W-Cycle, an Israeli foodTech startup, has developed SupraPulp, made from upcycled sugarcane bagasse. Unlike other compostable food packaging. it’s non-coated, omniphobic, can be frozen/heated and remains completely unaffected by liquids and oils.
SupraPulp is patented, field-tested, and an ideal replacement for plastic, aluminium, or foam containers. It is made from 100% renewable sugarcane bagasse, the dry, pulpy fibrous matter that remains after sugarcane or sorghum stalks are crushed to extract their juice.
SupraPulp is compostable, non-coated, toxin and metal free. The containers have unique characteristics compared to standard bagasse containers. While standard pulp products cannot sustain liquids and oils, SupraPulp containers are oil and water-resistant and avoid any absorption or leakage.
CPET plastic trays are typically used in for ready-meal packaging. SupraPulp, just like CPET, is ideal for ready meals since it is suitable for freezer-to-oven/microwave convenience.
Following years of R&D efforts, this new material is able to be frozen to -40°C and reheated to 270°C (-40°F and reheated to 518°F), inviting a comprehensive range of food applications. After use, the package can be disposed of as organic waste.
Fresh meat, poultry and sea food are also commonly packed in plastic (PE, PET, styrofoam) due to their juice runoff. SupraPulp is a great replacement as it will not absorb them, leak or soften.
“You can dispose SupraPulp packages the same way as you would your salad,” says Lior Itai, CEO and co-founder of W-Cycle. “This food-grade, compostable packaging is a one-to-one replacement for its plastic counterpart.
“There are other compostable solutions on the market, but SupraPulp has game-changing functionality consumers need when they want to heat, freeze, or microwave convenience food products. Plus, SupraPulp trays have a luxury look and feel compared to plastic, aluminum, or bioplastic containers.
“Other green solutions such as bioplastic made from the whole plant need to be specially grown, harvested, and processed. SupraPulp is made from the waste upcycled from sugarcane, or similar crops such as wheat, bananas, etc. It is the ultimate green, sustainable, eco-friendly solution to plastic waste.”
“Covid19 is drawing consumers’ attention to how we treat our planet and the future of the environment,” stresses Joseph Siani, CTO and co-founder of W-Cycle. “There is greater demand — and pressure — on brands to offer environmentally responsible products. Providing a compostable solution for ready meals, and meat products allows us to help food manufactures as well as consumers ditch plastic containers and create a cleaner environment. Together, we can put end to plastic pollution.
“We are currently marketing SupraPulp trays and connecting with strategic distributors, the demand is outstanding.”
PG1090 is Plasgad’s new multi-industry logistic pallet that has, according to the company, been designed to fit conveyors and automated systems, while offering “maximum strength” and “uncompromising safety.”
Plasgad says that its new pallet can withstand many work cycles and that it is also fully recyclable – an advantage for companies that are committed to sustainability and environmental protection.
The pallet’s size is 1200X1000mm/48X40in, and it is available in a wide range of configurations with an open or closed deck. Meanwhile, the solution has a racking capacity of up to 750kg/1653lb without metal reinforcement but, if required, the pallet’s racking capacity can be upgraded by adding metal bars.
The metal bars can be added in two configurations: an “H” configuration for static loads, which provides a racking capacity of up to 1200kg/2646lb and ensures greater stability during the collection process; or reinforcement with 3 vertical metal bars, which make the pallet suitable for dynamic loads of up to 2 tons/4410lb.
The pallet can also be equipped with technological add-ons to provide important information about the goods throughout the transit process. Options for tracking include adding a barcode label, embedding a QR code, or embedding an RFID sticker in a designated area on the pallet. Customers also have the option of adding a GPS/IOT tracking device.
The pallets come with optional safety rims of three different heights, one of which is tailored to fit plastic crates. In addition, Plasgad has developed a solution for a well-known “weakest link” for many of its customers: the problem of slipping goods.
The company provides two solutions that prevent slipping: Anti-slip strips placed along the pallet, and the option of adding anti-slip rubbers to support goods and prevent them from slipping off the forklift.
Iftah Poran, VP of R&D at Plasgad, says: “The PG1090 is an innovative pallet which offers an optimal solution for logistics systems. It’s a strong and durable pallet, which will give our customers peace of mind and eliminate the need to deal with unnecessary work processes.
