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Brazilian green company brings fresh capital and cooperation in production of earth-friendly
2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Sustainable food packaging pioneer W-Cycle
is deepening its alliance with Melhoramentos to answer demand for plastic-free
compostable food containers through its breakthrough packaging formula
The publicly traded Brazilian company with activities spanning publishing
and real estate has injected fresh investment into W-cycle
propelling its innovation journey into the realm of eco-responsible packaging development
This move follows a USD 3.4 million strategic partnership sealed in November 2024 between the two entities to supply Melhoramentos W-Cycle's proprietary food-grade packaging composition
with exclusive rights to serve the Latin American market
During the past 18 months of the collaboration
Melhoramentos has been consulting with W-cycle on effectively integrating cellulose fibers that are sourced from its own 80 million square meter renewable forestry operations
A portion of Melhoramentos' pulp is being redirected from traditional use within the paper and cardboard production industry toward the production of high-performance compostable food containers
giving the natural and abundant material new purpose
"Having successfully merged our raw materials with W-Cycle's truly groundbreaking solution and after a year and a half of consultations and professional support
this proven and tested innovation and collaboration
makes this latest investment the logical next step forward," declares Rafael Gibini
"We are excited and feel fortunate to collaborate with Melhoramentos in moving our venture forward," says Isaac Rome
"Our shared mission to improve the global food packaging value chain will help build a sustainable future for all
The financial support from this leading company gives us significant R&D leverage and acceleration into large-scale commercial deployment with multi-million-dollar revenue."
is breaking new ground within the molded fiber space with the creation of its innovative range of food-grade SupraPulp™ formulas
SupraPulp helps molded fiber producers manufacture a new generation of food compliant
eco-friendly trays and containers that are as robust as plastic yet require no plastic lamination and fully decompose back to the earth after use
When combined with various types of fiber-based sidestreams
such as sugarcane waste (bagasse) or eucalyptus wood fiber
these cutting-edge additives boost material resilience
allowing for molded fiber food packaging that is eco-friendly yet meticulously engineered to withstand grease
W-Cycle's proprietary portfolio of solutions is designed to hold either frozen or hot
The company also has developed more heavy-duty solutions designed to contain greasy moist food during heating (including in air fryers)
Tailored for caterers and ready-to-eat meal manufacturers
these lightweight structures can withstand extreme temperatures ranging from -40° to 220°C without risk of leakage or breakage
These formulas serve food packaging manufacturers seeking to upgrade their own solutions
or fiber manufacturers seeking to join the molded fiber and compostable food container movement
The new infusion of capital W-Cycle intends to expand and upgrade its R&D department to further fine tune the capabilities of its packaging solutions and accelerate development of new formulations
The funding also will help scale W-Cycle's operations
bolster its sales teams with top-tier professionals
"Our collaboration with W-Cycle represents a watershed moment
It is paving the way for us to channel our raw materials toward solving one of the world's most pressing environmental challenges: the plastic waste crisis
This partnership has simultaneously opened a significant new market for us," enthuses Gibini
"Our new packaging meets the environmental and regulatory demands for providing our clients with a safe
we ensure supply agility and contribute to strengthening the national production chain."
Mordor Intelligence points to a burgeoning global sustainable packaging market that is expected to exceed USD 400 billion in value by 2029
manufacturers are applying greater effort into adopting more recyclable and compostable materials
aligning with growing consumer environmental consciousness
"This investment not only solidifies our strategic alliance with Melhoramentos
unlocking powerful synergies," adds Isaac Rome
"It also opens new doors to new solutions that can tangibly address the rising calls for high-performance materials sourced from renewable resources that can effectively replace single-use plastic containers."
