Blue Ocean Closures Screw Cap

Blue Ocean Closures’ screw cap closure / Source: Blue Ocean Closures

Blue Ocean Closures Screw CapCelluloseEuropeFood & BeverageFood GradeLeak ProofMoisture BarrierMoulded FibrePackagingPaperRecyclableRigidStrong

WHAT WE SAY:

We love to see a new paper-style bottle hitting our shelves (at least the prototype shelf). But they always come up against the same two problems: what makes the paper impervious to water, and how is the bottle closed?

Blue Ocean Closures (BOC) has the answer to at least one of these problems with its vacuum-formed moulded fibre screw cap. The material is recyclable and biodegrades in the ocean, but to make it to market quickly, the company has fallen back on a PHA (plastic) liner. As soon as this is improved, a potentially game-changing alternative to plastic caps could be at hand.

Blue Ocean Closures

WHAT IS THE BLUE OCEAN CLOSURES SCREW CAP?

Blue Ocean Closures’ high-fidelity Moulded Fibre screw cap offers an alternative to plastic-based bottle closures.
The screw cap is made from wood fibre which is recyclable in the Paper waste stream and biodegradable in an ocean environment.
All virgin wood fibre used in manufacturing is FSC-certified, and the caps are formed using a dry press vacuum-forming technique which reduces water consumption compared with traditional wet moulded fibre production.
Currently pre-market, commercial partners include Paboco and the Absolut Company. Paboco has partnered with BOC to create a paper-based lid for its paper bottles, while the Absolut Company will work with BOC to create a natural fibre-based cap for its Glass vodka bottles. Both innovations are expected to be introduced commercially in 2023.
The cap has been developed for manufacture on existing production infrastructure. This allows production at scale with minimal additional overheads, an attractive proposition to producers.

KEY PROPERTIES:

Food Grade
Leak Proof
Moisture Barrier
Recyclable
Rigid
Strong

INDUSTRY:

Food & Beverage
Packaging

AVAILABILITY:

Partner Trials

DIVE DEEPER:

In the last thirty years, over 20 million bottle caps and lids have been found during beach cleaning activities globally – these are typically made from polypropylene or polyethylene which degrade very slowly in ocean conditions and are considered in the top five most deadly ocean trash trash items. With one million bottles being pumped out every minute, this is obviously just the tip of the plasti-berg.
The solution proposed by Swedish company BOC is designed to prevent yet more plastic bottle caps entering the oceans, replacing their ubiquitous presence with a less harmful material which will naturally biodegrade should it inadvertently enter the marine environment.
Within Europe, fibre-based packaging has a recycling rate of 83%, the highest of all packaging materials.
The cap features high torque threads and strong, water-resistant paper fibre. As a drop-in alternative for plastic screw caps, BOC’s product can also be shipped and attached using current industrial processes.
The company’s proprietary vacuum-forming production technique allows for variations in design, such as smooth finishes or textured edges for grip. Branding can be added via embossing, and the company claims there is scope for a coloured fibre base in future.
Further advantages of dry moulded fibre production include that it can match the throughput speed of commodity plastics processing and it has lower costs than wet fibre processing.
The BOC screw cap is currently produced from virgin wood pulp fibre. The company outlines a potential move to recycled fibre in the future, however, food-safe regulations for food contact currently require virgin raw Cellulose materials.
To expedite the product to market, the commercial cap features a PHA (polyhyroxyalkanoate) or PHP (polyhydroxybutyrate) lining which, while bioplastic, are still considered plastics under the new UNEA-5 plastics treaty.
The company states that as the liner is held in place mechanically, it can be separated easily in the recycling process, avoiding the risk of waste stream contamination.
The key challenges identified by BOC’s partner Glatfelter are comparable strength, rigidity, thread durability and cost against traditional plastic closures. Current Blue Ocean Closures commercial project testing remains confidential, so in-market application is as yet untested.
BOC is backed by ALPLA Group (Austria) and Glatfelter (US). ALPLA Group operates across 45 countries in 177 locations and had a turnover of EUR 4 billion (USD 4.1 billion) in 2021. Glatfelter serves customers in over 100 countries and has annual revenues of approximately USD 1 billion.
The BOC Screw Cap won the 2022 IDEA Sustainability Advancement Award.

A Paboco paper bottle with a paper screw cap / Source: Paboco

The structure of a BOC screw cap / Source: Blue Ocean Closures

KEY FACTS:

20mn

bottle caps and lids have been found during beach cleaning activities globally in the last 30 years

83%

Fibre-based packaging has a recycling rate of 83%, the highest of all packaging materials in Europe

$4.1bn

ALPLA Group had a turnover of EUR 4 billion (USD 4.1 billion) in 2021

Key Questions to Ask:

Is there a totally plastic-free alternative?

Using PHA/PHP to line the closure mechanism is a significant compromise. Are there alternatives available which do not use plastic-based solutions? PulPac, for example, has partnered with HSMG to create a plant-based, plastic-free barrier coating for its moulded fibre coffee cup lids.

What materials are you pairing the cap with?

Recyclability is key to the low-impact nature of this lid. So, whether you are pairing it with paper, glass or another material, make sure the instructions for recycling are clear and simple for maximum recovery.

Is this solution supplementing single-use?

A moulded fibre screw cap is intended to be an immediate solution, replicating the existing plastic screw cap. Consider if this method is best for your application or whether you could implement a systems change instead, prioritising reuse over single-use.

Can you use recycled feedstocks?

Food safety regulations require virgin cellulosic materials, but if your application lies within another sector such as beauty, can you explore recycled feedstocks?

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