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Nofima project eyes nanotech to solve plastics problem

A Nofima scientist is embarking on a research project that aims to find new solutions for more efficient recycling of plastics used in seafood and other food packaging. 

Jawad Sarfraz was awarded NOK 7.7 million (US$901,000) by the Research Council of Norway for his project Nano Functional Packaging (NanoFunPack). The research has two main objectives: increase recycling of plastics in food packaging and reduce food waste.

“The aim of the project is to use nanotechnology to find smart solutions so that plastics used in food packaging can be more easily recycled. We also want to develop even smarter food packaging to increase its overall shelf life and reduce food waste,” Sarfraz said in post on Nofima’s website.

Some 1.3 billion tonnes of food produced worldwide are wasted, according to United Nations data. A study published in Science Advances in December 2018 revealed that out of 8.3 billion metric tons of plastic that have been produced, 6.3 billion metric tons have become plastic waste, and only nine per cent of that has been recycled.