“Its huge advantage is the ability to make precise adjustments based on every customer’s specific needs, so we can say that we’ve developed a single solution that can meet a wide range of needs.”
A total of 145 Woolworths stores across South Africa are now free from single-use plastic shopping bags.
Despite a challenging year with Covid-19 lockdown disruptions, Woolworths has continued rolling out its low-cost reusable bag to 120 additional stores as part of the retailer’s vision for a zero packaging waste to landfill and commitment to phase out single-use plastic shopping bags.
“We are delighted to be able to take such a significant step forward in the removal of single-use plastic shopping bags from our stores, especially at a time when we have had so many supply uncertainties,” said Feroz Koor, Woolworths Holdings group head of sustainability.
“The local supplier of our low-cost reusable bag has been severely impacted by Covid-19 lockdown disruptions, which has lost them 692 hours of production time over the last eight months. But over the last three months, they have been able to increase their production to enable us to now remove single-use plastic shopping bags from an additional 120 stores which is a substantial move to reaching our goal of removing all single-use plastic shopping bags from all of our stores,” Koor explained.
“Great to see Woolworths removing single-use plastic bags from these stores and taking on the task of educating their consumers about adopting more reuse actions in their daily lives and supporting local enterprises. Important for the consumer to also understand that these reusable bags need to be reused to carry groceries or repurposed multiple times and not only used once,” comments Lorren de Kock, WWF-SA project manager: circular plastics economy.
For a full list of Woolworths’ 145 stores which are single-use plastic shopping bag free, go to www.woolworths.co.za/recycle.
As part of its commitment to replace plastic wrap on all can multipacks in its EU markets, Coca-Cola HBC has commenced the rollout of a paperboard alternative – KeelClip.
The company predicts that this move, which was originally announced last year, will save more than 3,000 metric tonnes of CO2 and 2,000 metric tonnes of plastic each year.
The new solution came about as a result of a €15 million investment by the Coca-Cola HBC in a strategic partnership with Graphic Packaging International, and forms part of a wider commitment by Coca-Cola HBC and its partner The Coca-Cola Company to build a more sustainable approach to packaging.
The roll out across all the company’s EU markets plus Switzerland will be complete by early 2022, slightly behind its initial target of late 2021.
As part of its initial agreement with Graphic Packaging, Coca-Cola HBC will install 11 KeelClip machines in seven countries, which will supply the solution across all its EU markets.
Marcel Martin, group supply chain director at Coca-Cola HBC, said: “By investing in this innovative new technology we are directly supporting our customers and their consumers by providing a more sustainable packaging format. At the same time, we are delivering on our commitment to make a more positive environmental impact.”
Steve Gould, new product development and marketing director of Graphic Packaging’s beverage division, added: “We are committed to working with Coca-Cola HBC to deliver this exciting innovation. We will continue to support the ongoing rollout and commercialization across Coca-Cola HBC’s EU markets and are delighted to be partners in this endeavor.”
Giving the perspective of a major retailer, Alan Crawford, trading director at SPAR/EUROSPAR Ireland, said: “Coca-Cola HBC has taken a leadership position in the soft drink category, introducing a really new and exciting type of packaging.
“The move to the new KeelClip and paperboard packaging will eliminate a significant amount of packaging from our supply chain which is very important for us as an organisation and the environment we operate within. The appearance of the multipack cans in KeelClip packaging is also more attractive to our customers, so we expect the change to support increased sales as well as taking an important sustainability position.”
Spirits company Bacardi has unveiled plans to use a new, 100 per cent biodegradable bottle, which the company says will replace 80 million plastic bottles, or 3000 tonnes of plastic, currently produced by the company every year.
The move is possible thanks to Bacardi’s collaboration with Danimer Scientific, a developer and manufacturer of biodegradable products.
Petroleum-based plastics used by Bacardi today will be replaced by Danimer Scientific’s Nodax PHA, a biopolymer which derives from the natural oils of plant seeds such as palm, canola, and soy.
While a regular plastic bottle takes more than 400 years to decompose, the new spirits bottle made from Nodax PHA will biodegrade in a wide range of environments, including compost, soil, freshwater and sea water, and after 18 months disappear without leaving behind harmful microplastics.
Bacardi rum will be the first spirit to appear in the new bottle, before the plant-based material is rolled out to replace single-use plastic across the entire Bacardi supply chain and the company’s 200 brands and labels including Bombay Sapphire gin, Grey Goose vodka, Patrón tequila, Martini vermouth and Dewar’s Scotch whisky.
