Sustainability

Klöckner Pentaplast (kp) launched the first food packaging trays comprising 100% recycled PET (rPET) deriving exclusively from trays.

Until now, food packaging trays have been manufactured using ever-increasing proportions of recovered PET material; however, the newly launched kp tray is the first to be composed entirely of recycled tray material, said the company. This milestone is the result of the kp’s Tray2Tray initiative, which aims to rewrite the PET recycling rules.

Syensqo and TOMRA, a leading provider of sensor-based sorting technology and solutions for the circular economy, have joined forces to demonstrate the technical and economic feasibility of separating and sorting multi-component plastic structures in which polyvinylidene chloride (PVDC) serves as a barrier layer.  

Accredo Packaging, a member of the API GROUP, has partnered with the Fresh-Lock team at Presto Products to introduce a more sustainable and child-resistant stand-up pouch.

Accredo is engaged in the production of sustainable packaging solutions for the food and consumer products markets.

The partnership is intended to launch a first-of-its-kind flexible stand-up pouch using more than 50% post-consumer recycled (PCR) content suitable for food packaging across the package.

The #TakeitBack initiative will allow individuals to return their single-use cups to a range of stores for recycling.

A total of 28 coffee stores – including Starbucks, Costa Coffee, Caffé Nero, Pret A Manger, and Lavazza – have signed up, alongside the likes of Burger King, McDonald’s, and Greggs. The cups can be returned to any of the participating stores, even if purchased elsewhere.

The Draft Packaging Act is supported by the extended producer responsibility (EPR) approach that extends the manufacturer’s responsibility to cover the entire product lifecycle, i.e., to specifically cover the management of packaging waste of products after their consumption, such as recycling and disposal.

The plastic and card packaging has been replaced with a cardboard alternative, making it easier for customers to recycle at home as the materials do not need to be separated.

Shoppers will see the new packaging on Aldi’s two-packs of Dentitex Soft and Whitening toothbrushes.

The supermarket, which claims it is increasingly shoppers’ main supermarket for their weekly shop, says the move will help to remove around 17 tonnes of plastic packaging every year.

• University of Sheffield-led research has examined the environmental impact of plastic products versus nonplastic alternatives across various sectors.
• Despite concerns about plastics' contribution to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, study reveals that in 15 out of 16 applications examined, plastic products actually result in lower GHG emissions compared to alternatives.
• Plastics demonstrate superiority in factors such as energy intensity during production and weight efficiency, contributing to their reduced environmental footprint.
• Study emphasises the impor

Mono-Material Packaging

A More Sustainable Choice

"When it comes to claims around sustainability and recycling, it's critical that companies have the most accurate data and for that reason, ideally one source of truth for packaging material data," said Paul Nowak, Executive Director of GreenBlue. "In the How2Recycle program, we ask up to sixty questions about any single piece of packaging and generally this information can be found in a specification. We look forward to working with Specright to help harmonize our data into one platform, leading to a positive ripple effect across every organization in the packaging industry."

The launch comes in response to mounting legislative and customer pressures throughout the sector to transform its packaging practices, with an example being the recent anti-waste for a circular economy law in France, which mandates that restaurants with seating for more than 20 guests offer reusable tableware.

Josef Björk, VP CPI food service at Berry Superfos, said, “We are delighted to introduce the game-changing reusable tableware product family which combines functionality, sustainability, and advanced technologies.