More and more companies are moving towards sustainable packaging. In part, because they want to do their part in becoming less wasteful but also because consumers demand it. Consumers are fed up with having the onus on them to be responsible for the excessive and wasteful packaging their products come in. So, they speak with … Read more
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What is Beyond 34? The Beyond 34 initiative is led by the United States Chamber of Commerce Foundation. The goal of Beyond 34 is to advance the circular economy in various regions and cities across the United States by providing a scalable model to follow. Beyond 34 aims to improve recycling, recovery, and reuse rates … Read more
Extended producer responsibility (EPR) are policies where the producer holds a responsibility for the disposal of products and/or packaging. Similar to the historical bottle recycling program, EPR policies are utilized around the globe, often as a fee associated with end of life outcomes for products and/or packaging. Once collected, the EPR fees are often used … Read more
Recycling in the United States started by generally accepting paper, glass, and aluminum. The rise of convenient, one-time-use packaging gave way to a new material for the recycling stream – plastic. Plastic use is on the rise In the 1960s, U.S. generation of plastics was 390,000 U.S. tons according to the U.S. EPA. In 2018, … Read more
Recyclable and recycling are not one and the same yet are often used interchangeably. What are the differences between the two words and why is it important to use them correctly? Recyclable Let’s start with recyclable. The Federal Trade Commission “Green Guides” § 260.12 (2012) states ”A product or package should not be marketed as … Read more
Sometimes it is more sustainable to use more packaging instead of less. This is due to the packaging’s ability to protect the product. When designed right, packaging can extend shelf life, protect the product, and decrease food waste. According to the Industry Council for Packaging and the Environment (INCEPEN), on average, the resources used in … Read more
One visible component of marine litter is plastic waste. The presence of this plastic waste in the world’s oceans has increasingly become a hot topic in the media. This has led to the Global Plastic Alliance, consisting of worldwide environmental stakeholders and plastics manufacturers, coming together to create a global declaration. Researchers have discovered many … Read more
Are you a packaging engineer, sustainability manager, or corporate sustainability officer? Sustainable packaging is always developing. Events, innovations, and policies can be overwhelming to keep up with. That is why we have compiled a list of organizations you should consider joining to gain inspiration and education with regards to sustainable packaging. These organizations provide resources … Read more
While they have yet to receive as much public scrutiny as plastic grocery bags, polybags have a large environmental impact on our planet. They are a threat to human health as well as the environment. If littered, polybags have the potential to obstruct waterways or be ingested by animals. In addition, very few polybags are … Read more
Composting and Biodegradability: A Packaging Breakdown To meet consumer demand for less packaging waste, companies are investing heavily to find new sources of raw material as well as new ways of returning these materials safely to the environment. This has led to innovations such as bio-renewable, bio-based, biodegradable, and compostable packaging — But what do … Read more