FOR STARTERS …
THE ART AND SCIENCE OF LIDDING FILMS
The art and science of lidding films for food packaging can transform your products' protection, presentation, and preservation and, ultimately, increase your profits. Our Business Unit Director John Shipley explored the topic with Food Business magazine.
SHELLING OUT
Want to know how to save 10 tons of plastic per every 1 million trays sealed? Simply switch from clamshell to top seal!
Proseal have highlighted the benefits for soft fruit producers, including better protecting the product and extending shelf life through Modified Atmosphere Packaging (MAP).
Preserve your produce
If you want to make the right choice to preserve your fresh produce, check out our top-seal lidding solutions that are an ideal replacement for APET clamshell formats.
C'EST LA GUERRE ON PLASTICS
France is introducing tighter rules about plastic wrapping of fruit and vegetables - as part of a government programme aimed at phasing out plastic waste.
RECYCLING ROUND-UP …
Getting hard on soft plastics
Plans to treat 50,000 tonnes of post-consumer soft plastics have been unveiled.
- Cheshire-based Totus Environmental has signed a contract to supply 27,000 tonnes a year of the soft plastic to Orthios, the company behind a plastics-to-oil technology.
- Newcastle-based Impact Recycling is poised to build a 25,000 tonnes capacity plant to house its leading-edge technology that it says can accurately separate layers in post-consumer flexible plastic film.
Stomping on the carbon footprint
Jayplas has launched a public consultation on a £39 million plastics recycling plant in Wales.
If approved, the facility will process around 75,000 tonnes per year of waste film, including MRF film and a similar amount of rigid plastics. This will save around 155,000 tonnes of carbon which is the equivalent of 62,249 cars taken off the road.
You can’t myth it
15 common recycling myths have been debunked by Metro. For example:
- Soft plastic can't be recycled. Most can, in fact, be recycled at collection points within major supermarkets.
- You can't recycle crisp packets. Actually, you can put them in one of Walkers' 1600 public drop-off locations nationwide.
You can discover more about sustainability and flexible packaging within our recently-updated website.
Wasting away
Where does recycling and rubbish from the UK end up? The BBC has the answers, including some two-thirds of our plastic waste being sent overseas to be recycled.
Also, see the British Plastics Federation (BPF) Recycling Roadmap that looks at how we manage our waste today and how we could deal with it by 2030. It is an ambitious vision for Britain to lead the world in the transition to a circular economy for plastics
PET PROJECT
Tesco is to launch a PET "tray to tray" recycling initiative with sustainable packaging solutions company Faerch. The project will demonstrate that PET packaging can be recovered and recycled at an industrial level and made into food-grade pots and trays.
NO, PRIME MINISTER
The industry and waste and recycling sector have responded to Prime Minister Boris Johnson saying recycling plastic materials "doesn't work", as reported by the BBC. Reactions on letsrecycle.com so far include:
- RECOUP – it is "crucial" to promote consumer confidence in the contribution of plastics recycling in reducing the environmental impact of packaging.
- WRAP – Recycling does work and is a critical part of tackling climate change.
- BPF – Improving recycling within the UK is part of the government's strategy.
- Coca-Cola – Circular recycling solutions are imperative in creating a path to keep plastic out of our natural environments
And the Recycling Association said the PM had "completely lost the plastic plot".
COP OUT AND ABOUT
With COP26 underway, you may wish to visit the official website to find out what it's all about and what it aims to achieve.
COP shops
- Six flagship Co-op stores across the UK have "rebranded" to Co-op26 with amplified exterior signage and window vinyl takeovers to reflect COP26 and capture attention.
- The COP26 principal supermarket partner Sainsbury's has announced they are bringing their net-zero target forward to 2035.
Cop a load of this
Check out our new sustainability page for some key facts on the role of plastics and the benefits of flexible packaging, with many valuable resources. Also, see "Sustainability of Plastics" from the BPF.
BIO DIVERSITY
VEGAN DO IT AGAIN
World Vegan Month has come around again, and i2r have whetted appetites by highlighting sweet potato fries packaged in their 100% recyclable aluminium foil trays.
Meeting meat-free demand
Earlier, we revealed how we're meeting the strong demand for meat-free products with lidding films certified as free of all animal derivatives.
Planting a pledge
Meanwhile, catering giant Sodexo has pledged to make a third of its meals vegan by 2025.
Not everyone's favourite
However, organic growth is not to everyone's taste, and Quality Street is facing a boycott from farmers over its new vegan chocolate range.
Take a butchers
As it happens, a report has revealed UK consumers are spending more on meat, especially in local butcher's shops.
CLEANING UP GREENWASHING
Don't fall into the greenwashing trap. Country & Town House has produced a guide on how to spot it – and how to buy better, for yourself and the planet.
CALENDAR EVENTS
PS – A GOOD SITE MORE
KM has a new fully-refurbished, information-packed website! You can discover:
- MORE and easier-to- find information on our products and brands.
- MORE comprehensive knowledge hub providing added value content such as videos, guides, FAQs, and latest industry wrap-ups as well as product, insight and KM news.
- MORE facts and resources about sustainability and plastics.
- MORE visibility of our network partners and some of our key customers.
From the KM team … stay safe, keep up the good work, and value plastic.