Several partners from across the flexible food packaging supply chain have worked together to bring a new, high-quality snack packaging to the market that is made from 50 per cent recycled plastic and meets strict food contact requirements.
The new packaging was launched at the end of 2023 for Sunbites, PepsiCo's well-known snack brand, in the UK and Ireland. The packaging was developed by the Recycling plastic waste into food-grade packaging material produced. As a complementary approach to mechanical recycling, an advanced recycling process is used that enables the recycled materials to be the demanding EU regulations for applications such as food contact packaging, contact-sensitive and medical products.
Several partners from across the supply chain have worked together to make the introduction of this new circular packaging possible: GreenDot ensured the procurement and supply of post-consumer plastic packaging waste produced with Plastic Energy's technology. in Tacoil (pyrolysis oil) were converted. Ineos Olefins & Polymers Europe used this pyrolysis oil as an alternative to conventional fossil fuels, to first produce recycled propylene and then new, recycled polypropylene resin in virgin quality at its production facility in Lavera, France. Irplast uses the new resin to turn existing plastic packaging designs into develop new packaging films, which consist of 50 per cent recycled post-consumer materials and fulfil the requirements for food contact. Amcor processes these films into printed packaging that can be the same technical performance for PepsiCo.
Using the polypropylene films, PepsiCo launched Sunbites packaging in the UK. The partnership is part of PepsiCo Positive (pep+), the company's end-to-end transformation programme, to eliminate the use of new fossil-based plastics in snack bags in Europe by 2030.
The proportion of recycled polymer is within the ISCC PLUS programme (International Sustainability and Carbon Certification) certified, an independent third party who certifies that the production process has been followed in accordance with the principles of mass balance and that the information is correct.
„GreenDot has announced plans to recycle more post-consumer plastic waste in Europe to produce high-quality circular polymers for plastic food packaging. In addition to our goal of becoming a supplier of raw materials for advanced recycling, GreenDot is acting as an enabler for the supply of pyrolysis oil and is working with partners to bring plastic waste currently lost in the value chain back into the recycling loop.“
Laurent August, CEO of GreenDot
Source: The Green Dot
