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As part of its No Plastic in Nature initiative, the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) has produced a position paper that emphasises reduction and reuse while also setting out its principles for evaluating whether it is possible to establish a credible and effective chemical recycling system.

WWF begins its Chemical Recycling Implementation Principles with a statement saying it does not intend for the paper to be an endorsement of any chemical recycling technologies. Instead, the group says the paper is aimed at encouraging responsible decision-making during the development of a sustainable and circular plastics economy.

The key purpose of WWF’s No Plastics in Nature vision is to foster reduction and reuse as the “top strategies”, but it also acknowledges that recycling is necessary for materials where there are not currently reuse systems in place, especially such technologies that allow materials to maintain value and remain in circulation across multiple lifecycles.

The paper identifies pyrolysis, gasification, and solvent-based extraction as examples of chemical recycling and likewise recognises theoretical claims that these technologies could help to reduce demand for virgin, fossil-based plastic and provide alternative waste management systems where mechanical recycling currently lacks technical capacity.

However, the paper goes on to add: “Based on currently available evidence, there are significant concerns that these technologies are energy-intensive, pose risks to human health, and/or will not be able to practically recycle plastic beyond what mechanical recycling already achieves”. WWF says that chemical recycling technologies could increase carbon emissions, reduce progress already made to manage plastic pollution, disincentivise other solutions like reduction and reuse, and potentially endanger worker health and safety. A report from RaboResearch found similar concerns with regards to “worse-than-advertised” environmental impacts, on-going delays, and scalability challenges.

The paper therefore suggests that the impact of chemical recycling “will depend on how it is implemented and designed”. With chemical recycling patents, investments, and technologies continuing to expand, WWF offers its principles “to help ensure that chemical recycling technologies will serve a useful, complementary role in the circular economy”.

There are ten principles in total, which WWF says are equally weighted in terms of priority:

1. Chemical recycling should not divert resources from efforts to implement existing proven approaches to address the global plastic pollution problem.

2. Chemical recycling processes should demonstrate a reduced carbon footprint compared with the production of virgin resin.

3. Chemical recycling must not negatively impact local communities and must demonstrate their operation is safe for human health.

4. Safeguarding nature – chemical recycling technologies must not adversely impact our air, water, and environment.

5. The use of chemical recycling should be complementary to existing waste management systems and not compete for feedstocks with mechanical recycling.

6. Plastic waste streams should be matched to the most environmentally efficient technology available.

7. Only material-to-material applications of chemical recycling should be considered recycling and part of a circular economy.

8. Chemical recycling systems should not transform recyclable material into non-recyclable material.

9. Claims made regarding chemical recycling should be true, clear, and relevant.

10. Plastic recycled with chemical recycling technologies should be verified with chain of custody.

With regards to the environmental impact of chemical recycling, WWF posits that any chemical recycling technology developed should achieve at minimum a 20% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) at demonstration scale compared to the virgin production system. It adds that this reduction should increase as technologies begin to scale, with a focus on maintaining the 1.5^oC target limit proposed by the Paris Agreement.

WWF’s focus also appears to be on ensuring that chemical recycling technologies are complementary. According to the paper, this means limiting the unintended environmental consequences of chemical recycling and especially avoiding a situation where using chemical recycling to eliminate plastic pollution results in another significant ecological challenge to address in the future. 

This would also require chemical recycling to work in addition to, and avoid undercutting, proven mechanical recycling methods. Therefore, WWF notes that there needs to be clear and standardised guidance on which recycling technologies will produce the greatest yield and quality of recycled products, with decisions in favour of or against particular methods based on transparent data.

WWF emphasises the need for material-to-material chemical recycling, building in the opportunity for a closed-loop system and requiring that the materials produced from chemical recycling are themselves recyclable. The “ideal case” identified in the paper is the upcycling of waste plastics into more value feedstock. According to WWF, this would mean that fractions of material that are converted into energy, fuel, or lost in the recycling process would be excluded from data on the recycling rate of chemical recycling and not considered part of the circular economy.

