“Everyone is shocked by the pictures and videos of massive amounts of plastic waste in the oceans. Plastic free products will be a game changer in packaging and food service industries. We want to do our share by providing the markets with plastic free packaging material solutions – solving the problem one coffee cup at a time”, Hämäläinen says.Single use plastics and plastic waste is widely debated in the UK and around the world. Countless commodities and packaging materials used today contain plastics.

In the near future, Governments will be forced to implement measures to speed up the transition towards a more efficient circular economy where waste, emissions and energy losses are minimised.

The packaging industry, brand owners and consumers must be ready to take on this challenge.

“By making our products plastic free, with water-based dispersion barriers, we want to ensure easy recyclability for retailers and consumers alike. The demand for recyclable and sustainable products both in traditional and in luxury packaging is increasing. We are proud to be able to offer sustainable and easy-to-recycle solutions to answer the demand.” Kotkamills’ CEO Markku Hämäläinen says.

The product line includes AEGLE® Barrier Light for food-to-go packaging where a low to medium grease resistance is required and AEGLE® Barrier Plus with excellent grease and water vapour resistance for frozen food and bakery applications. ISLA® Duo cupstock for disposable cups complements the product family. All the products are easy to recycle after use, without the need to separate any plastics from the wood fibres.