August 2024

WestRock Company has announced plans to construct a new corrugated box plant in Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin, to meet the increasing demand from customers in the Great Lakes region. The new facility will replace the existing plant in North Chicago upon completion.

This investment aims to enhance WestRock’s production capabilities and improve its cost efficiency in the Great Lakes region. The construction is projected to cost around $140 million, with partial offset from property sales.

Liberty Coca-Cola Beverages, the local Coca-Cola bottler for Philadelphia, New Jersey, and New York City, is partnering with WestRock , a leading provider of sustainable paper and packaging solutions, to implement a paperboard carrier that will replace plastic rings for multipack bottled beverages. This collaboration will see WestRock's PETCollar Shield Plus paper-based packaging used at Liberty's Philadelphia production facility for Coca-Cola’s top brands.

BPI provides third-party verification of whether an item meets ASTM’s compostability standards. It is also a method for ensuring that all claims of compostability are supported by scientific evidence, as requested by the FTC.

The current BPI Certification mark covers Biodolomer for film applications. More certification processes are underway.

"We have been producing Biodolomer for nine years", says CEO Peter Stenström. "Unlike many other bioplastics, it does not use materials grown on farmland. It is based on limestone, one of the most common materials on the planet."

Suzano, Latin America's largest pulp and paper producer, is reportedly considering a higher offer for International Paper after previously preparing a US$15 billion acquisition bid earlier this month. Despite initial denials of these rumors, Suzano has now confirmed its interest in a merger.

On May 29, the Pet Sustainability Coalition (PSC) launched its Packaging Legislation Tracker, a new tool for the pet food industry designed to provide an accessible, responsive overview of the latest packaging requirements that could impact business decisions, all organized by region for quick and relevant information.

The Packaging Legislation Tracker offers easy access to essential regulation details, insight into how these regulation may affect your pet food operations and guidance on where to find additional information, said Ali Boden, senior packaging manager with PSC.

Japan-based Dai Nippon Printing (DNP) is switching from plastic to paper to package its in-house manufactured photo-media, including ink ribbons and printing paper.

The change from petroleum-based plastic to biomass plant-based renewable resource paper is expected to reduce CO₂ emissions for the company by 69% – around 45 tons per annum.

DNP has also introduced an originally designed automated packaging machine for photo media production into the process, making it possible to achieve the same quality and lead time as when using plastic materials.

Aldi has announced a major packaging change to all of its beer and cider products.

In an attempt to improve its environmental commitments, the budget supermarket chain said it will remove all plastic packaging from its own-label four-pack beers and ciders. The company said the move will help reduce plastic waste.