The inner layer of the sustainable bottle is 100 percent virgin high density polyethylene (HDPE), while the external layer is primarily made from PCR with an overall balance of 50% virgin PE and 50% PCR. The virgin HDPE inner layer and accurate selection of PCR assure product integrity and the visibility of the filled product level.   Additionally, all external components such as corner protectors, plastic feet or plastic pallets are produced with recycled polyethylene.

The PCR is generated from the collection of empty IBCs which are then treated by reconditioning and recycling partner facility in Russia.

“This was a very rewarding project for the Greif Russia team, and we are pleased that this product is now commercially available in our region,” commented Konstantin Chetverikov, quality and technology manager for IBCs Greif Russia. “Being able to generate our own source of PCR from IBC bottles that might otherwise end up in landfill, means we can support customers in achieving their sustainability goals by decreasing raw material consumption and reducing CO2 emission into the atmosphere. It is also a significant step towards ad vancing our own circular economy principles.” 

The GCUBE PCR bottle is an extension of Greif’s EcoBalance product line which includes drums and other containers made using PCR. The EcoBalance product line helps support many of Greif’s customers with their sustainability goals including reducing carbon emissions, energy consumption and diverting waste from landfills.

GCube EcoBalance is already available in Italy and Russia while being implemented in Germany and Spain. Further expansions will follow in the coming months with the target to produce this sustainable product in most of our GCUBE facilities including APAC and North America.

If you would like to find out more about the GCUBE EcoBalance with a PCR bottle please contact your local account manager. 

Chemical company Versalis, owned by Italy-based oil and gas firm Eni, is set to launch a new tray for food packaging under its Revive portfolio.

The Versalis Revive PS Air F-Series Forever tray is made from 75% domestic post-consumer polystyrene (PS) content developed by Pro Food members companies.

The product is the result of the company’s existing partnership with Italian post-consumer products recycling company Forever Plast, as well as a collaborative project with other companies involved in the PS industry value chain.

The tray’s inner layer consists of Versalis Revive PS Air F-Series Forever, while its two outer layers are made from virgin PS.

The product’s A-B-A functional barrier design and testing were carried out in partnership with the Fraunhofer Institute for Process Engineering and Packaging (IVV), a Germany-based packaging company.

The packaging is suitable for meat and fish and will be added to the market in the coming weeks.

Versalis’ Revive range features products made from mechanical recycling of post-consumer and plastics, as well as from the industry supply chain.

Other polymer-based products in the range include Revive EPS, made from expandable polystyrene, and Revive PE, made from polyethylene.

Spanish beverage company Estrella Damm has partnered with US-based packaging solution provider Graphic Packaging International (GPI) to introduce paperboard alternatives for its multipacks.

The beer company has launched a rounded-corner pack designed and developed by GPI. Formats for 6, 12 and 24-packs have so far been launched.

The packaging wraps tightly around the cans, protecting them from damage at all points in the supply chain.

This move is expected to save 99t of plastic a year.

Graphic Packaging innovation and design manager Ana González said: “This is the first structure of its kind in the beverage market. We have worked closely with Estrella Damm’s team to ensure that our plastic replacement solution is innovative and strengthens the brand.

“The elevated shelf appeal of this solution is the culmination of a long and successful collaboration between Graphic Packaging and Estrella Damm.”

GPI has installed the first of two QuikFlex machines to meet production and market needs.

Last month, GPI launched a recyclable paperboard packaging solution to help beverage brands meet their plastic reduction goals.

The Cap-It clip is designed for multipack polyethylene terephthalate (PET) or recycled (rPET) bottles. Made of renewable materials, it serves as a sustainable alternative to traditional shrink wrap packaging.

In October 2019, GPI launched KeelClip, a paperboard solution for various can styles and sizes and multiple product configurations.

To promote the solution, the company partnered with Belgian beverage firm Anheuser Busch InBev (AB InBev), who started using it for their brands last year.

New cardboard packaging estimated to eliminate 300 tonnes of plastic per year

Today, consumers expect more from the brands they trust. According to an IPSOS survey commissioned by Gillette, 69% of UK consumers surveyed believe they would be more likely to buy a product with sustainable packaging. This ecological awareness makes packaging a central concern. Indeed, reducing plastic waste has become a priority for users, to the point of becoming a key factor in purchasing and product loyalty.

Conscious of the desire of the people who use Gillette products to take a responsible approach and limit their carbon footprint, we are taking a step towards sustainability with new recyclable cardboard packaging for all our refillable razors. We estimate that this initiative will eliminate 300 tonnes of plastic in Europe in one year, the equivalent of more than 30 million bottles of water (estimation calculation based on previous year’s shipping volumes).

Cardboard packaging at the heart of the circular economy

In order to support our users on the road to recycling, our new packaging is made of cardboard and paper only. These materials are recognisable, easy to sort and recyclable. An important factor since 90% and 89% respectively of the consumers questioned in our study stated that paper and cardboard are materials that are easy to recycle properly.