Bacardi rum senior vice-president said: “Over our 158-year history, Bacardi has always believed in respecting the world’s natural resources and acting responsibly, from the sustainable sourcing of our sugarcane to the water and energy used to make our rum. We’re now excited to be pioneering this new biopolymer technology for the benefit of all Bacardi brands and the entire spirits industry.”
As well as the new 100 per cent biopolymer spirits bottle, Bacardi is also creating a sustainably sourced paper bottle.
By integrating the Nodax PHA polymer, this alternative solution will have equally strong environmental credentials while ensuring the quality and taste of the spirit inside a bottle made of paper is as exceptional as one made of glass.
Jean-Marc Lambert, senior vice-president, global operations for Bacardi, said: “When we set ourselves the goal of being 100 per cent plastic free by 2030, we knew that it would take ground-breaking advances in packaging design to make it achievable, and that’s exactly what’s happening through our partnership with Danimer.”
Thanks to the versatility of this innovative new material, the Bacardi packaging development team will also crack one of the beverage industry’s longest-standing plastic problems – the plastic lining of bottle closures.
“It may sound small,” Lambert said. “But add that up across every bottle produced globally and we’re talking many tons of plastic every day. Once we’ve fixed the problem, we’ll be open sourcing the solution for the entire industry to use. This isn’t about competitive advantage it’s about doing the right thing for the planet.”
As well as launching the new biopolymer bottle in 2023, the company has also committed to removing all its non-essential, single-use plastic, including all plastic gift box materials and plastic point-of-sale materials, in the next three years.
Nodax PHA was verified as a truly biodegradable alternative to petrochemical plastics by the University of Georgia (UGA) and the UGA New Materials Institute in a 2018 study. Danimer Scientific currently uses the material for a wide range of applications, including thermoformed trays, drinking straws, flexible and multi-layer film packaging, coatings, disposable cutlery, and more.
Danimer Scientific chief marketing and sustainability officer Scott Tuten said: “Nodax PHA is one of the most promising eco-friendly materials in the world today because it delivers the biodegradability that consumers demand without losing the quality feel they receive from traditional plastic.
“The material provides the best of both worlds, and we look forward to working with Bacardi and incorporating PHA into their iconic packaging.
Major brand owners like Absolut, Diageo, Carlsberg, and PepsiCo are developing paper bottles, but what does a market analyst say about this paper chase?
Until the last couple years the concept of a paper bottle would seem at best an oxymoron, but innovations continue to break barriers in the pursuit of packaging that offers sustainability benefits, ideally aligned with recycling.
Thus, there’s renewed interest by major brands in paper bottles, which though not new, are experiencing increased activity, undoubtedly sparked by the anti-plastic sentiment sweeping the globe.
Until the last couple years the concept of a paper bottle would seem at best an oxymoron, but innovations continue to break barriers in the pursuit of packaging that offers sustainability benefits, ideally aligned with recycling.
Thus, there’s renewed interest by major brands in paper bottles, which though not new, are experiencing increased activity, undoubtedly sparked by the anti-plastic sentiment sweeping the globe.https://e9684372136265cda297c5523bc40606.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-37/html/container.html
A historical sampling of Packaging Digest features uncovered a mix of the new and old among these paper bottle citations across various markets from spirits to beer to detergent starting in 2015 and extending through last month; the links appear at the end of this report.
In light of the news that Diageo, the parent company of the Johnnie Walker brand, will package the spirits brand in 100% plastic-free bottles starting in 2021 (see Paper Bottle Coming Soon to a Liquor Store Near You, published August 2020), Lux Research released this commentary: “Diageo has formed a [joint venture] called Pulpex with Pilot Lite to develop the paper bottle technology and will manufacture the paper bottles in-house. The company has always used third-party suppliers for its glass bottles, so it is unclear why the company decided to produce the paper bottles internally; it is very unusual for a brand owner company to vertically integrate itself to produce packaging along with its core products. Clients should note that it is better to partner with startups or converters to obtain sustainable packaging solutions rather than trying to do it all themselves.”
The writer is market analyst and Lux Research Associate Drishti Masand, who responds to our questions about paper bottles in this exclusive interview.
Until the last couple years the concept of a paper bottle would seem at best an oxymoron, but innovations continue to break barriers in the pursuit of packaging that offers sustainability benefits, ideally aligned with recycling.
