“Our grandchildren won’t even see it,” gloomily predicted the famous city-preservation TV program in the turn of the century. “We ourselves won’t even see it,” and this could well be the slogan of a modern small business in Sopron. But this is exceptionally good news: the biodegradable plastic bags they produce, made from biodegradable film, “disappear” in less than two months if composted properly. The development, supported by the National Research, Development and Innovation Fund, will do much to change the generation of plastic bags used in commerce and reduce the environmental pollution caused by packaging materials.

Horváth Fólia Kft.

Building on the traditions of the family business founded in 1988, Horváth Fólia Kft. has been manufacturing plastic film products for decades. Its wide range of products (bags, sacks, flat foil, foil hose, etc.) satisfy 90% of the packaging needs of industrial users. The company produces for both domestic and foreign markets, with around 20% of its revenue coming from exports. However, in the spirit of environmental awareness and sustainability, both the EU and national legal environment are now regulating the production of plastic products more and more strictly, and users are increasingly favouring “green” packaging materials. Expanding the company’s product range is a response to these needs. The production of biodegradable, compostable plastics is currently the only realistic alternative that can replace traditional single-use plastic packaging. Thanks to this, Horváth Fólia Kft. achieved 25% more revenue in 2022 than in the previous year, HUF 2.74 billion, while its profit after tax more than tenfold increased to HUF 253 million in one year.

The production technology introduced in the project produces plastic from polylactic acid (PLA) and corn starch, which under certain conditions breaks down into environmentally neutral components and is composted into valuable biomass that can be recycled back into nature. The alternative films produced by the company degrade well in both industrial composting under optimal conditions and in less professional, small-scale home composting - certified by TÜV Austria’s environmental product certification system. The requirements are very strict, as all the components used, such as the printing ink on the bags, must be compostable.

Since the introduction of the technology, the company has further developed its eco-friendly plastics business. In 2023, the new production hall was completed with EU funding from GINOP Plus, where the production of biodegradable, compostable film products will continue with an expanded machinery park. A solar panel system has also been installed, so part of the energy demand is now provided by renewable energy. Plastic bags, pouches and bags belonging to the BIO product family are already used by many retailers, including Tesco stores, where you can pack your vegetables, fruit and bakery products in them. By choosing environmentally friendly packaging materials and collecting recyclable plastics separately, anyone can show that they care about the planet. The planet that, thanks to these efforts, our grandchildren will also be able to see.