The Grucci Group companies, Fireworks for Grucci and Pyrotechnique by Grucci, are now focussing on sustainability when it comes to plastic components in fireworks. The CAMM material replaces the plastic previously used. "This will make a huge contribution to reducing plastic in the environment," says Nanda Bergstein, Chief Sustainability and Innovation Officer at Camm Solutions. In view of the 3,500 tonnes of plastic emitted by fireworks every year in Germany alone, the partnership is intended to bring about a fundamental change. Unlike conventional plastic, the CAMM material dissolves in water without leaving any residue and biodegrades completely in the environment. CAMM is free of microplastics, non-toxic and contains no everlasting chemicals.

The New York-based company Grucci is one of the best-known providers of professional fireworks worldwide and holds the world record for the largest fireworks display. Grucci organises fireworks displays worldwide for Olympic Games opening ceremonies, US presidential inaugurations and national holidays. The traditional family business, now in its sixth generation, sets standards for the entire industry.

Camm Solutions and Grucci have signed a five-year contract with an option to extend and have agreed worldwide exclusivity. "The cooperation relates in particular to the professional fireworks business," says Bergstein. "In addition, an agreed minimum quantity will be purchased for the huge US end consumer market." In addition to supplying the raw material, Camm Solutions will also provide training in handling the CAMM material and in further processing on site at Grucci.

"Our mission is to work with industry leaders to develop sustainable solutions and implement them across the industry," says Bergstein. "Together with Grucci, we can achieve a global impact in this area." At the same time, the two companies are working to offer the sustainable solution to other companies in the industry.

"Our partnership is set for growth to supply our fireworks company and the industry as a whole. We are excited to leverage our six generations of experience generations and our global presence to lead the industry towards sustainability. At the same time, we want to continue our family's business philosophy of innovation, design, safety and art in the professional fireworks industry," says Grucci CEO Phil Grucci.

About Grucci

The Grucci group of companies includes Fireworks by Grucci, founded in 1850, a sixth generation manufacturer of pyrotechnics and multimedia special effects that produces artistic displays of pyrotechnics and multimedia special effects worldwide. An industry leader with an affinity for design, innovation and cutting-edge technology, Grucci has achieved eleven Guinness World Records. Pyrotechnique by Grucci, an ISO 9001-2015 certified quality system, is a manufacturer of pyrotechnics and explosives for the entertainment industry as well as ammunition components and pyrotechnic training devices for the US Department of Defence. Phil Grucci, fifth generation CEO, pursues a vision of sustainability, quality and safety in both the entertainment and manufacturing sectors.

The third session of the UN negotiating committee, aimed at establishing binding rules to prevent plastic pollution, concluded in mid-November without significant progress. The goal is to reach an agreement covering the entire lifecycle of plastics, from quantity, materials, and design to recycling. However, the latest meeting in Nairobi made little to no progress, with oil-producing nations such as Russia, Saudi Arabia, and Iran reportedly stalling further advancements. Two more meetings are scheduled for next year. "We remain hopeful that the agreement can be adopted as planned by 2025," Bergstein remarks. "A clear framework on a global level is needed, one that also allows for innovative solutions and creative entrepreneurship."

Conventional plastics produce microplastics and toxins, while other materials like CAMM are designed to be fully sustainable, offering responsible degradation and recycling scenarios for all conceivable applications. "This is what policies should focus on," Bergstein advises. "Not incremental change, but a paradigm shift that supports real sustainability is needed."

The European Parliament is applying pressure in the fight against plastics, having voted for a law aiming to reduce the amount of plastic packaging by 20% by 2040 compared to 2018 levels. This includes a ban on lightweight plastic bags and enhancing the appeal of reusable systems over recycling. For the law to come into effect, however, a consensus between the EU Parliament and member states is still required.

Both parties have already agreed on a significant restriction on exporting plastic waste to non-OECD countries, set to take effect in 2026. "Europe's move away from exporting its plastic problem to developing countries is commendable," says Bergstein. For exports to OECD countries, stricter regulations will apply, provided the importers handle the waste responsibly.

"This regulation marks progress from the status quo," Bergstein comments. However, there are concerns that, due to incomplete controls, plastics may continue to cross borders illegally. "Ultimately, a comprehensive ban, especially on environmentally harmful plastics within the bounds of technical feasibility, would be the better option," Bergstein suggests. Sustainable solutions that permanently relieve the environment are already available on the market and can match the properties of conventional plastics, like CAMM, which is made from renewable materials such as organic waste, is water-soluble, biodegradable, compostable, and enables an environmentally friendly recycling process without leaving harmful residues like microplastics, toxins, or persistent chemicals.

The United Nations has declared war on plastic. In March 2022, the UN Environment Assembly adopted a historic resolution to develop an international legally binding instrument to combat plastic pollution - covering the entire life cycle of plastics, from source to sea. Inger Andersen, Executive Director of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), described the agreement as the most important international multilateral environmental agreement since the Paris Climate Agreement.

An intergovernmental negotiating committee has been tasked with drafting the anti-plastics instrument. The committee held its first meeting in Paris at the end of 2022; the third meeting is currently underway at UNEP headquarters in Nairobi. In their negotiations, the member states must take into account the different types of plastics and the additives they contain, in particular to enable the safe recycling of plastics and promote a circular economy for plastics.

According to UNEP, in a business-as-usual scenario, the amount of plastic waste entering oceanic ecosystems could triple by 2040 without further action. Microplastics and toxins in the food chain jeopardise the health of all living creatures. "Many countries have already taken national measures against plastic," says Bergstein, "but a global framework is needed to tackle the entire life cycle of plastics. International cooperation is essential to effectively combat the plastic crisis." A swift transition from goal setting to action is important. The treaty must be fully implementable and operationalisable for the various industries and stakeholders from the outset.

According to UNEP, innovations are needed to replace plastic and develop new value chains in order to solve the problem. "Our fully sustainable, commercially viable material solution CAMM can make a contribution to this," says Bergstein. CAMM can be made from renewable materials such as biowaste, is water-soluble, biodegradable and compostable and enables an environmentally friendly recycling process without leaving behind harmful residues such as microplastics, toxins or eternal chemicals. "Our practical solution has already attracted solution attracted a great deal of attention at the Vienna Climate Forum of the UN Industrial Development Organisation at the beginning of November," says Bergstein. "Many representatives of member states told us how challenging plastic waste is and were surprised at how easily we can solve this problem with CAMM. It also showed us the potential to drive global partnerships that open up access to raw materials, such as waste products from the agricultural industry, and contribute to value creation in Asia, Africa and Latin America.”

The International Vienna Energy and Climate Forum at the beginning of November was organised by UNIDO, the UN Industrial Development Organisation, among others. Two weeks before the UN Climate Change Conference COP 28 in Dubai, practical solutions for the numerous environmental problems were to be presented to an international audience of decision-makers and experts in Vienna - including the fully sustainable, commercially usable material solution CAMM. It goes beyond conventional plastics: CAMM can be made from renewable materials such as organic waste, is water-soluble, biodegradable and compostable and enables an environmentally friendly recycling process without leaving behind harmful residues such as microplastics, toxins or everlasting chemicals.

"We were particularly pleased that the head of UNIDO and former Development Minister Dr Gerd Müller was enthusiastic about our solution," says Bergstein. But it wasn't just the technology and material properties of the CAMM material that caused a stir in Vienna. "What particularly surprised our discussion partners from companies, governments and NGOs was that we have already industrialised our product," explains Bergstein. There are many good ideas, but only a few have reached large-scale production and market maturity.

For Camm Solutions, the numerous international contacts with companies and politicians from UNIDO member countries are now valuable. "They will help us to drive forward the scaling of our production beyond Europe and the US," Bergstein is convinced. In Europe, the CAMM ecosystem has been finalised and can now be scaled as a licensing model.

In the wake of the conference, new opportunities are emerging to establish green raw

material cycles with waste products from agriculture. The partnership with Camm Solutions can open up a way for countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America to create sustainable industries and thus added value. At the same time, it will help the partner countries to tackle the flood of plastic: "For many of our dialogue partners in Vienna, the waste problem, especially plastic bags and composite packaging that end up in nature, was a huge problem that we can tackle together with our sustainable material," says Bergstein.

With its sustainable polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH)-based plastic, Camm Solutions has developed a groundbreaking alternative to traditional plastic: sustainably produced, biodegradable and usable for various product applications without leaving harmful chemical residues or microplastics. At the company's plant in Spain, the camm material is produced in the form in which customers need it for further processing - as compounds, pellets or even as a finished product. After successfully transitioning from prototype development and pilot quantities to industrial production at the company's existing plant in Spain, Camm Solutions is now taking the next step in its growth strategy.

