productive tree species for any location in Europe. Debojyoti Chakraborty, Senior Scientist at the Austrian Research Centre for Forests (BFW), presented this innovative new tool and showed its diverse features in action. With science-based guidance, “Seed4Forest” offers the user: To see which type of trees already grow well in your area now Understand what type of tree species can thrive within an area’s future climate Explore species combinations that can boost both resilience and biodiversity Find recommended seed sources for your chosen tree species Export your results as a PDF for easy reference and access anytime “Seed4Forest” was developed within SUPERB project in collaboration with the Austrian Research Centre for Forests (BFW). Try the tool here https://app.seed4forest.org/