Sustainability

FlexStudios is a brand new 2,300 m² building, located in Steinfeld, Germany, that offers three floors of interactive, inspiring collaborative space. The experiential studios have been built so that Mondi customers can actively participate in the innovation process, benefitting first-hand from the company’s extensive expertise, state-of-the-art technology, and customer-centric approach to driving sustainable change in the flexible packaging industry.

Leading plastics processor Röchling Industrial is investing almost ten million euros in expanding its plant in Geeste-Dalum, Emsland. The Röchling Sustainability Centre will be expanded extensively by 2027. "As a family business, sustainability plays a major role for us. The point of this investment is to live up to our responsibility and to ensure the future viability of our company. At the same time, we are strengthening the circular economy and expanding our international pioneering role in the long term," emphasises Franz Lübbers, CEO of Röchling Industrial. 

Northeastern University researchers have developed an innovative bioplastic that breaks down in water, offering a sustainable alternative to conventional plastic. Called MECHS, which stands for Mechanical Engineered Living Materials with Compostability, Healability and Scalability, this plastic is derived from engineered E. coli bacteria and a fiber matrix, creating a film-like material that biodegrades faster than other biodegradable plastics. The study was recently published in Nature Communications.

Developed at Mars Food & Nutrition's Wyong manufacturing facility in New South Wales, this packaging innovation follows five years of research and development and represents a $3 million investment. The pack's design maintains ease of use, allowing consumers to enjoy a pie with one hand while dispensing sauce with the other. The packs can be recycled directly in standard recycling bins once used.

Marks & Spencer is teaming up with a recycling technology group to enable the retailer to trace what happens to its drinks bottles, cartons and other plastic packaging.

The Polytag system prints an invisible tag on to containers, which can be picked up by electronic readers located at recycling centres.

Products featuring the tags will begin appearing on shelves in the next three months.

Southwest Airlines Takes Off with Eco-Friendly Inflight Service, Introducing Bamboo Cups and Wooden Stir Sticks

Southwest Airlines (NYSE: LUV) has unveiled a new eco-friendly initiative with the introduction of bamboo cups and wooden stir sticks, marking a major milestone in its push to reduce single-use plastics in inflight service. The carrier, which aims to significantly cut plastic use by 2030 as part of its "Nonstop to Net Zero" strategy, expects these latest additions will eliminate more than 1.5 million pounds of plastic waste annually.

Through this partnership, the brand has launched Date Energy Bars, India’s first energy bar with compostable flexible packaging.

The new Date Energy Bars, produced by Brawny Bear, are packaged using Pakka Limited’s compostable flexible packaging. This product not only offers a healthy snack option but also addresses the growing concern of packaging waste in India.

When compared to the lifecycle of steel cans, the new packaging is claimed to have six times less climate impact.

Easy to open and store, the new packaging is 60% lighter, occupies 30% less shelf space, and is designed to reduce transport space by 20%.

Amcor, a global leader in responsible packaging solutions, has unveiled its Decarbonization Roadmap aimed at reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The company's targets, validated by the Science-Based Targets initiative (SBTi), are in line with the latest climate science to limit global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius.

Amcor’s Decarbonization Roadmap is centered around "4 + 1" key areas: