The two companies have agreed to develop specific projects for the optimised management of compostable products and packaging, to be recycled and recovered together with the organic fraction of solid municipal waste in Iren’s treatment plants.

Iren operates in the sectors of electricity, gas, thermal energy for district heating, management of integrated water services, environmental services and technological services.

Under the agreement, dedicated flows (some of which experimental) will be organised for organic waste fractions containing disposable compostable products coming from markets, catering businesses and large events.

Renato Boero, Iren chairman, said: “Innovation and attention to the circular economy are two distinctive aspects of our vision and this collaboration with Novamont, through research and experimentation on the ground, further enhances Iren’s role as a strategic player in the Green Economy.”

Catia Bastioli, Novamont chief executive, added: “The partnership with Iren will be strategic not only to improve waste management, but above all to close the carbon cycle, regenerate soil and decarbonise the atmosphere, while experimenting new solutions in a logic of learning by doing”.

MOB’s reusable, interchangeable design is made from PET resin with at least 50% post-consumer recycled content. The brand says it is on a mission to hit 100% PCR for all of its packaging.

Element Packaging took the process a step further, introducing Element CarbonX, a material science innovation replacing Carbon Black. This is a new black infrared-visible pigment allowing the optical scanners used in sorting plastics during recycling to be recognized by the NIR (Near Infrared) detectors installed in waste sorting plants.

“Element CarbonX helps in contributing to our circular economy and brings sustainability in design options utilizing black componentry,” explains the Florida-based supplier of beauty packaging solution and turnkey products.

Co-founded by Victor Casale, CEO and former chief chemist at MAC, Alisha Gallagher, chief brand officer, formerly of Cover FX, Beatrice Seguin, chief innovation officer, formerly of CSR Beauty Solutions and Steve Blanchet, formerly of CSR Beauty Solutions, MOB Beauty commits to launch new beauty products only when they can have a sustainable packaging solution. The brand therefore focused on compacts and palettes that are infinitely customizable.

Ireland-based corrugated packaging company Smurfit Kappa has collaborated with Dutch LED lighting systems manufacturer Signify to develop an integrated sustainable packaging system.

The companies have developed the BioShift UV-C Chamber Case, a packaging solution for shipping and transporting UV-C lights that can kill germs and viruses.

The fully paper-based solution removes all plastics and reduces the number of packaging materials used from five to one.

The case is secured by a fit-to-size hood with special multi-use locks before being placed on a corrugated pallet.

As well as its sustainability aspects, the case is claimed to be cheaper and reduce assembly labour by 50%.

It also reduces storage space by 30%, allowing up to 16 additional pallets to fit in one truck, and is claimed to guarantee 100% security during transport.

Smurfit Kappa Poland CEO Jacek Nieweglowski said: “Working with Signify locally to create more sustainable packaging, which is innovative in design and optimised from a cost perspective, has brought a great sense of pride to our team, especially by supporting the worldwide shipping of a product offering protection against viruses.”

Signify EMEA strategic buyer Damian Grzelak said: “UV-C lights are a growing segment of business for us, particularly in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Smurfit Kappa has been vital in helping us reduce costs and ship our products in a safe and more sustainable manner.”

The BioShift UV-C Chamber Case is part of Smurfit Kappa’s Better Planet Packaging product line, which offers renewable, recyclable and biodegradable products.

This week, Smurfit Kappa launched an ethylene vinyl alcohol (EVOH) film for its Bag-in-Box solution.

The 60-micron film, to be marketed as E Compact 60, will reduce the amount of plastic used by the company when manufacturing bags.

According to the latest research the global food supply chain system is responsible for 26% of global greenhouse gas emissions; a third of all food is lost or wasted somewhere in the supply chain; fossil fuel-based materials need to be phased out; and significant improvements are needed to the way packaging is dealt with after use.

Laurence Mott, Executive VP for Development and Engineering at Tetra Pak, says: “We are joining forces with our strategic partners and paperboard producers to find solutions. It's possible to make a completely sustainable package, but you have to make it safe. And if you can’t make it at scale, you can't minimise food waste, and you can't serve a growing global population. In order to bring those three things together, it takes very strong collaboration.”

Mott says that the scale of the environmental challenges the world faces requires that actors within the value chain join forces to develop truly sustainable packaging solutions.

Hannu Kasurinen, Executive Vice President Packaging at Stora Enso, a leading global provider of renewable solutions, says: “We trust, we share, we learn together. Our best innovators collaborate, and we move forward and we innovate. Sometimes we fail, but then we learn from those failures. We have grown much closer to each other, because we have the same strategic objectives – which are good for the people and the planet.” 

Francisco Razzolini, Industrial Technology, Innovation, Sustainability and Projects Director at Klabin, Brazil’s largest paper producer, says: “We are seeing new demands from society and from consumers to make products and processes that are more sustainable. Meeting these demands requires a lot of collaboration between our companies. By sharing experiences, thoughts, ideas and developments, we can speed up the innovation process.”

Malin Ljung Eiborn, Head of Sustainability and Public Affairs at BillerudKorsnäs, a world leading provider of fibre-based packaging material, says: “The vision is 100% fibre-based and fully recyclable packaging, where plastic and aluminium are not needed anymore. We still have, of course, some steps to go before we are there from a technical perspective. But we work as one project team on this because the only way that we can solve them is to do this together.”