Thus, there’s renewed interest by major brands in paper bottles, which though not new, are experiencing increased activity, undoubtedly sparked by the anti-plastic sentiment sweeping the globe.https://e9684372136265cda297c5523bc40606.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-37/html/container.html
A historical sampling of Packaging Digest features uncovered a mix of the new and old among these paper bottle citations across various markets from spirits to beer to detergent starting in 2015 and extending through last month; the links appear at the end of this report.
In light of the news that Diageo, the parent company of the Johnnie Walker brand, will package the spirits brand in 100% plastic-free bottles starting in 2021 (see Paper Bottle Coming Soon to a Liquor Store Near You, published August 2020), Lux Research released this commentary: “Diageo has formed a [joint venture] called Pulpex with Pilot Lite to develop the paper bottle technology and will manufacture the paper bottles in-house. The company has always used third-party suppliers for its glass bottles, so it is unclear why the company decided to produce the paper bottles internally; it is very unusual for a brand owner company to vertically integrate itself to produce packaging along with its core products. Clients should note that it is better to partner with startups or converters to obtain sustainable packaging solutions rather than trying to do it all themselves.”
The writer is market analyst and Lux Research Associate Drishti Masand, who responds to our questions about paper bottles in this exclusive interview.
Carlsberg Brewing
A year ago, Carlsberg unveiled two new research prototypes of the Green Fibre Bottle, both made from sustainably sourced wood fibres, fully recyclable, and with an inner barrier to allow the bottles to contain beer. One prototype uses a thin recycled PET polymer film barrier, and the other a 100% bio-based PEF polymer film barrier.
What’s behind the recent announcements about paper bottles in beverage markets?
Masand: The paper bottle for beverage markets is not a new innovation; it has been under development for a few years with other brands like The Coca-Cola Company, Carlsberg and a start-up company called Paboco. Carlsberg was the first company and launched calls for a pulp-based bottle in 2016 to replace its glass bottles. It has sought different partners to realize this goal. While the concept of a paper bottle is not new, it can be considered as an emerging trend as the popularity and awareness of it is on the rise at the moment with more brand and industries, for example personal care brands like L’Oreal, also adopting paper bottles.
What are the differences in the paper bottles from Diageo, PepsiCo, and Frugalpac?
Masand: Diageo founded Pulpex, in partnership with Pilot Lite (a venture management company). The announcements for Diageo’s paper bottles for Johnnie Walker, and PepsiCo’s are the same technology and application: to replace glass/plastic bottles with paper bottles for drinks. Frugal Bottle is also a very similar technology and is targeting the same application as Pulpex.
Loss of transparency is a major downside in a move away from plastic packaging. What are other shortcomings?
Masand: Paper is frequently suggested as a substitute for plastic packaging, even more so than bioplastics. Several companies are shifting to paper-based packaging to reduce the use of plastics.
However, current available data suggests that paper packaging generally requires several times more mass to fulfil the same function as its plastic counterpart. As a result, the overall environmental impact tends to be higher for paper, except in its carbon footprint. Additionally, replacing plastic with paper could lead to a serious supply problem. Paper is a short-term solution and will simply shift the burden for packaging problems.
Are paper bottles at a cost premium to plastic?
Masand: All paper products for packaging typically have a 10-20 cents per piece premium. This is a big challenge that hinders paper packaging adoption. To overcome the issue, the industry has been moving to adopt a wider feedstock by using agricultural waste fibres along with hardwood and softwood fibres. The hope is that by using waste fibres, companies can achieve more sustainability and reduce costs to then lower the price premium for products.
What other beverage markets may be vulnerable to a plastic-to-paper bottle change?
Masand: The bottled water is another beverage market facing potential penetration from alternate materials like paper bottles. However, aluminium bottles and cans seem to be dominating as an alternative to plastic rather than paper.Some start-ups include Open Water, Reign Water Company, Wallaby Water, and CanO Water
Should plastic bottle suppliers be nervous?
Masand: No, it is highly unlikely for paper bottles to disruptive plastic bottles on a significant scale, at least in the near-term. In the long run, I think recycling technologies will improve considerably, allowing for a higher recycling rate for plastic bottles and other plastic packaging to enable a circular economy for plastics. With that, it is unlikely for any alternate materials to disrupt the plastic industry.
What are the technical challenges to the paper bottle?