To maintain accountability, WWF calls for public-facing claims about recycled content to be clarified, particularly with relation to a mass-balance approach versus physically segregated recycled content, which the group says should be distinguished. WWF says that recycled content claims should only apply to recyclable products. Additionally, all claims should be compliant with local legal guidelines and verified by 3^rd parties, especially where chemical recycling technologies cannot be distinguished from virgin, fossil-based plastics by the public, according to WWF. 

As for the human impacts, WWF says that environmental justice principles must be upheld during the implementation of chemical recycling technologies. This means reducing and controlling the risks to human health associated with the high levels of heat, pressure, and chemical solvents that may be required during chemical recycling, and avoiding chemical recycling in cases where this safety cannot be guaranteed.

On the new principles, Alix Grabowski, director of plastic and material science at WWF, comments: “Even as technologies advance, we can’t recycle our way out of the growing plastic waste crisis.

“Instead of just focusing on recycling, we should prioritize strategies like reducing our overall single-use plastic consumption and scaling up reuse, which offer the best opportunity to achieve the widescale change we need.

“For a technology like chemical recycling to be part of a sustainable material management system, we must carefully look at how its designed and implemented and whether or not it offers environmental benefits over the status quo, adheres to strong social safeguards, and truly contributes to advancing our circular economy. These principles are designed to do exactly that.”

Source:

https://packagingeurope.com/news/wwf-releases-chemical-recycling-principles/7812.article

PepsiCo Europe has announced that by 2030, it plans to eliminate virgin fossil-based plastic in all its crisp and chip bags.

This ambition, which follows the introduction of PepsiCo Positive, the company’s strategic end-to-end transformation with sustainability at the centre, will apply to brands including Walkers, Doritos, and Lay’s and will be delivered by using 100% recycled or renewable plastic in its packets.

Consumer trials of the packaging will begin in European markets in 2022, starting with renewable plastic in a Lay’s range in France in the first half of the year. Later in the year, a range from the Walkers brand in the UK will trial recycled content. The recycled content in the packs will be derived from previously used plastic and the renewable content will come from by-products of plants such as used cooking oil or waste from paper pulp. PepsiCo estimates it may achieve up to 40% greenhouse gas emissions reduction per ton of packaging material by switching to virgin fossil-free material.

Silviu Popovici, chief executive officer, PepsiCo Europe, commented: “Flexible packaging recycling should be the norm across Europe. We see a future where our bags will be free of virgin fossil-based plastic. They will be part of a thriving circular economy where flexible packaging is valued and can be recycled as a new packet. We’re investing with our partners to build technological capacity to do that. We now need an appropriate regulatory landscape in place so that packaging never becomes waste.”

PepsiCo uses flexible plastic for its snack packaging – the soft wrapping used to make its crisp and chip bags because it is lightweight compared to alternative packaging and therefore has a low carbon footprint. It is also highly effective at keeping food fresh thereby reducing food waste. However, PepsiCo recognises that change is needed to reduce the amount of virgin fossil-based plastic that is used and to drive circularity in flexible packaging. PepsiCo Europe will focus its work on three strategic pillars: the right design; the right infrastructure and the right new life for flexible packaging.

Beyond the switch to renewable and recycled content, PepsiCo has developed its “Making Bags Better” program, that will focus on a series of investments and innovations so more flexible plastics will be recycled and reused in Europe.

Gerald Rebitzer, sustainability director at Amcor, PepsiCo’s flexible packaging partner in Europe, said: “We are building a future where flexible packaging is part of the circular economy. Together with PepsiCo, we enhanced the material technologies on PepsiCo’s new crisp packet to make it easier to recycle. And we are beginning to integrate renewable and recycled content into PepsiCo’s packaging. To meet the demands of our clients like PepsiCo, we encourage more partners upstream to invest in the supply chains of these new materials.”

