Stora Enso develops plastic-free tray for Mester Grønn’s horticultural products

NORWAY – Finnish company Stora Enso has partnered with Norwegian flower chain Mester Grønn to develop a new plastic-free transportation tray for Mester’s plants.

The new PureFiber™ Horti tray is made from formed fiber and reduces CO2 emissions compared to the plastic alternatives. Mester Grønn is hoping that the new tray will have a positive effect on the overall environmental impact of the entire industry.

The solution is claimed to minimize carbon dioxide emissions by up to 80% when compared with conventional plastic alternatives.

Stora developed the plastic-free tray based on three main criteria provided by Mester, which currently has more than 143 flower shops across Norway.

The first criteria required Stora to ensure that the tray is capable of retaining its rigidity in both dry and humid conditions.

Mester’s second criterion was to meet current industry standards in order to effectively integrate into the existing logistical chain.

The last requirement was to ensure that the new tray could withstand exposure to water.

To meet these requirements, Stora recommended the use of its PureFiber solution, which is a moulded fiber material used for manufacturing different shapes.

The flower retailer selected Stora’s PureFiber Horti tray solution after completing an extensive three-year-long prototype and testing process.

Mester CEO Erling J Ølstad said: “We need to become greener; we are representing a green industry so we can’t be playing against nature, we have to be on the same team.”

The work is in line with Mester’s ambition to replace single-use plastic throughout the flower industry’s supply chain, for instance, in the trays used for transporting plants from growers to flower shops.

Mester Marketing team member Mari Bøhm Telle added: “We are very happy about the results. It could make a difference for the whole flower industry in Europe, that’s what we are hoping for!”

New container for medical, veterinary, laboratory and dental procedures

Earlier this month, Stora introduced a similar solution for pharmaceutical packaging. The company partnered with FrostPharma and Mälarplast to develop a new hazardous waste container, made from biocomposites.

The new version cuts emissions by more than 50% compared to the solution made from conventional plastics.

The waste containers take care of hazardous waste arising from medical, veterinary, laboratory and dental procedures and are required to be incinerated after usage to ensure the safety of disposal, minimizing the risk of anyone encountering the risk waste.

The same type of waste container is used all over Europe, with harmonized safety standards and rules for handling. One of these rules is the requirement to burn the containers after usage.

This results in millions of discarded containers, leading to significant CO2 emissions. This is a concern for the European health sector, which is striving to become more sustainable.

“The product line is called WoodSafe®, and it consists of seven containers in different sizes. They are already in use, the results are great, and it’s been well received by the market,” says Peter Wall CEO Mälarplast.

A life cycle assessment performed by an independent party looked at WoodSafe® waste container’s environmental impact and compared the material to the most common alternatives available in the market.

It showed that by using a WoodSafe® container you can lower the CO2 emissions by up to 66% compared to when using a container from virgin plastic.

“Our mission was to lower the carbon footprint from the healthcare sector and create a sustainable, yet safe, alternative to today’s products,” says Henrik Alfredsson from FrostPharma.

The result is WoodSafe®, manufactured in Sweden with renewable raw materials. The containers are easy to implement as they have the same sizes and the same handling as the ones traditionally used.