The largest brand owners in the world together used an average of 14% post-consumer resin in their packaging last year, a 2 percentage point increase over 2022. | Photka/Shutterstock
The Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s 2023 report indicated a year-over-year decrease in both virgin and overall plastic use from signatory companies. That came from companies incorporating more post-consumer resin, combined with lower overall consumer demand due to economic challenges.
Packaging suppliers including TC Transcontinental, Tetra Pak, Amcor and Orbis shared insights on incorporating PCR at the 2024 Pack Expo International in Chicago. | Antoinette Smith/Resource Recycling
The broad theme of sustainability was a central focus at Pack Expo International in Chicago this week, encompassing package recyclability, PCR content and legislation. Continue Reading
A judge ruled PepsiCo isn’t legally liable for the pollution its packaging can become, and that the responsibility rests solely with the person who improperly disposed of the product. | LuqmanLutfi Photography/Shutterstock
Under current New York law, PepsiCo can’t be held legally responsible for consumers improperly disposing of its packaging, a state supreme court judge has ruled. And now, a California court will test similar legal theories. Continue Reading
Researchers from varied backgrounds published a paper that aims to facilitate conversations between various stakeholders in plastics recycling. | FabrikaSimf/Shutterstock
A group of researchers hopes to foster discussion and cooperation throughout the plastics value chain with their recent paper in the scientific journal Nature.
Global flavoring giant McCormick views incorporating PCR as low-hanging fruit in reducing Scope 3 emissions and values climate issues over competition, according to its chief sustainability officer. | JHVEPhoto/Shutterstock
Meeting sustainability targets such as increased PCR content are not just the right thing to do but also essential for maintaining high performance, according to the chief sustainability officer at flavoring giant McCormick & Co.
Amazon announced it has removed all plastic air pillows from delivery packaging at its global fulfillment centers, replacing them with paper filler. | Photo courtesy of Amazon
Online e-commerce giant Amazon released an update on its sustainability goals, announcing it has hit its goal of replacing plastic air pillows with paper filler throughout North America.
Bloomberg’s latest Circular Economy Company Ranking reported on corporate sustainability pledges, finding a theme of costs outweighing target progress. | Aykut Erdogdu/Shutterstock
A new report from Bloomberg’s market research division provides further evidence of brand owners struggling to meet stated recycled content goals due to a lack of available material and cost pressure.
Non-compostable produce stickers, multi-material plastic packaging and degradability additives have been added to U.S. Plastics Pact’s list of problematic and unnecessary materials. | Neungstockr/Shutterstock
With the U.S. Plastics Pact on track to eliminate its initial 11 problematic plastics by 2025, the group decided to add three more items to the list. Continue Reading
The increase in both volumes and share of total purchases stands in contrast to brand owners that have announced they will miss voluntary 2025 recycled content targets for packaging. | Joyce Blessthink/Shutterstock
Global packaging giant Amcor reported higher volumes of recycled resin purchases despite a drop in total raw material consumption, according to its 2023 sustainability report. Continue Reading
As of 2023, 61% of Mars packaging is designed to be recyclable, reusable or compostable, up from 57% in 2022 but significantly short of 100% by 2025, and the company used an average of 1.5% recycled content across its packaging portfolio, significantly short of 30% by 2025. | MarsMM/Shutterstock
Brand owner Mars says the design and infrastructure changes that are needed to meet its recycling goals are “taking longer than we anticipated” – and that it will miss certain goals it set for 2025.