PepsiCo has also been working to reduce unnecessary packaging across its individual bags and multipacks as part of its commitment to a 50% reduction in virgin plastic per serving by 2030. Progress is being made towards this goal, including in markets such as the UK where on some parts of the range, PepsiCo has reduced its multipack outer by up to 30% using innovative technology in its manufacturing facilities.

Source:

https://www.packagingnews.co.uk/news/environment/pepsico-europe-eliminate-virgin-fossil-based-plastics-crisp-packets

Global flexible packaging giant Amcor has launched a new platform of paper-based packaging products.

The AmFiber range appears to be a direct responses to the shift in demand away from plastic packaging – Amcor said it’s ‘consumer-centric and adaptable approach to innovation’ uses the materials ‘most suited to their needs’.

The first AmFiber product launch in 2022 will be a tailored solution to provide snacks and confectionery customers in Europe a recyclable package that delivers a high barrier from oxygen and moisture.

Amcor said it will gradually extend its new paper-based offerings into a wide variety of applications such as coffee, drink powders, seasoning and soups as well as into the Americas and Asia-Pacific regions.

AmFiber innovations will join other Amcor paper-based products introduced recently, including solutions for butter and margarine in Latin America, for cheese in Europe and for confectionery in Australia.

Ron Delia, Amcor chief executive, said: “Amcor’s long-term experience in paper and carton packaging was the basis for launching the AmFiber platform. Amcor has a proven history of delivering ground-breaking innovation to support our customers’ growth aspirations. This family of differentiated paper-based products builds on Amcor’s extensive track record across multiple materials and applications.”

Source:

https://www.packagingnews.co.uk/news/markets/food/amcor-launches-new-platform-paper-based-packaging

ABB Robotics announces its agreement with Zume to scale and automate the production of plant-based packaging that the companies claim is a fully compostable and cost-effective alternative to single-use plastics.

Over the next five years, ABB says it will integrate and install over 1,000 moulded fibre manufacturing cells (MFC), including up to 2,000 robots, at Zume’s global customer sites. Zime expects that ABB will equip its factories with up to 100 robotic cells each.

ABB will use its Global Solution Centers – a network of automation experts and programme managers – to provide the scale, modularity, and speed required to launch Zume’s packaging solutions.

Zume claims that its packaging material is made from sustainably harvested plant material left over from agricultural production, including bamboo, wheat, and straw. It adds that the plant material has a lower carbon footprint and uses less water and energy than plastic packaging, as well as being biodegradable after use.

According to Zume, the company has patented an innovative manufacturing process to develop the compostable packaging for applications including food, cosmetics, and consumer goods.

Containers can be moulded from the plant material by Zume’s moulded fibre cells integrated with two ABB IR 6700 robots, says the companies. Each cell can reportedly process up to two tonnes of agricultural material every day and create 80,000 pieces of sustainable packaging.

The companies add that with the automation, speed, and scalability provided by the MFC, each site could potentially process 71,000 tonnes of agricultural material annually, with the potential to produce up to two billion pieces of packaging each year.

A pilot project has been installed by Zume and ABB at Santia Industries Limited, a large wood and agro-based paper manufacturer based in India. This has created a facility of 50 manufacturing cells that will allegedly process 100 tonnes of what straw each day to produce compostable packaging for a range of industries.

Other planned pilot installations include Parason, a global pulp and paper industry supplier also based in India, and Jefferson Enterprise Energy, a compostable packaging factory apparently powered by renewable energy and located in Texas, USA.   

Sami Atiya, president of ABB Robotics & Discrete Automation, comments: “Automating production of Zume’s sustainable packaging with ABB robots makes this a viable and economic alternative to single-use plastics.”