is a clean-tech company that offers eco-friendly solutions to replace plastic food packaging with its patented naturally derived
field-tested SupraPulp™ cellulose material
The company custom-designs private label compostable food packaging formulas for molded-fiber manufacturers
Committed to eliminating plastic from the food industry
W-Cycle advises businesses across the packaging and food value chain
thus empowering companies to accelerate the adoption of sustainable
Companhia Melhoramentos de São Paulo is a publicly traded company that is active directly or through its subsidiaries in publishing
high-performance cellulose fiber production
Positioning itself as a transformative agent, Melhoramentos is committed to sustainable development in Brazil, adding value to its products, services, and ventures. Founded over 130 years ago, Melhoramentos is headquartered in São Paulo and has locations in Camanducaia (MG), Bragança Paulista (SP), and Caieiras (SP). For more information, visit: www.melhoramentos.com.br
W-CycleMor Saar RavivCommercial DirectorE-mail: [email protected] Website: www.w-cycle.com
NutriPRLiat SimhaTel: +972 9 9742893E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.nutripr.com
Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2650623/W_Cycle_Team.jpg
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The Camanducaia is one of the rivers in the PCJ Basin (photo: Cassiana Carolina Montagner/UNICAMP)
Scientists at the State University of Campinas analyzed samples taken at 15 points in the basin comprising the Piracicaba
industrial and household effluents not yet regulated by Brazilian legislation
By José Tadeu Arantes | Agência FAPESP – The Piracicaba
Capivari and Jundiaí (PCJ) River Basin comprises 76 municipalities in São Paulo state
with more than 5.8 million inhabitants and a drainage area of more than 14,000 square kilometers
These three rivers and their tributaries are essential sources of drinking water
irrigation for agriculture and water for industrial processes
and the resulting water shortage is exacerbated by the climate crisis
brooks and creeks in the basin are severely contaminated by agricultural
Visible evidence of this pollution is frequently highlighted by the media
but until now there have been no in-depth scientific studies that identify the main contaminated areas
the specific contaminants and mixtures of contaminants
and the potential risks to people and aquatic organisms
Just such a study has recently been completed by researchers at the State University of Campinas (UNICAMP) and colleagues affiliated with other institutions in Brazil and abroad
The study was supported by FAPESP via three projects (14/50951-4, 21/12484-9 and 20/14988-1). An article about it is published in the journal Chemosphere
“Besides the usual contaminants, which are well-known and subject to legislation, we also found emerging contaminants not covered by any legislation and with levels of toxicity in conditions of chronic exposure. Our study provides the first overview of the occurrence of PFAS compounds in São Paulo’s rivers,” said Cassiana Carolina Montagner
a professor at UNICAMP’s Institute of Chemistry and principal investigator for the study
Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are a group of thousands of synthetic chemical compounds used by industry in a vast array of products to make them waterproof
Most non-stick cooking pans are coated with a form of PFAS
According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
exposure to PFASs causes many human health problems
“The occurrence of seven PFASs in different rivers in São Paulo state is reported for the first time in our study,” Montagner said
The most frequent were the agricultural pesticides atrazine
which we found in 100% of the samples collected
Caffeine is well-tolerated by humans but can be extremely harmful to aquatic organisms
BPA is an organic chemical (2,2-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl) propane) used in the production of polymers and high-performance coatings
Plastic containing BPA is used in appliances
food and drink can linings and epoxy resin
BPA is also often used to coat the thermal paper used in cash registers and credit card receipts
ATM printouts and other everyday transactions
Underscoring the severity of all this pollution
it should be noted that the area served by the PCJ Basin is important agriculturally and industrially
and accounts for 5.3% of Brazil’s gross domestic product (GDP)
Highlights include sugarcane growing in Piracicaba
and a large population in Campinas (1.1m in 2022)
“Not only is the PCJ Basin the main source of drinking water for the entire area
which isn’t treated at all before farmers use it
the region contains many small towns that discharge raw sewage into the rivers,” Montagner said
industrial chemicals and PFASs are being dumped in the PCJ Basin
and no monitoring is required by the existing Brazilian legislation
we collected samples at 15 different points in the basin and measured the contaminants present considering three factors: concentration
Alongside the high frequencies already mentioned
we obtained elevated risk quotients for the herbicides diuron and atrazine
as well as the insecticide imidacloprid,” she said
“In addition to longstanding unsolved pollution problems
new problems are being caused by the presence of emerging contaminants
which are produced to guarantee the quality of modern life but pollute the environment owing to mismanagement of solid waste and inefficient sanitation
Our study suggests the need for a comprehensive monitoring program to assure the protection of aquatic life and human health.”
In response to enquiries from Agência FAPESP
the São Paulo State Environmental Corporation (CETESB) stated that it currently samples water at 519 points
analyzing traditional parameters such as organic matter
as well as agrochemicals and some emerging compounds
which it quantifies indirectly by means of two assays: one measuring estrogen activity to detect endocrine interferents (which mimic female hormones
including BPA); and another measuring glucocorticoid activity to detect anti-inflammatory drugs
The statement also said CETESB has measured 42 different agrochemicals since 2017 in water samples from rivers in mainly agricultural areas
the statement said no values have been established in legislation for estrogen or glucocorticoid activity
adding that the “levels found in both of these two assays during the last five years in the PCJ Basin are considered low or insignificant on the basis of studies performed previously and international experience.”
The article “Uncovering the impact of agricultural activities and urbanization on rivers from the Piracicaba, Capivari, and Jundiaí basin in São Paulo, Brazil: A survey of pesticides, hormones, pharmaceuticals, industrial chemicals, and PFAS” is at: www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0045653523022233?via%3Dihub