Plastic Packaging

ITC has embraced an even more bold and ambitious Sustainability 2.0 (S2) vision, as a part of which it has decided to use 70% recycled plastic material in the PET film of Savlon Glycerin Soap wrapper. 

The initiative is aimed at embedding sustainability in the everyday routine of consumers in India. 

PCR or Post-Consumer Recycled Material is an environmentally friendly packaging that in which plastic is made from existing PET bottles and other plastics discarded after use.

Bioplastic packaging made from renewable sources is a high-interest option in the broad market of sustainability.

This subsegment of sustainable packaging is multiplied in efficiency when the bioplastics are made from food waste, potentially turning the latter from a landfill-bound end-of-life to a high-value ingredient for new packaging.

That’s an impressive double win for the environment.

MAC Cosmetics has news to share for Earth Month. The company has revamped its "Back-To-MAC" takeback program, which collects back its empty packaging from consumers.

The changes ensure the program has an even greater impact, MAC states—and now, the company expects to collect up to 300,000 to 500,000 kilograms of cosmetic packaging each year. That's equal to nearly a million pounds. 

Aïda Moudachirou-Rébois, senior vice president, global chief marketing officer at MAC Cosmetics, spoke to us about the reason for the changes, explaining:

It comes hot on the heels of complaints by customers about its new mince packaged in vacuum-sealed plastic.

But Sainsbury's has announced another shakeup that's designed to help the environment.

This time the grocery giant has removed single-use plastic trays from its whole chicken range.

That means the birds will only be covered in recyclable film.

It affects all five products in the range, which includes Sainsbury’s British Fresh Whole chicken in extra small (0.9-1.35kg), medium (1.6kg), large (1.9kg) and extra large (2.1kg).

After significant investment to meet this goal before 2025 in accordance with WRAP deadlines, Weetabix has reached this landmark two years ahead of schedule. All paper-based packaging components and Weetabix On The Go drinks bottles are widely recyclable at home, and plastic wrap components can be recycled with soft plastics at most major supermarkets.

The research, named the Go Orleans project, was led by the Agri-Food Business Federation of the Valencian Community (FEDACOVA), Aimplas, the Plastics Technology Centre, the Universitat de València, ADM Biopolis, and cheesemakers Dehesa Dos Hermanas and La Cabezuela. 

The team has also reintroduced wasted whey into the cheese industry as a probiotic ingredient for animal feed. Whey is a by-product that currently goes to waste in small and medium-sized cheese companies and can also cause environmental damage due to its high organic load.