Reusify

The thirty-month co-innovation research project named Reusify aims at accelerating the use of reusable packaging in Finland by offering tools and resources to develop a scalable recycling system.

Due to the growing consumption of fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) and food take-away, the demand for single-use packaging has increased, leading to global waste management challenges. According to Eurostat, between 2009 and 2020, the total quantity of packaging waste generated in the EU rose by 20%, now 80 million tons and 178 kg per EU citizen.  Without drastic change, the amount of packaging waste will increase by a further 19% by the year 2030.

The Reusify ecosystem covers the value chain of packaging reuse from the production of materials to recirculation. Together with ecosystems 21 company partners and University of Vaasa and VTT (Technical Research Centre of Finland) will develop solutions to packaging reuse with its multidisciplinary research. The research will cover governance of reuse ecosystems, reuse system design from tracing and logistics point of view, packaging solution design and testing, verification of safety aspects, and sustainability scenarios and trade-offs. VTT is responsible for the overall project coordination. 

The research project is not just about developing reusable packaging systems. It’s about creating new competence and export potential for a wide range of Finnish industry actors.  From packaging raw materials and packaging itself to tracking, machinery, logistics, cleaning, filling, labeling, and software solutions.