USO DE RESÍDUOS ORGÂNICOS PARA O DESENVOLVIMENTO DE EMBALAGENS: TESTES EM POLPA MOLDADA

Abstract

At the end of its life, packaging can become waste if not disposed of correctly, becoming a visible component of the garbage produced on the planet, with a defined shape and that communicates with the world. Likewise, large-scale agricultural production generates organic residues that, although they are materials rich in fibers, are discarded, such as rice husks, coconut husks, wood fibers, among others. In order to contribute with solutions to minimize the environmental impact of packaging and organic waste, this study aims to carry out preliminary tests on the manufacture of molded pulp packaging from organic waste, in a context of circular economy. Action research was used as a method to guide the collective construction (project team and partner companies), and the direction of preliminary tests of packaging to be produced. Tests carried out with coconut fibers in transfer molding and thermoforming were promising, but required the addition of binding substances such as starch derivatives, especially in the transfer molding method. In addition to using fibers from alternative sources to cellulose, the proposed packages are potentially compostable and can replace non-renewable materials such as petroleum-derived polymers.