Masand: Paper bottles need a coating or plastic liner on the inside to provide moisture barrier, and resistance to other environmental factors. While companies claim the layers can be easily separated for recyclability, we are sceptical of those claims given the challenges in recycling plastic-lined paper today and the likelihood that the companies aren’t using any technology to allow for that separation.
Also, the cap and closure for these paper bottles is aluminium- or plastic-based, so it would need to be separated and sent into different recycling streams — that is highly dependent on efficient collection and sorting, and so again makes us sceptical of the end-of-life processing success rate
Until the last couple years the concept of a paper bottle would seem at best an oxymoron, but innovations continue to break barriers in the pursuit of packaging that offers sustainability benefits, ideally aligned with recycling.
Thus, there’s renewed interest by major brands in paper bottles, which though not new, are experiencing increased activity, undoubtedly sparked by the anti-plastic sentiment sweeping the globe.https://e9684372136265cda297c5523bc40606.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-37/html/container.html
A historical sampling of Packaging Digest features uncovered a mix of the new and old among these paper bottle citations across various markets from spirits to beer to detergent starting in 2015 and extending through last month; the links appear at the end of this report.
In light of the news that Diageo, the parent company of the Johnnie Walker brand, will package the spirits brand in 100% plastic-free bottles starting in 2021 (see Paper Bottle Coming Soon to a Liquor Store Near You, published August 2020), Lux Research released this commentary: “Diageo has formed a [joint venture] called Pulpex with Pilot Lite to develop the paper bottle technology and will manufacture the paper bottles in-house. The company has always used third-party suppliers for its glass bottles, so it is unclear why the company decided to produce the paper bottles internally; it is very unusual for a brand owner company to vertically integrate itself to produce packaging along with its core products. Clients should note that it is better to partner with startups or converters to obtain sustainable packaging solutions rather than trying to do it all themselves.”
The writer is market analyst and Lux Research Associate Drishti Masand, who responds to our questions about paper bottles in this exclusive interview.
Carlsberg Brewing
A year ago, Carlsberg unveiled two new research prototypes of the Green Fibre Bottle, both made from sustainably sourced wood fibres, fully recyclable, and with an inner barrier to allow the bottles to contain beer. One prototype uses a thin recycled PET polymer film barrier, and the other a 100% bio-based PEF polymer film barrier.
What’s behind the recent announcements about paper bottles in beverage markets?
Masand: The paper bottle for beverage markets is not a new innovation; it has been under development for a few years with other brands like The Coca-Cola Company, Carlsberg and a start-up company called Paboco. Carlsberg was the first company and launched calls for a pulp-based bottle in 2016 to replace its glass bottles. It has sought different partners to realize this goal. While the concept of a paper bottle is not new, it can be considered as an emerging trend as the popularity and awareness of it is on the rise at the moment with more brand and industries, for example personal care brands like L’Oreal, also adopting paper bottles.
Packaging Digest
A line-up of paper bottles not to scale from left-to-right: Diageo Johnnie Walker, Frugal Bottles for wines, and Absolut vodka.
What are the differences in the paper bottles from Diageo, PepsiCo, and Frugalpac?
Masand: Diageo founded Pulpex, in partnership with Pilot Lite (a venture management company). The announcements for Diageo’s paper bottles for Johnnie Walker, and PepsiCo’s are the same technology and application: to replace glass/plastic bottles with paper bottles for drinks. Frugal Bottle is also a very similar technology and is targeting the same application as Pulpex.
Loss of transparency is a major downside in a move away from plastic packaging. What are other shortcomings?
Masand: Paper is frequently suggested as a substitute for plastic packaging, even more so than bioplastics. Several companies are shifting to paper-based packaging to reduce the use of plastics.
However, current available data suggests that paper packaging generally requires several times more mass to fulfil the same function as its plastic counterpart. As a result, the overall environmental impact tends to be higher for paper, except in its carbon footprint. Additionally, replacing plastic with paper could lead to a serious supply problem. Paper is a short-term solution and will simply shift the burden for packaging problems.
The 750mL Frugal Bottle made by Frugalpac is made from 94% recycled paperboard with a food-grade liner and, at just 83 grams, is up to five times lighter than a glass bottle. An independent Life Cycle Analysis by Intertek found it has a carbon footprint up to six times (84%) lower than a glass bottle and more than a third less than a bottle made from 100% rPET.