Constantly looking for solutions and alternatives that are more respectful of the environment, our teams have chosen the circular economy. In fact, the cardboard and paper used to make up the box and holder of our refillable razors are made from used newspapers, magazines and cardboard. The outer box contains a minimum of 50% recycled material while the inner tray contains 95% recycled material. This is the packaging that has the highest recyclability rate in Europe. In fact, according to recent European Union data, 85.8% of cardboard and paper packaging is now recycled, making this material the perfect example of the efficiency of the circular economy in the territory.

The road to developing a 100% plastic-free box

It has taken years of work to gradually transition our plastic packaging to a more sustainable alternative made of cardboard. This evolution began in 2006 with the introduction of cardboard in our packaging. The use of cardboard in the packaging of our refillable razors has grown steadily until, as of 2016, more recyclable cardboard materials are used than plastics. This process has resulted in significant progress, and today we are able to offer a box made exclusively of sustainable and recyclable cardboard, 100% plastic-free.

ALPLA switched its PET Recycling Team plants in Wöllersdorf, Austria, and Radomsko, Poland to a mix of electricity from renewable sources in order to produce its carbon-neutral rPET.

“This step has already had a big impact on the carbon footprint of our food-grade regranulate – according to the calculations, emissions are cut by up to 90% compared with virgin material. The feedback from the market regarding this further development has been very good,” says Georg Lässer, head of recycling at ALPLA.

The company is now offering its customers carbon-neutral rPET based on the purchase of certificates. The remaining, unavoidable emissions relating, for example, to delivery of the input material to the plants, are then offset with carbon certificates.

“The world’s first carbon-neutral regranulate can make a significant contribution to climate protection and highlight the value of used plastics,” continues Lässer.

To offset its related carbon emissions, ALPLA has selected specific projects in cooperation with the climate neutrality alliance Klimaneutralitätsbündnis 2025 and the NGO Helioz.

A reforestation project in Nicaragua is being supported; meanwhile, in China, traditional coal-fired stoves are being replaced with ovens run on biomass. These not only vastly reduce emissions, but also prevent the health implications caused by harmful exhaust air.

In Ethiopia, 5,000 household packages (modern stoves, vegetable seeds, seedlings, training) are being financed. In regions in Asia and Africa, ALPLA is supporting Helioz, an organisation that provides solar devices that monitor water disinfection using PET bottles.

With the “world’s first” carbon-neutral rPET, ALPLA is hoping to help its customers to achieve their sustainability goals. “We are once again demonstrating that close collaboration between packaging developers, packaging manufacturers, and recycling experts can lead to solutions which set an example for the industry as a whole,” Lässer concludes.

According to the company, the flexible packaging industry is focused on addressing end-of-life issues, such as recyclability and composability. The adhesive holds the entire structure together and, to make the whole package compostable, the adhesive must also be compostable.

The new Flextra Evolution SF1000CP/XR2000CP is a 2K solventless adhesive that offers excellent design benefits, such as sound-dampening and adhesion to a variety of biodegradable film substrates from bar wrap to snack packaging.

The second product, Flextra Evolution WB1200CP/XR2200CP, is a water-based two-part system developed especially for paper-to-film laminations. It is fully compostable according to EN13432, ASTM D6400 standards, and is certified through the Biodegradable Products Institute (BPI), North America's certifier of compostable products packaging.

‘When people ask for a compostable adhesive, what they are likely asking for is a package with components that can be composted, and now, this can be brought to life with the help of our compostable adhesives throughout the supply chain,’ said Wayne Eklund, research scientist at H.B. Fuller. 

‘These new solutions from our Flextra Evolution product line have similar performance to conventional multi-layer packaging adhesives, show great printability and appearance, and work seamlessly with standard equipment. Most importantly, in industrial composting facilities, the adhesives decompose with no toxic residue, microplastics, or other pollutants,’ concluded Eklund.

From Galaxy S7 To Galaxy S21: Our Journey to More Eco-Conscious Packaging

Since the release of the Galaxy S7 in 2016, Samsung has developed more eco-conscious packaging with each generation of the Galaxy S series. Throughout this journey, we had worked diligently to remove elements that could stand in the way of people easily recycling their product packaging after purchase.

The packaging for the Galaxy S21 series contains just 4%2 of the plastic used in the Galaxy S7 packaging, reducing waste generated per packaging unit by 49%. Similarly, the Galaxy S21 packaging contains only 58% of the paper used in that of the Galaxy S7, helping save some 44,802 trees a year.3 As a result of these continued sustainability efforts, we decreased the amount of carbon generated during the development of the Galaxy S21 series’ packaging by 50% compared to that of the Galaxy S7.4

Following extensive research into eco-conscious materials, the Galaxy S8’s packaging saw several evolutions compared to the previous Galaxy S series. We removed the magnet from inside the packaging along with the plastic in-box case for earphones, and the accessory tray – traditionally comprised of plastic – was made with paper-based material.

