Plastic packaging remains essential for protecting products and reducing food waste, but its end-of-life impact continues to challenge the industry.

James Sternberg, assistant professor in Clemson University’s Department of Food, Nutrition and Packaging Sciences, is leading a five-year NSF CAREER-funded project focused on developing packaging materials that consider not only performance during use but also what happens after disposal.

The research combines three areas:

• biodegradable plastics from renewable resources,
• safer manufacturing processes for packaging foams,
• improved recycling technologies for PET and PLA materials.

The project explores materials derived from crops, vegetable oils, glycerol, lignin, cellulose and forestry resources to create films, foams and adhesives designed for a more circular packaging system.

Improving recycling and compostable materials

One focus area is recycled PET.

Sternberg’s team is investigating ways to improve the quality and performance of recycled PET by using renewable-resource-based approaches in recycling processes. The goal is to make recycled plastics more valuable and attractive for manufacturers.

The team is also studying PLA, a compostable polymer made from renewable resources. While PLA has sustainability advantages, its mechanical performance can limit broader packaging applications. Improving durability could expand its use.

Another research area involves biodegradable adhesives, including work by doctoral student Marzieh Akrami on plant-based adhesives for produce labels.

Designing packaging beyond its first use

Sternberg argues that packaging design should consider the complete material lifecycle.

Traditional plastics are often optimized for durability and performance during use, but sustainable packaging requires thinking about:

how materials are produced,

how they are recycled,

and what happens after disposal.

“Designing plastics for their end of life” is becoming a key research direction as companies face increasing pressure from circular economy goals and packaging regulations.

The Clemson project also includes student training, industry engagement and educational programs to help develop future packaging scientists.

The challenge is not only creating new materials.

It is creating materials that can balance performance, cost, manufacturing compatibility and realistic end-of-life solutions.

Last Updated on 23/09/2026 by Jota Machinery