The foodservice packaging institute fpi recently announced the founding of the "plastics recovery group" prg, a collaboration of businesses and organizations dedicated to creating solutions to expand the recovery and processing of used plastic foodservice packaging. Today, a limited recovery infrastructure and end use markets result in valuable resources ending up in landfills. The prg will serve as the catalyst to propel recovery of used plastic foodservice packaging in north america through the &bull development of the necessary collection infrastructure &bull expansion of the end use markets for recovered materials &bull education and engagement of consumers to increase recovery and &bull collaboration with government officials.
"the group is currently reviewing collection and processing opportunities that will allow cross supplychain allies and partners to pursue a multifaceted approach to recovery, using all potential landfill diversion options," reported fpi vice president natha freiburg. Ms. Freiburg also shared that the prg intends to pilot new projects throughout the value chain, test the economic viability of existing and future initiatives and work closely together with other organizations focused on plastics and packaging recovery. The prg is a separate memberfunded project within fpi.
Current prg members include &bull absolute plastics, llc &bull americas styrenics, llc &bull basf &bull cascades, inc. &bull ckf, inc. &bull command packaging &bull convermex &bull d&w fine pack &bull dart container corporation &bull dyneapak inc. &bull ecoproducts inc. &bull fabri kal &bull genpak, llc &bull havi global solutions &bull natureworks, llc &bull pactiv foodservicefood packaging &bull solo cup company &bull total petrochemicals &bull wnapolar plastic additional members are sought from all parts of the value chain including raw material suppliers, converters, retailersoperators, waste haulers, recyclers, composters, wastetoenergy facilities, material recovery facilities and processors.
"many of our members have already taken steps to launch companyspecific recovery initiatives, but now is the time to develop sustainable, industryled solutions across the entire value chain," said ms. Freiburg. Fpi is a key facilitator for the industry, bringing together its members to actively engage in proactive solutions. "the power of this organization lies in its memberdirected dedication to the increased recovery of foodservice packaging through the prg and its counterpart for used paper foodservice packaging, the paper recovery alliance."
