Background Lacquers for foodstuff packaging mainly consist of petroleum derivatives, with epoxy resin being the most widely utilised component. The use of a petrol-based lacquer increases the carbon footprint of a packaging company by 0.4% for each kilogram of metallic cans produced; 90% of this impact is linked to the production of the epoxy resin that causes 3.31 g of CO2 emissions per kilogram of cans. Some efforts have already been made to introduce into this process components or additives from renewable sources. The BIOCOPAC project aimed to develop a natural lacquer from tomato processing by-products for application on the internal and external surfaces of cans for foodstuffs, among other uses. Objectives The LIFE BIOCOPACPlus project, a follow up to the BIOCOPAC project, aims to demonstrate the technical feasibility and the effectiveness on an industrial scale of the production of a bio-lacquer obtained from the reuse of tomato waste (i.e. skins) – the lacquer will serve as a coating for food contact applications in metal cans. Specifically, the project aims to: Give value to tomato industry by-products, by offering alternative strategies for waste reuse and minimisation in accordance with the Waste Framework Directive (2008/98/EC); Design and scale up a prototype processing plant for the extraction of cutin from tomato skins; Optimise the prototype plant in terms of resource efficiency and saving (water, energy, emissions) and of economic sustainability, by using automated technologies and low maintenance strategies; Scale up the formulation of the lacquer processed using the extracted cutin and environmental friendly solvents; Find the best storage condition for the cutin, to guarantee a continuous production of the bio-lacquer; Demonstrate the technological suitability of the bio-lacquer for food packaging applications and perform a lifecycle assessment for the new eco-cans; Demonstrate compliance with the EU regulation for food contact materials at the end of the shelf-life of the food cans; and Analyse the economic potential of the tomato skins (e.g. for bio-energy applications). Expected results: The valorisation of tomato by-products; An innovative prototype for the continuous extraction of cutin; A bio-lacquer obtained from the cutin; New eco-metal food packaging protected with the bio-lacquer; An innovative solution for bisphenol A (BPA)-free packaging; Evaluation of the costs of the new packaging to prove the economic viability of the proposed technology; The use of biodegradable, eco-friendly bio-lacquer to provide significant environmental benefits; and Lower use of fossil fuel resources and reduced CO2 emissions.