Materials


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    Megan Quinn/Packaging Dive
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    Ideas for easing recycled content woes through policy, packaging

    Brand innovations, policy changes and better communication could help ease challenges associated with adding recycled content to packaging, said speakers at the Plastics Recycling Conference.

    By Megan Quinn • April 2, 2025
  • A dark gray plastic industrial crate.
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    Courtesy of Tetra Pak
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    Crate idea: Transport packaging made from recycled Tetra Pak cartons

    The polymer and aluminum material, polyAl, that gets separated from fiber during carton recycling is a key material for the new transport crates made by Schoeller Allibert. 

    By April 2, 2025
  • Machinery inside Graphic Packaging International's Kalamazoo, Michigan, paperboard production plant.
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    Permission granted by Graphic Packaging International
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    Graphic Packaging International to close Ohio plant, affecting 130 employees

    The Ohio closure had been anticipated as part of the company’s effort to consolidate its mill system and focus on new facilities in Kalamazoo, Michigan, and Waco, Texas, but it comes months ahead of schedule.

    By April 1, 2025
  • A person shops in a grocery store aisle
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    Brandon Bell via Getty Images
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    Hitting a plateau: Circular packaging designers face flexibles hurdle

    Many companies have targets to make 100% of their packaging recyclable, reusable or compostable by 2025. Now, as they face the hardest categories to transform, some are weighing whether it’s feasible.

    By Shefali Kapadia • March 31, 2025
  • A person draws on a white board with a marker.
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    Courtesy of Amcor
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    Amcor extends open call for novel barrier coatings

    The company aims to work with innovators and startups on compostable and recyclable coatings for flexible packaging. Chosen projects could receive up to $500,000 in funding.

    By March 28, 2025
  • A box with branding for Seagram's Escapes flavored malt beverages.
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    Courtesy of Seagram's Escapes
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    Packaging innovations: Seagram’s slims down, J. Lohr puts cab in a keg

    Plus, Wimbée and Koehler Paper cap off a fiber packaging project and Contempo Specialty Packaging keeps plastics and kids out of its cannabis packaging.

    By March 26, 2025
  • Several white, plastic yogurt cups containing different colored yogurt, one of which has a metal spoon sticking out of it.
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    AtlasStudio via Getty Images
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    AI-enabled MRF technology aids food-grade polypropylene recovery: report

    A study led by Closed Loop Partners, in collaboration with Greyparrot, analyzed more than 650 tons of material from four U.S. MRFs. 

    By March 25, 2025
  • Close up of fiber tubes with blue Sonoco logos on them.
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    Retrieved from Sonoco on March 21, 2025
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    URB producers to increase prices as tariffs affect fiber demand

    Greif, Sonoco, Cascades and Ox Industries are leading the price increases for uncoated recycled paperboard. Meanwhile, analysts flag that tariff uncertainty has prompted fiber demand shifts.

    By March 21, 2025
  • A wheel loader moves bales of plastic
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    Courtesy of Republic Services
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    Republic opens Indianapolis plastics complex to meet recycled content demand

    The location has the company’s second polymer center and a Blue Polymers facility. Together, they’re expected to process 175,000 pounds of recycled plastic annually and in part offer resin for food-grade packaging.

    By Megan Quinn • March 20, 2025
  • Various fruits inside clear plastic food containers.
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    Retrieved from Plastic Ingenuity on March 19, 2025
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    PET thermoform recycling is rising, but still not matching PCR demand

    Only 54% of U.S. residents with recycling programs have access to thermoform recycling. That must increase to meet growing postconsumer recycled content demand, according to NAPCOR.

    By Updated March 20, 2025
  • A Greyparrot AI system sits on top of a sorting line
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    Courtesy of Greyparrot
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    Recyclers give packaging designers a glimpse into limitations, opportunities in today’s MRFs

    Leaders from Republic Services, Rumpke Waste & Recycling and elsewhere discussed their role in recycling plastics at the Sustainability in Packaging US conference.

    By March 17, 2025
  • President Donald Trump walks across the South Lawn at the White House on March 9, 2025.
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    Samuel Corum via Getty Images
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    Trump reverses Canada steel, aluminum tariff hike

    A 25% tariff increase on the metal imports will still go into effect Wednesday, but that rate won’t double after Ontario backed off from imposing retaliatory energy tariffs.

