SafeNanoKap Applicability of the Safe-by-Design Concept using the example of the product development of nanomaterials in coffee capsules
Porject "SafeNanoKap" Applicability of the Safe-by-Design Concept using the example of the product development of nanomaterials in coffee capsules
FTI-Initiative: NANO EHS, NANO Environment, Health and Safety
Project lead: Prof. Marion Huber-Humer, BOKU Wien
Co-Project lead: DI Dr. Florian Part, BOKU
Project partners: Institut für Technikfolgen-Abschätzung der Österreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften (ITA/ÖAW); POLYMERWERKSTATT GmbH (Krems)
Total cost brutto: 79.905 €
Duration: 01.03.2017 – 28.02.2018
Project description (short summary)
Millions of coffee capsules are daily in use, which consist either of aluminum or polymer composites. In terms of a life cycle assessment, the potential environmental impacts of coffee capsules primarily depend on the type of materials and their subsequent recycling or disposal routes. As long as empty aluminum coffee capsules are not separately collected and recycled, plastic capsules – that are ultimately incinerated – will show an improved life cycle assessment. However, capsules consisting of polymer composites (e.g., polyethylene or -propylene) need to be modified because such materials would show a relatively high permeability of gases. Nanotechnology would enable the technical requirements for such food contact materials, when nanoscale additives or fillers are used in plastics.
Within the project "SafeNanoKap" it is therefore assumed that the market potential of coffee capsules, made of polymer composites with nanomaterials, will increase considerably. "SafeNanoKap" is made up of an interdisciplinary project team, in which the Polymerwerkstatt GmbH will work closely with the University of Natural Resources and Life Science and the Austrian Academy of Sciences. In the framework of "SafeNanoKap" the so-called "Safe-by-Design" concept (SbD) will be tested in practice. Using the example of this selected business case, potential risks and environmental impacts of nanomaterials in plastics will be identified. The application of the SbD concept should allow that potential, unexpected risks are identified and minimized as soon as possible. Furthermore, a Life Cycle Mapping and material flow analysis will be conducted to identify possible routes of exposure and "release hotspots" along the entire product lifecycle. This is to create a sound basis for the successful application of the SbD concept. In addition, using moderated group interviews with stakeholders, the strengths and weaknesses of the SbD concept will be concretized. Iteratively, official representatives and experts throughout the value chain are surveyed (i.e.: nanomaterial manufacturers, experts from the plastics processing industry, from consumer and worker protection, as well as waste managers). In addition to the planned SWOT-analysis, the consistency of SbD concept with other concepts and regulations will be reviewed. For this purpose, similar concepts as well as relevant standards and regulations regarding labor protection, environmental or chemical legislation will be screened (e.g.: concepts in terms of "design-for-recycling" or "cradle-to-cradle", REACH, Waste Management Act 2002, etc.). Finally, the project results from "SafeNanoKap" should provide a sound basis, aiming at a sustainable and safe future use of nanomaterials in plastics.