Business Management - Sustainability

American Packaging Corporation's recently opened Roto Center of Excellence in DeForest, Wis., will undergo a $50 million expansion, adding 126,000 sq. ft. to the facility. The expansion will allow the company to keep up with gravure demand and provide converting of extensible substrates that qualify for a circular plastics economy.

Since yesterday was Earth Day, this week's episode of POW! features an innovative brand that goes above and beyond in implementing environmentally-friendly packaging. Truman's, an online provider of household cleaning supplies, stands out in its market segment with reusable bottles and recyclable cartridges.

Demand for biodegradable plastic film is expected to climb 5.4% yearly to $122 million in 2023, according to "Specialty Films," a new study from The Freedonia Group. Food packaging is expected to be the market segment responsible for the majority of this demand.

Brand owner and consumer perspectives on sustainability are outlined in a new report published by the Flexible Packaging Association. The report details how brand owners and consumers view certain materials within a sustainability context, along with other packaging attributes, such as recyclability and the full packaging lifecycle.

Chobani is the latest brand to join the How2Recycle label program as part of its effort to increase the brand's overall sustainability. Through the program, each package receives a recyclability assessment along with specific recycling instructions on its packaging, which aid consumers in proper package disposal.

TerraCycle, along with a coalition of consumer product companies, has unveiled a global, first-of-its-kind, shopping system called Loop. Loop will enable consumers to responsibly consume a variety of products in customized, brand-specific durable packaging that is collected, cleaned, refilled and reused.

TC Transcontinental Packaging has announced the launch of one of the first 100% recyclable multi-layer, stand up pouches in North America. The recyclable pouch was produced for American tea company Harney & Sons, providing added sustainability elements to the product while maintaining its flavor and freshness.

The rising backlash against plastic packaging among consumers continues to gain steam, with concerns over recyclability at the forefront. However, consumers need to understand the sustainability advantages of all packaging formats before demanding a material be eliminated.

UPM Raflatac has announced the expansion of its RafCycle label liner recycling solution to the United States and Canada. Through the RafCycle program, UPM Raflatac collects the paper and PET liner waste from its RafCycle partners and recycles it into new materials.

Constantia Flexibles' new line of sustainable packaging provides a decreased carbon footprint, focuses on recyclable solutions and decreases the impact on the environment all while protecting the packaged products.