    By Philip Neuffer • Updated March 11, 2025
  • Hands hold a white paper cup filled with yogurt and fruit
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    Courtesy of Huhtamaki
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    Packaging innovations: Less plastic in dairy cups, paint refills, pallet wraps

    Huhtamaki, Mondi and Ranpak recently announced new packaging launches and technology integrations.

    By March 7, 2025
  • A close-up view of various old corrugated boxes that are flattened.
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    Watcharin panyawutso via Getty Images
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    China’s import policies changed fiber trade. Tariffs could change it again.

    RaboResearch explored how pulp and paper are “caught in the cross fire of a new North American trade war” as well as trade trends with folding cartonboard and recovered paper.

    By March 5, 2025
  • Bundled stacks of flat corrugated boxes.
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    samritk via Getty Images
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    February’s partial price increase for containerboard again raises index questions

    Fiber producers continue to move away from third-party indexes and question their relevance to the broader market. Plus, analysts flag that containerboard oversupply and expected mill closures will affect prices.

    By Feb. 25, 2025
  • A variety of small-sized packaging and caps in various colors and shapes.
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    Katie Pyzyk/Packaging Dive
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    Caps, pumps, pods: Preventing small packaging from slipping through recycling systems

    Tens of thousands of tons of small-format packaging could be captured each year with technological upgrades, according to a Closed Loop Partners report.

    By Feb. 24, 2025
  • The tops of silver tabbed beverage cans
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    LordRunar via Getty Images
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    Metal packaging manufacturers raise red flags over new tariffs

    Both packaging and “consumer prices will go up” as manufacturers pass down increased costs, said Can Manufacturers Institute President Robert Budway.

    By Feb. 11, 2025
  • A box of Energizer batteries with company branding on the front.
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    Courtesy of Energizer Holdings
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    Packaging innovations: Energizer’s move away from plastic just keeps going and going and going

    Plus, Carton Service CSI’s cartons go cap-free and Berry Global expands its line of refillable sticks.

    By Feb. 7, 2025
  • Rows of aerosol cans.
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    shank_ali via Getty Images
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    How2Recycle questions recyclability level of aerosol cans, boosts paper canisters

    Sonoco celebrated the development for its paper cans after “collaboration with recyclers.” How2Recycle will also review the status for single-use PP coffee pods, bulky rigid plastics, and HDPE trays and thermoforms.

    By Feb. 6, 2025
  • U.S. President Donald Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau participate in a joint news conference in the East Room of the White House on February 13, 2017 in Washington, D.C.
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    Alex Wong via Getty Images
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    US and Canada agree to 30-day pause on tariffs

    The two countries will push back a Feb. 4 enforcement date as they coordinate anti-drug trafficking efforts at their shared border.

    By Philip Neuffer • Feb. 3, 2025
  • Customer holding and looking at pouch packaging
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    jittawit.21 via Getty Images
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    The packaging industry outlook for 2025

    The evolution of packaging EPR, potential for more industry-reshaping megadeals, shifting attitudes on plastics and sustainability goals, and Trump’s mark on trade and federal funding are dynamic areas to watch.

    By Packaging Dive Staff • Jan. 31, 2025
  • A person wearing a white shirt, cap and face mask stands next to industrial equipment that is producing a white material.
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    Permission granted by Corn Next
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    Lend an ear: Corn-based material introduced for biodegradable packaging

    Corn Next believes it has cracked the corn code for more sustainable packaging and aims to scale up. Later this year, it will move to Illinois, closer to where its corn supplier is based.

    By Jan. 28, 2025
  • A person drinks from a fiber cup with a lid.
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    Courtesy of Luciano Romano/Seda International
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    Packaging innovations: Plastic replacement solutions from Seda, Nylabone

    Plus, Malk goes bold for its almond and oat milk aseptic carton redesign.

    By Jan. 27, 2025
  • four blue recycling carts stand next to each other
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    Thomas Demarczyk via Getty Images
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    9 stats about US packaging recycling

    A recent pair of reports from the U.S. EPA, released in the prior administration, estimated it could take upward of $28 billion to modernize recycling systems and divert more packaging materials from disposal.

    By Jan. 24, 2025
  • Interior of Manassas, Virginia, Sprouts
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    Peyton Bigora/Packaging Dive
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    Sprouts accused of falsely labeling private label table ware as ‘compostable’

    A class action lawsuit claims the grocer and manufacturer marked the products as compostable despite containing “forever chemicals.” 

    By Peyton Bigora • Jan. 23, 2025