For the release of the Galaxy S9, we made an extra push towards reducing plastic waste. Samsung changed the device tray material from plastic to a pulp-mold material, integrating upcycled materials into our process.

For the Galaxy S10 and Galaxy S20, Samsung expanded eco-conscious changes to packaging. We replaced plastic with paper to tie together accessories, the package structure was simplified, and all the packaging trays for in-box accessories were integrated into one pulp-mold tray to cut down on unnecessary materials. Furthermore, the protective film was removed from accessories such as the charger plug and the USB connector, and the coating for all accessories was changed from a glossy finish to a more eco-conscious matte finish that hides fingerprints and is harder to scratch.

The packaging for our latest flagship device, the Galaxy S21 series, is the most eco-conscious product packaging within the Galaxy S series. Every box for the device is made with corrugated cardboard, instead of rigid paper, to improve recyclability. Accessories such as the charger plug and in-box earphones were removed to further minimize the amount of packaging and promote reuse and recycling habits among Galaxy users.

Promoting Resource Efficiency Into the Future

Despite emerging challenges around the availability of sustainable materials and productivity of global supply chains as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, Samsung still has a responsibility to help combat climate change and protect the environment in everything we do.

At the end of 2020, we achieved our goal of using 100% recycled or sustainably-sourced paper packaging5 and now require paper suppliers to submit certifications and conform to international standards, such as the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification. We recognize that our journey to shifting to a fully circular economy is not over.

Samsung continues to search for new and innovative eco-conscious materials for our product packaging, to discover new ways to minimize materials used and to optimize our product development processes. In advance of future product releases, Samsung will continue to make changes that provide people with more eco-conscious product and packaging experiences as we work together with our supply chain and our customers to create a more sustainable world.

The packaging is partially made of potato starches, a byproduct of producing French fries.

Alexia’s Organic Sweet Potato Fries and Organic Yukon Select Puffs will feature a special seal, identifying the plant-based packaging. Lamb Weston’s packaging team spent two years collaborating to create a sustainable packaging alternative and continue working to expand their sustainable packing efforts.

“Sustainability is a pillar of our packaging innovation strategy. By combining efforts with teams across the business we were able to create something innovative that will not only help reduce our carbon footprint, but also continue to deliver to our customers,” says Deb Dihel, Vice President of Innovation.

The new bag material lamination replaces a legacy oriented polypropylene (OPP) bag with LLDPE sealant layer.

“The bio-material is replacing LLDPE of our sealant layer,” says Casey Bettendorf, Senior Mgr Packaging Engineering on the Innovation Team. “OPP has proven to have many advantages that support our retail business, from its machineability to graphics. This effort is to reduce our footprint by utilizing more renewable resources at this point. Work is underway to expand this concept into a fully recyclable design.”

In the new lamination, 16% of the complete structure has been replaced with plant-based material. Annualized across both items equates to removing 8,928 lbs of PE and replacing it with bio-based material and a 6.5-ton reduction in CO2 emissions. 

The new Schick Xtreme 3 Eco Glide razor is “the first and only disposable razor made from recycled plastic that’s also fully recyclable,” according to manufacturer Schick. “This innovative razor features unique Xtreme 3 flexible blade technology to adapt to and hug contours, plus 50 percent more aloe lubricant to settle sensitive skin. Its lightweight, easily portable handle has an ergonomic grip (made without rubber for easier recycling) that allows for superb control.”   

The Xtreme 3 Eco Glide razor isn’t a fully new product per se, rather it is a differently manufactured version of Schick’s existing Xtreme 3 Disposable product line with a handle that uses recycled (and recyclable) polypropylene and thermoplastic elsastomer, rather than virgin.

The package for this greener version of the disposable razor also represents a departure from the original and concurrently existing Schick Xtreme 3 Disposable package, which has for some time consisted of a thermoformed biaxially oriented polypropylene (BOPP) tray with film lidding. Instead, the new Schick Xtreme Eco Glide variety is packaged in a kraft-style paperboard carton. This Schick Xtreme Eco Glide carton has no internal pieces, unlike the existing Schick Xtreme 3 Disposable thermoformed tray which uses with insert card. The carton is printed flexographically.

“The facing is approximately the same size, but the shape is obviously very different since the pack structure has changed,” says Natalya Utesheva, Senior Brand Manager at Schick.

This printed kraft paperboard carton should be recyclable in most municipalities, though the company can’t claim 100% in the case that certain recycling centers may not be able to handle impurities such as inks and glues. The new cartons are received at the Mexico City packaging facility as finished cartons, meaning they are printed, cut, creased, formed, and glued when they arrive. There, they are manually loaded with product and secured.

Notably, the original Schick Xtreme 3 Disposable razor handle got a sustainability profile improvement of its own by switching from virgin PETG, to 100% rPET post-consumer recycled content.