The challenges the industry faces include removing the thin layers of plastic and aluminium replacing them with plant or wood fibre-based materials, developing a renewable alternative to the plastic straw, and improving the recyclability of packages. When responsibly sourced, plant-based renewable materials can support towards protecting biodiversity and the natural ecosystem. This means the industry can minimise the need for fossil-based materials.

And it is these and other challenges on which Tetra Pak and its partners are teaming up within the new collaborative innovation model. Tetra Pak’s aim is to create the world’s most sustainable package – one that secures food safety and availability while reducing the impact on the planet.

Rick Michelman, chief technology officer & EVP, Americas, and printing and packaging, said, “We want to help transition the industry into more sustainable packaging. Our barrier coatings help improve fibre-based packaging’s functionality and performance while managing its end-of-life.”

The company has been opening new markets for paper and film packaging ever since creating its first repulpable water-based coating over 50 years ago. Their current barrier and functional coatings for paper and film make it possible to develop recyclable, repulpable, and industrially compostable packaging.

Michelman added, “Because IMFA’s members include manufacturers of moulded fibre products, industry suppliers and service providers, Michelman has surrounded itself with like-minded organisations that will help accelerate the pace of product innovations for moulded fibre applications.” 

Like moulded fibre, Michelman’s water-based coatings offer opportunities to increase sustainable practices, reduce waste, and deliver product performance using fewer raw materials, with repulpable, recyclable, compostable, and renewably-sourced options.

The supplier has cut Hula Hoop packaging by 23%, equal to 11 tonnes of plastic, while Popchips and Tyrrells packaging are both down by 14%, equivalent to 23 and 43 tonnes respectively.

KP is also investing in new equipment to package its products in a more efficient way, which means it can cut 142 tonnes of packaging across Nik Naks, Space Raiders, and Skips.

Meanwhile, it intends to save a further 144 tonnes of plastic due to packaging reductions in Popchips sharing bags, Hula hoops six-packs, Butterkist, and Hula Hoops Puft.

The packaging reductions are a part of the company’s Taste for Good responsible business programme. KP is committed to reducing its total waste by at least 5% every year.

Mark Duffy, manufacturing director at KP Snacks, said: “We’re always looking for new ways to reduce our impact on the environment, and sustainability is one of the four key pillars of our Taste for Good programme.

“In addition to reducing the amount of packaging we use, we’ve also introduced a partnership with TerraCycle, so that all of our snack packs can be recycled at any of 500 drop-off locations across the UK.

“Our ultimate aim is to make all of our plastic film packaging 100% recyclable by 2025 and we’re well on our way to achieving this.”

To support its initiatives, KP has appointed Nicola Robinson in the newly created role of head of sustainability.

Until now, masterbatch has generally been made using virgin material as a carrier resin. This means that at typical let-down ratios, the finished product would contain 3 to 5 percent non-recycled plastic. With major consumer goods companies actively defining sustainability goals of 100 percent PCR polyolefin packaging, Avient has responded by developing Rejoin PCR Masterbatch in customizable colors and special effects.

“We understand that many consider the use of colorants and additives that rely on virgin resin carriers to nullify the claim of 100 percent PCR, so we worked to develop a solution that could help our customers deliver fully on their sustainability commitments,” said Bob Lee, marketing director, Color & Additives Asia at Avient. “This leading-edge product answers a growing industry need and demand.” 

Rejoin PCR Masterbatch combines pigments and functional additives into a single solution without negatively affecting color or mechanical properties. It can be added during production using standard equipment with little to no impact on processing, and allows for full recyclability of the end product.

Rejoin PCR Masterbatch is commercially available in major global markets. 

The International FoodTec Award is an initiative of the German Agricultural Society (DLG) and honors projects, which bring improvements and advancement in the food processing and technology sector. Habasit is proud to receive this recognition for the Habasit Super HyCLEAN modular belt range, designed to improve cleaning efficacy on food processing lines, especially in the protein industries.

A new concept for hygiene

Food processing lines require efficient cleaning to ensure proper sanitation and compliance with demanding hygiene requirements. A significant amount of the cleaning time is dedicated to the removal of soiling and residues from components of the conveyors, including the belt. Habasit Super HyCLEAN belts have been developed with particular consideration for those food applications and present an entirely new concept in plastic modular belting.

The unique, patented design of the modules has been engineered to minimize places where organic residue can be caught. With significantly reduced hinges and rods, the belt has increased flat surface and minimal cavities on the running side, making it not only easier to clean but also limiting potential breeding grounds for microorganisms. Coupled with dynamic open hinges, Habasit Super HyCLEAN represents a completely new approach to hygiene, putting emphasis on the elimination of potential risks.

Food Technology Award

The International FoodTech Award is in its 11th edition this year. The initiative is led by the German Agricultural Society in cooperation with specialist partners to recognize innovative projects which positively impact sustainability, efficiency, and progress in food technology. Submissions to the award are assessed by an international jury of experts from research and academia, as well as industry practitioners.

The prize is awarded in the form of medals; gold for new products which significantly change the function and the use of which gives rise to a new process or materially improves an existing process, and silver to existing products which have been developed to provide a substantial improvement in their function and the process. Of the 73 submissions in 2021, five projects were awarded the gold medal, and 15 were recognized with the silver award, including the innovative Habasit Super HyCLEAN modular belt.