The LIFE CLOOVER2 project, coordinated by SINTAC, in the Valencian Community

Towards true Circularity in Spain of industrial and commercial plastic packaging in agrifood applications

The European LIFE Program for the Environment and Climate Action, one of the key instruments of the European Green Pact, aims to protect the health and well-being of citizens from risks and impacts related to the Environment and Climate.

In its 2022 call for grants, it received more than 300 projects from all over Europe, of which only 28% of the projects submitted from Spain were approved by the EU Commission. LIFECLOOVER2 was successful.

The LIFE CLOOVER2 Project, Closed-LOOps Verification of Reused and Recycled polyolefins drums, jerricans & crates, coordinated by the Valencian company SINTAC, aims to implement closed reuse and recycling circuits for industrial (drums and jerricans) and commercial (fruit and vegetable crates) polyolefin packaging in the agri-food sector, in accordance with the Food Safety criteria of the EFSA, European Food Safety Authority.

The LIFE CLOOVER2 Project will be developed during the period 2023-2026. It has the direct participation of two Associations, AMAFRUVA and CAPEC and three industrial partners, AGROFRESH, PALÉC ECOLÓGICO and REYDE. It will start with a pilot project in the Valencian Community, to be later scaled up to other Autonomous Communities and replicated in other European countries.

Teresa Martinez, Circular Economy Project Manager at SINTAC and coordinator of the LIFE CLOOVER2 Project, highlighted „Our LIFE CLOOVER2 Project will demonstrate that polyolefin plastic packaging contributes to the Circularity of Materials and GHG reduction. We will investigate the optimal combination between reuse and recycling for each of the packaging analyzed, and thus develop it on an industrial scale. We will close the cycle of polyolefin packaging, using its own recycled material in the manufacture of new packaging, with a controlled and traceable system, while verifying that the functionality of the packaging is maintained, even in food applications.„

Vicente Olmos, CEO of SINTAC adds, as a summary: „The LIFE CLOOVER2 Project will define the most suitable formula that combines Sustainability with Food Safety, applied to industrial and commercial plastic packaging“.

For more information: info@sintac.es