Are paper bottles at a cost premium to plastic?
Masand: All paper products for packaging typically have a 10-20 cents per piece premium. This is a big challenge that hinders paper packaging adoption. To overcome the issue, the industry has been moving to adopt a wider feedstock by using agricultural waste fibres along with hardwood and softwood fibres. The hope is that by using waste fibres, companies can achieve more sustainability and reduce costs to then lower the price premium for products.
What other beverage markets may be vulnerable to a plastic-to-paper bottle change?
Masand: The bottled water is another beverage market facing potential penetration from alternate materials like paper bottles. However, aluminium bottles and cans seem to be dominating as an alternative to plastic rather than paper.Some start-ups include Open Water, Reign Water Company, Wallaby Water, and CanO Water.
Should plastic bottle suppliers be nervous?
Masand: No, it is highly unlikely for paper bottles to disruptive plastic bottles on a significant scale, at least in the near-term. In the long run, I think recycling technologies will improve considerably, allowing for a higher recycling rate for plastic bottles and other plastic packaging to enable a circular economy for plastics. With that, it is unlikely for any alternate materials to disrupt the plastic industry.
What are the technical challenges to the paper bottle?
Masand: Paper bottles need a coating or plastic liner on the inside to provide moisture barrier, and resistance to other environmental factors. While companies claim the layers can be easily separated for recyclability, we are sceptical of those claims given the challenges in recycling plastic-lined paper today and the likelihood that the companies aren’t using any technology to allow for that separation.
Also, the cap and closure for these paper bottles is aluminium- or plastic-based, so it would need to be separated and sent into different recycling streams — that is highly dependent on efficient collection and sorting, and so again makes us sceptical of the end-of-life processing success rate.
Final thoughts?
Masand: Many companies are adopting solutions that solve the issue of plastics waste; however, they create a new set of sustainability challenges. All the alternative materials solutions have a separate set of problems associated with them; thus, they simply shift the packaging problem. With that, paper packaging will continue to grow for adoption, but will never be a substantial threat to plastics.
Henkel has relaunched three of its major retail brands in new, sustainably-minded packaging with a focus on the use of Social Plastic, recyclable black plastic, and PCR materials
Alongside the launch of Nature Box’s new 98% natural-origin recipe, Henkel is also taking further steps in its collaboration with the social enterprise Plastic Bank.
Nature Box is being described as the first beauty brand to introduce Social Plastic as a packaging material for its complete bottle portfolio: All bottle bodies of Nature Box are made of 98% Social Plastic – plastic that, in Henkel’s words, has been collected by people living in poverty before it can enter oceans and waterways.
Henkel is currently working to replace the remaining 2% virgin plastic, which is based on the bottle’s color, with the recycled material as well. For that, the company is already testing a color carrier consisting of Social Plastic.
Last year, Henkel introduced its first recyclable black plastic packaging. Since the relaunch of Henkel’s haircare brand Syoss in September, the brand’s black packaging is fully recyclable due to the use of a carbon-free colorant. Additionally, all of the shampoo bottles are made of 98% percent recycled material (excluding the cap).
With a major brand relaunch of the Schwarzkopf brand Gliss Kur, Henkel has increased the proportion of recycled material across the entire product range. Whereas the new shampoo and conditioner PE bottles are made of 30% recycled content, the shampoo and Express Repair Conditioner PET bottles consist of 97% recycled material.
All of the bottle bodies are recyclable and, by reducing the use of metallic foil, Henkel says that the overall recycling process is simplified. Additionally, the new black caps are made of carbon-free material which reportedly means that they are fully recyclable as well.
As part of Henkel’s sustainability efforts, the company has set itself packaging targets for 2025 to promote a circular economy. By that point, the company hopes that 100% of its packaging will be recyclable or reusable and that it will have reduced fossil-based virgin plastics by half in its consumer goods packaging. Additionally, Henkel wants to contribute to avoiding plastic waste being disposed of in the environment.
“We are fully committed to contributing to a circular economy and are working towards our ambitious packaging targets for 2025. The relaunch of three of our biggest brands marks a true milestone and demonstrates our holistic approach to transform our entire portfolio with regards to sustainability,” said Philippe Blank, head of circular economy at Henkel Beauty Care.
Cosmetics producer L’Oréal has partnered with LanzaTech and Total to create the world’s first bottle made from captured and recycled carbon emissions.
