Recycling potential sown from cocoa bean

United Kingdom – UK specialist materials group and fine paper manufacturer James Cropper has developed a new recycling process to turn unused residue from the 3.5 million tonnes of cocoa beans produced each year into wrapping paper for chocolate bars.

Each tonne of dry cocoa bean produced generates roughly 10 tonnes of cocoa husk waste, thus making the papermaking initiative ‘a potentially significant breakthrough’, according to the company.

The novel recycling process avoids the burning or gradual degrading of the cocoa husk fibres, and does not rely on artificial dyes. The finished product is a light brown paper packaging that comprises mostly unbleached cellulose fibre from sustainable crops and boasts a 10% cocoa husk content. 

As the cocoa waste materials are delivered to the mill in pulpable bags, these can be incorporated into the papermaking process without further treatment, James Cropper notes. 

The idea came about following a request from cocoa and chocolate products manufacturer Barry Callebaut to analyse the sustainability of its packaging. Also engaged in a coffee cup recycling project, James Cropper has been shortlisted for this year’s LUXE PACK in Green Award, with a panel of industry professionals deciding the winner of this eco-design prize on October 23.

For more information, visit: www.cropper.com