A partnership between Fanshawe’s Centre for Research and Innovation (CRI) and a local food preparation and delivery company is changing how single-use plastics are managed.
Project Summary
LiveFit Foods, based at The Grove at London’s Western Fair District, delivers prepared meals to customers across Canada. Its parent company, Ethey Group, has evolved into a brand that prioritizes sustainability in the food industry. LiveFit’s profile in London’s food production sector, and their goal to reduce the amount of waste generated by plastic food containers, was a clear fit with Fanshawe's interest in innovative approaches to food packaging.
The Challenge
As data surfaces about the harmful effects of single-use plastics on the environment, the team at LiveFit wanted to find a way to divert as much plastic from the landfill as possible while maintaining high-quality packaging for their customers.
To tackle this challenge, they reached out to Fanshawe. A team was formed including principal co-investigators Istok Nahtigal and Sahar Samimi, project manager Ian Butcher, analytical scientist Omar Zoaarob and research assistant Aida Balaz, a third-year student in Fanshawe’s Chemical Laboratory Technology advanced diploma program.
The energy from everyone at CRI really brought this project together. The team has created something exciting that will make a big difference going forward.
The Solution
Fanshawe's team developed a process to break down polyester-based plastic packaging into liquid or powder forms, which can then be used to develop alternative, high-quality products. The process helps divert plastic containers from the landfill.
“This is a solution to a global problem that is being developed in London. Local innovation can have enormously positive outcomes when companies partner with colleges to tackle hard challenges.”
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