The conversion process takes place in three steps. First, LanzaTech captures industrial carbon emissions and converts them into ethanol using a unique biological process.
Next, thanks to an innovative dehydration process jointly developed with IFP Axens, Total converts the ethanol into ethylene before polymerizing it into polyethylene that, according to the company, has the same technical characteristics as its fossil counterpart.
L’Oréal then uses this polyethylene to produce packaging that reportedly has the same quality and properties as conventional polyethylene.
LanzaTech’s CEO, Jennifer Holmgren, said: “This partnership is based on a shared goal of creating a cleaner planet for everyone. We are grateful to both L’Oréal and Total for their commitment to reducing the carbon intensity of their activities.
“Together, we can reduce the carbon footprint of packaging by converting carbon emissions into useful products, making single-use carbon a thing of the past.”
Senior vice president of polymers at Total, Valérie Goff, added: “This partnership is an excellent example of collaboration between industrial firms in developing the plastics of the future produced from recycled carbon and meets a strong demand from our customers.
“The development of this new pathway of valuing industrial carbon emissions also contributes to the Group’s commitment to get to net zero in Europe by 2050.”
Jacques Playe, packaging and development director at L’Oréal, said: “L’Oréal is constantly improving the environmental footprint of its packaging. With this innovation converting carbon emissions into polyethylene, we aim to develop new sustainable packaging solutions.
“We have the ambition to use this sustainable material in our bottle of shampoo and conditioner by 2024 and we hope other companies will join us in using this breakthrough innovation.”
Looking ahead, the partners intend to continue working together on scaling the production of these sustainable plastics.
In partnership with Paboco and the three other companies in the Paboco Pioneer Community, Coca-Cola has revealed a first-generation prototype of its paper bottle.
The company has not yet realised its ultimate goal of creating a 100% paper-based bottle, as the structure of the prototype consists of a paper shell with a plastic closure and a plastic liner inside.
While the plastic used is 100% recycled and can be recycled again after use, the company aims to eventually create a paper bottle that can be recycled like any paper. Coca-Cola says that the next step is to find a solution to create a bottle without the plastic liner.
“Our vision is to create a paper bottle that can be recycled like any other type of paper, and this prototype is the first step on the way to achieving this. A paper bottle opens up a whole new world of packaging possibilities, and we are convinced that paper packaging has a role to play in the future,” says Stijn Franssen, EMEA R&D packaging innovation manager at Coca-Cola, who is working on the project.
Just like other types of packaging, a paper bottle of the future must adhere to the same high safety and quality standards for food and drink packaging that currently apply. Stijn and this team are putting the bottle through testing in a lab to see how it performs in the refrigerator, how strong it is, and how well it protects the beverage inside.
“We also reflect on how our consumers will react to this paper bottle. Topics like when and where it could be sold and how it can be recycled are all considered. The bottle must be explored from every perspective to ensure that we make the bottle the best it can be,” concludes Stijn.
Woolworths has launched a recyclable paper meat tray across a selection of its Own Brand beef nationally.
The new paper trays used for Woolworths’ Specially Selected and Grass Fed beef ranges are the first step in a plan to make all Woolworths’ Own Brand red meat trays recyclable over the coming months.
The redesign features a paper tray and fresh seal film, using 75 per cent less plastic than the previous packaging. It is to eliminate 2.2 tonnes of plastic from the supply chain each year across seven popular beef cuts.
Consumers can recycle the trays in their curbside recycling bin by peeling back the vacuum films used to seal in the meat.
The film covering and lining the trays can also be recycled through the REDcycle bins located at every Woolworths store, along with any other household soft plastics.
“Over the last three years we’ve embarked on a sustained program to rethink our own packaging across a wide range of categories. We know sustainable packaging is important to our customers and we’re pleased to begin our transition to recyclable meat trays, starting with our Specially Selected and Grass Fed beef ranges,” Cullen said.
“Packaging plays a vital role in maintaining product freshness and quality, but it’s important we do it in a sustainable way and encourage more recycling. Our dedicated sustainability specialists will continue to explore new opportunities to increase the recyclability of our packaging as part of our broader commitment to help build a circular economy, where waste is treated as a resource.”
To help make recycling easier for its customers, Woolworths includes simple, easy to follow recycling labels developed by Planet Ark on its Own Brand products. These show how each element of packaging can be discarded either through kerbside recycling, by returning to the store for recycling, or as general waste.
