Yum! Brands’ 2025 virgin plastic reduction target remains in question

The corporation described packaging sustainability efforts across its fast-food brands in an ESG report, including updating Pizza Hut box graphics to promote recycling and expanding mail-in recycling for Taco Bell sauce packets.

Washington state fines 35 companies violating recycled plastic law

Clorox, Ocean Spray and Albertsons are among the companies facing the highest penalties. Under the law, plastic beverage containers had to use at least 15% recycled content in 2023 and plastic trash bags had to contain 10%.

Consumers are confused by packaging sustainability claims

Between greenwashing, confusing terminology and a lack of information, a lot gets lost in translation, according to speakers from the National Retail Federation, NielsenIQ and others at recent industry events.

How2Recycle Plus ready to take dynamic labels mainstream

The new offering features a QR code so consumers can access localized recycling information. It will come at a higher price to brands than the more traditional How2Recycle Pro label. Danone will be the first to adopt it.

Packaging innovations: Hot Pockets go sleeveless, Henkel’s coating lightens dry food packaging

Plus, hair care brand Overtone joins a Target sustainability initiative as it launches tubes with a new look and PCR.

Hush-hush: Is greenwashing pushback prompting pivot to ‘greenhushing’?

Companies must focus on data to back their sustainability claims instead of resorting to silence, or exaggerations, said sources from groups such as the U.S. Plastics Pact, Glass Packaging Institute and McCormick & Co.

Paying their fair share: CAA and states detail approach to EPR enforcement

The new CEO of Circular Action Alliance and state producer responsibility leads shared how they’ll collaborate on compliance and enforcement. A Colorado deadline this week brought a surge of producer registrations.

Packaging trade shows to watch in 2025

Mark your calendar: These U.S. conferences and events will cover timely trends in sustainable packaging design, recycling technologies, regional market trends, substrate evolutions, automation and more.

BPI Summit highlights ongoing compostable packaging debate ahead of USDA decision

World Centric, the California Compost Coalition, Athens Services, Dirt Hugger, A1 Organics, Moonshot Compost and others weighed in with their thoughts about this growing category of packaging.

Dart Container, Origin Materials announced workforce cuts in September

New data shows U.S. manufacturing contracted and layoffs rose last month. News of workforce reductions by Berry Global and Origin cropped up in Canada, as well as at Dart’s corporate headquarters in Michigan.

The How2Recycle label is getting a new look

The campaign to transform the instructional label program involves a refreshed design, enhanced data sources and partners handling different aspects of the system, and planning for greater investment in consumer education.

Pactiv Evergreen divests 2 facilities to Suzano for $110M

The sale of sites in Arkansas and North Carolina is the culmination of a strategic review by Pactiv as the company also restructures its beverage and food merchandising businesses and explores footprint optimization.

Updated Oct. 1, 2024

What’s next for product certification amid concerns about PFAS and toxics in plastic

Lagging regulation and a potential “toxic treadmill” with recycled content are viewed as just some of today’s pressing challenges. Clean Production Action Executive Director Mark Rossi reflects on two decades of change in the field.

California Gov. Newsom signs food date label law, updates PCR reporting rules

This marks the first state law requiring products to include standardized “best by” and “use by” language in an effort to reduce food waste. Newsom also acted on two microplastics-related bills.

Insights from the 2024 Packaging Recycling Summit

AI applications, recycled plastic supply and demand, and how brands are thinking about extended producer responsibility were among the topics Packaging Dive covered from this year’s event in California.

Nespresso spotlights aluminum in marketing campaign

The Nestlé coffee brand timed the campaign to New York's Climate Week as it seeks to position itself as a more sustainable format than other single-use coffee products.

Packaging innovations: Bottle material changes from Albertsons and Johnnie Walker

Plus, Cambio Roasters and Glatfelter debut new coffee pod packaging, while Sleever partners with Carbios for a biodegradable shrink sleeve.

Advancements push AI from jargon into practice for packaging management

Glacier demonstrated at the Packaging Recycling Summit how it developed new AI models through partnerships with Colgate and Amazon to capture more recyclables at MRFs.

Research spotlights how food-contact chemicals found in packaging show up in humans

Challenges with regulating food-contact chemicals and materials “are diverse and legislation often does not keep up with the latest scientific understanding,” researchers wrote in a widely covered scientific journal article.

New molded fiber company will use industrial hemp as main feedstock

Renw seeks to minimize reliance on forestry assets in packaging by expanding the growth of industrial hemp, which will be used as a feedstock at the company’s molded fiber production facilities.

Dan Felton to leave Ameripen, become Flexible Packaging Association’s CEO

Felton will continue to advocate on behalf of packaging stakeholders, having worked through what he called “seismic shifts to the industry in terms of new laws and regulations” since 2020.

Thermoform reclamation rises along with rPET demand

As one speaker at the Packaging Recycling Summit called thermoforms an “untapped source” for reclaimed PET, Rumpke Waste & Recycling plans to begin accepting the containers in curbside recycling.

Lawsuits from California AG and others take aim at ExxonMobil’s chemical recycling claims

Coordinated lawsuits target the company’s role in pollution and describe the limitations of mechanical and advanced recycling to manage waste. Packaging companies have partnered with ExxonMobil to source recycled plastics.

Containerboard pricing holds steady as box demand sees uneven recovery

The latest Fastmarkets RISI monthly data showed flat pricing for domestic containerboard. While Cascades is attempting its third price increase this year, so far others have not followed.

California closes reusable plastic carryout bag loophole

Gov. Gavin Newsom signed SB 1053, a law that will eliminate plastic bags as an option at store checkouts. Retailers will still be allowed to sell certain recycled paper bags.