In addition to the existing plant in Rafelbunyol near Valencia, the company has secured an additional 1,500 square meters of space in the neighboring town of El Puig. This expansion will accommodate the turbomixing of the camm material and extrusion processes, which involve shaping the material through a specific opening. The El Puig facility will also see an increase in extrusion capacity through the addition of new machines and a corresponding increase in tonnage. "The additional production area complies with food safety standards, so granules for food applications can also be produced there," says Bergstein.

Furthermore, Camm Solutions plans to relocate office space to El Puig, freeing up more warehouse space in Rafelbunyol. The move will take place in September and October. Research and development activities, including laboratory work and pilot plant operations, as well as the production of injection molding products and films, will continue at the current site.

"To ensure that our sustainable material is also affordable and competitive, we are ramping up the quantity produced quickly and thus realizing corresponding economies of scale," Bergstein explains the expansion. In addition, the high demand for the camm material requires a rapid expansion of capacity. This year, Camm Solutions aims to produce and process around 1,500 tons of the camm material at the Spanish plant. With the expansion of capacity, this figure is expected to reach between 6,000 and 8,000 tons next year. "With the quantity produced, the sustainability effect naturally grows," Bergstein says. "This brings us closer to our goal of creating a global solution to the plastic problem."

Paper recycling has been part of everyday life in Germany for a long time. According to the Federal Environment Agency (2020), the share of recovered paper in total paper production is almost 80 percent. This puts Germany in the top group worldwide. However, as soon as paper is mixed with other materials to make it more robust or water-repellent, thus replacing plastic packaging, recycling becomes complicated.

This poses major challenges for recycling companies. The reuse of coated paper is relatively time-consuming, because high quality paper recycling requires a homogeneous separation of materials. One example is paper bags, which are now often used instead of plastic bags. The paper used must have certain properties, such as moisture or tear resistance.

"To achieve these properties, the paper is often coated with plastics, which causes problems in recycling, Bergstein said. The coated paper hast to be sorted out and disposed of at great expense. Often only thermal recovery is still possible, but valuable raw materials are lost in this process.

One way out is to use environmentally friendly coatings on paper, so that recycling without contaminating the paper fibers is possible. "Recyclability must be taken into account from the outset," says Bergstein. "Paper that is coated with our CAMM materials fulfills many protective functionalities but at the same time can be disposed via the paper bin. In the recycling process, CAMM dissolves quickly when water is added and biodegrades without leaving any residue. In this way, the paper fibers can be recycled without any problems."

In future it will be ideal if material solutions are either completely recyclable or decompose completely. "Either or is the only viable approach," says Bergstein. Either a material must be created in such a way that it can be reused in an eternal cycle. Or it has to disintegrate completely without any harm to nature. "Both ways help to protect the environment."

The "Great Pacific Garbage Patch" can also be seen from space. It's a gigantic collection of plastic parts and containers floating on the North Pacific. In the early 2020s, 1.8 trillion pieces of plastic were estimated to be floating around. They are spread over an area that is said to be four times the size of Germany. A country of garbage. And it's only part of the problem. According to UN estimates, there are now up to 18,000 pieces of plastic floating on every square kilometer of ocean surface. To be clear, these are just the ones you can see. Most of the garbage lies at the bottom of the Oceans.

According to the UN, three-quarters of marine litter consists of plastics. Millions of tons are added every year, but there is no exact data. Like the sea, plastic is eternal. Sun and water decompose only slowly, leaving smaller and smaller fragments: microplastics that are unable to degrade. The problem is now so big that a year ago the United Nations passed a historic resolution to bring about an "end to plastic pollution".

The EU had already presented an action plan in 2015 to build a complete plastic loop. New raw material was to be obtained from old plastic containers and parts out of which new containers and parts were to be manufactured: old plastic would become new plastic, always in a circle. In this way, the production of new plastic as well as the environmentally harmful disposal of plastic waste was to be avoided. But Europe is still a long way from achieving its goal.

"If you want to break through the problem, you have to rely on alternative materials that take over the sensible functions of plastic and avoid the harmful effects," says Bergstein. The CAMM material is durable, robust and can be used like plastic for packaging or containers. Applied on paper, it is very easy to recycle: The packaging simply goes into the paper bin and ends up in paper recycling. By adding water in the paper dissolving process, the CAMM material quickly breaks down into its original building blocks: oxygen, carbon, and biomass. The leftover paper fibres are used entirely for the production of new paper. "It's as simple as that when you start moving away from plastic," says Bergstein, "for the benefit of the oceans, the environment and people."