IBM to develop data platform to track plastic waste globally

16 december | plastic

Technology and consulting company IBM has joined the Alliance to End Plastic Waste (Alliance) as a supporting member.


The non-profit organisation aims to tackle global waste challenge by collaborating with a community of members from across the plastics value chain.


Under this collaboration, IBM will develop a new data platform, called Plastics Recovery Insight and Steering Model (PRISM). Hosted on IBM Cloud, the new platform will help track global plastic waste.


PRISM will enable to collaborate and address the challenge of plastic waste via data stakeholders.


Data sets can include plastic consumption and collection, plastic waste generation, waste management and recycling solutions, and more.


IBM energy resource and manufacturing global industry managing director Manish Chawla said: “By harnessing the power of cloud and artificial intelligence we can bring together valuable and disparate pieces of data in secured and flexible environment where everyone, from Alliance members to governments and regulators, can collaborate to address this global challenge.”

16 december | investment

Novolex purchases US paper bags maker B&H Bag Company


Packaging and food service products manufacturer Novolex has acquired US-based paper bags and other products maker B&H Bag Company.


Owned and managed by the Robson family, B&H Bag Company manufactures kraft and white bags, heavy-duty paper bags, paper rolls, and freezer paper for various markets including foodservice and grocery markets.


The acquisition will strengthen Novolex’s production capacity to meet the increasing demand for high-quality, paper solutions. The two companies did not disclose financial details of the transaction.


Following the acquisition, the B&H business will be integrated into the Novolex’s Duro Bag business.

16 december | design

DS Smith redesigns ecommerce packaging for L’Oréal’s luxury products


Sustainable packaging solution provider DS Smith has supported French personal care company L’Oréal to optimise its ecommerce packaging.


The beauty brand initially approached DS Smith few months ago to help redesign the ecommerce packaging for its luxury products.


The optimisation came few months after L’Oréal pledged to use recycled plastics or bio-based sources in all products’ packaging by 2030 as part of the company’s new sustainability programme, L’Oréal for the future.


With help from DS Smith, L’Oréal aims to make their packaging cost effective, minimising the environmental impact and at the same time offering enhanced customer experience.

15 december | investment

A.P. Møller Holding to acquire food packaging firm Faerch


Private investment firm A.P. Møller Holding has agreed to acquire sustainable food packaging firm Faerch in a €1.9bn deal.


The company is being purchased from funds managed by Advent International.


Headquartered in Holstebro, Denmark, Faerch manufacturers packaging solutions for various sector including Ready Meals, Protein, Food-to-Go, and Dairy.


The pan-European manufacturer promotes circular solutions by making its products using up to 100% post-consumer recycled content. Additionally, Faerch operates as an integrated recycler.


The deal is subject to approval by the relevant competition authorities. It is also dependent on the completion of Faerch’s acquisition of the Sirap food packaging business in Italy, Poland, and Spain.

14 december | plastic

Sonoco joins Holy Grail 2.0 initiative for better plastic waste sorting


Consumer packaging provider Sonoco has joined Holy Grail 2.0, a digital watermarks initiative, to deliver on sustainability goals.


Facilitated by the European Brands Initiative AIM, Holy Grail 2.0 seeks to investigate whether the use of digital technology can help achieve circular economy.


It is the next iteration of the broader pioneering project HolyGrail 1.0, which was facilitated by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation and partners from the entire value chain.


Holy Grail 2.0 aims to prove the viability of digital watermarking technologies on packaging for accurate plastic waste sorting and increased recycling rates.

11 december | Recycling

AMP, KDP partner to bring AI to sorting process at recycling plants


AMP Robotics has partnered with consumer beverage giant Keurig Dr Pepper (KDP) to bring artificial intelligence (AI) to sorting process at recycling plants.


The partnership is part of AMP’s efforts to expand its AI capabilities to increase recycling rates.


As part of this, the company is collaborating with consumer-packaged goods (CPG) companies to increase the rate of recovering recyclable materials.


Under this initiative, AMP and KDP partnered to guide the former’s AI-powered robotics systems to correctly identify and sort K-Cup pods in recycling facilities.

In brief

Fortis Solutions acquires US company Kala Packaging

Packaging manufacturer Fortis Solutions Group has purchased US-based pressure-sensitive labels and flexible packaging printer Kala Packaging. Financial details of the deal have not been disclosed.

Huhtamaki invests in a fibre packaging manufacturing plant in Russia

Finland-based Sustainable packaging solutions provider Huhtamaki is expanding its operations in Russia with additional investment in a new fibre packaging manufacturing plant.

Politicians and business leaders call for non-food plastic sachets ban

Politicians, business leaders and environmental campaigners have come together to urge the UK Government and the EU to ban non-food plastic sachets. Organised by campaign group A Plastics Planet, around 40 representatives have written an open letter online to include plastic sachets in the single-use plastics ban.

Pepsi pledges 100% rPET bottles in nine EU markets by 2022

Global food and beverage company PepsiCo has pledged to remove all virgin plastic from its Pepsi brand beverage bottles in nine European Union (EU) markets by 2022. As part of this move, PepsiCo will replace the brand’s packaging with recycled plastic from post-consumer packaging.

9 december | design

Amcor to implement new design rules for easy recycling of packaging


Global company Amcor has announced that it will implement the first two of a series of “Golden Design Rules” for the design of plastic packaging.


The new design rules aim to make recycling of packaging easier, cheaper and more efficient.


The companies will remove colouring pigments and labelling that affects recycling rates with the aim of promoting the economic viability of PET bottle recycling.


Additionally, the coalition members will remove all forms of plastic packaging that are problematic for recyclers.

9 december | recycling

Conwy, Wales to pilot Deposit Return Scheme for plastic bottles


A consortium involving the Welsh Government is planning to pilot a new deposit return scheme (DRS) for plastic bottles in Colwyn Heights, Conwy.


The consortium, which includes Deeside, North Wales-based Polytag, Conwy County Borough Council and WRAP, will conduct the trial over four weeks.


During the scheme, which is set to start in the spring, households will be provided with a set of bottles tagged by Polytag.


The bottles can be scanned when placed in recycling containers and upon collection by Conwy County Borough Council’s household waste recycling team.

In brief

Fortis Solutions acquires US company Kala Packaging

Packaging manufacturer Fortis Solutions Group has purchased US-based pressure-sensitive labels and flexible packaging printer Kala Packaging. Financial details of the deal have not been disclosed.

Huhtamaki invests in fibre packaging manufacturing plant in Russia

Finland-based Sustainable packaging solutions provider Huhtamaki is expanding its operations in Russia with additional investment in new fibre packaging manufacturing plant.

Politicians and business leaders call for non-food plastic sachets ban

Politicians, business leaders and environmental campaigners have come together to urge the UK Government and the EU to ban non-food plastic sachets. Organised by campaign group A Plastics Planet, around 40 representatives have written an open letter online to include plastic sachets in the single-use plastics ban.

Pepsi pledges 100% rPET bottles in nine EU markets by 2022

Global food and beverage company PepsiCo has pledged to remove all virgin plastic from its Pepsi brand beverage bottles in nine European Union (EU) markets by 2022.

As part of this move, PepsiCo will replace the brand’s packaging with recycled plastic from post-consumer packaging.