Alex Garden, chairman and CEO of Zume, adds: “Using ABB’s global automation experts to develop and integrate automation solutions for our customers will revolutionize packaging and demonstrate what sustainable manufacturing can look like.

“The flexibility and scalability of ABB’s robots enables an efficient automated manufacturing process. This means we can offer a viable, cost effective, compostable alternative to plastic, and help manufacturers to become more environmentally-friendly.”

ABB says that its partnership with Zume will be part of its response to consumer and legislative demand for alternatives to single-use plastic, while using automated solutions to respond to the growing demand for packaging of all kinds. In September, ABB expanded its e-commerce solutions with the FlexBuffer application cell, which allows the storage and retrieval of mixed items based on the sequence in which they need to be dispatched.  

https://packagingeurope.com/zume-partners-with-abb-to-scale-100-compostable-packaging/

Frugal Bottle and other paper bottles see brand buy-in and strong growth, yet some experts question the sustainable value of this popular format.

There’s a lot of optimism in the high-interest paper bottle market that centers on continued traction with brand owners. Yet there remain lingering doubts from consultants and others about the sustainability value of the format.

On the positive side, the format is unquestionably in growth mode: the paper bottle market is projected to grow at a ~7% CAGR over the forecast period 2022-2030, according to a market study published in October by Research Nester.

The report notes that the PET beverage bottle is falling out of favor due to widespread environmental awareness. According to a UN Environment report, an astonishing one million plastic drinking bottles are purchased every minute, most of which end up in landfills and oceans because only 9% of plastic waste is recycled.

“Paper bottles offer a green alternative to plastic bottles, as they are biodegradable, and do not harm the environment,” claims the report, pointing to that as a major market driver. There’s a rising tide of replacements to plastics particularly through paper alternatives including for cups, straws, bags, and a range of packaging.

The largest growth market for paper bottles is anticipated to be for water.

While growth is spread globally, “the Asia Pacific region is [expected] to witness noteworthy growth over the forecast period on the back of rising government initiatives to reduce pollution and promote the adoption of eco-friendly products.” For more about the report, see Paper Bottles Market.

Another supportive aspect is brand buy-in.Frugalpac

Brands embrace Frugal Bottle.

Since launching in June 2020 with a red wine, 3Q (shown above) from Cantina Goccia, Frugalpac has experienced strong sales and interest from drinks producers around the world. A range of wines, spirits, and olive oils are using the format, which purports to cut the carbon footprint versus glass bottles by 84% and is five times lighter. The Frugal Bottle is made from 94% recycled paperboard with a food-grade plastic pouch to contain the liquid.

The feedback from industry and consumers continued to be so overwhelmingly positive it prompted Cantina Goccia to plan the release of two more wines in the Frugal Bottle in early 2022, a white wine and a rose. About 80% of the brand’s wine has already switched from glass to the paper bottle.

Frugal Bottles are now also used by a number of brands including The English Vine, the US’s Signal 7, and Spain’s Planet B for wines; NB Distillery and Silent Pool for gin; and Evviva and AONES for olive oil.

Launches are forthcoming for new markets including Russian vodka and honey soap.

Frugalpac reports inquiries from 55 other international brand, contract packing, and packaging companies to buy Frugal Bottle Assembly Machines in the coming months.

“Increased interest in our paper Frugal Bottle over the last few weeks has been incredible,” says Malcolm Waugh, Frugalpac chief executive. “It seems the rising cost of gas and the global supply issues for glass bottles has further focused drinks producers’ to consider more sustainable alternatives.”

Strong demand compelled Frugalpac to plan the opening a new Frugal Bottle factory in Ipswich in the UK.

In the accompanying slideshow gallery you’ll find a diversity of comments from two Frugalpac brand-owner customers and a diverse group of six industry professionals about the sustainable value of paper bottles. Their assessments are decidedly mixed.

Source:

https://www.packagingdigest.com/beverage-packaging/paper-bottles-grow-despite-uncertainty