The escalating food waste crisis in the Asia-Pacific region presents a significant challenge that demands urgent attention from stakeholders across the supply chain. To combat this, foodservice operators are increasingly adopting recycling as a cornerstone of sustainable practices. Sustainability initiatives in the food and beverage industry include ethical sourcing, food waste reduction, and implementing composting programs and efficient waste management systems, reveals GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

Shravani Mali, Consumer Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “As awareness around sustainability grows, consumers increasingly prioritise ethical considerations in their purchasing decisions. Consumer demand for sustainability efforts among food service establishments and the food and beverage industry is accelerating, pushing restaurants to use more recycled materials, reduce waste and decrease their carbon footprint.

Governments across Asia have launched various initiatives to act against the crisis. These efforts reflect a growing recognition of the environmental, economic, and social implications of food waste, which is a persistent challenge across the region.

For instance, according to the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water in Australia, food waste is a persistent issue in the country, with an estimated 7.6 million tons of food discarded each year. Under the National Food Waste Strategy, the Australian government aims to halve the country’s food waste by 2030. Approximately 4 % of Australian food waste comes from the hospitality and foodservice sector¹.

Moreover, in the Chinese municipal waste structure, approximately 50 % accounts for food waste². As a sign of hospitality in the Chinese culture, people tend to order more food than they can eat. Prompted by these concerns, the Chinese government issued the Anti-Food Waste Law (AFWL), which aims to alleviate food waste.

Tim Hill, Key Account Director, SE Asia at GlobalData adds: “As a result of rapid urbanisation, population growth, and a complex food supply chain in APAC, there is a rising need to implement strategies to reduce food waste, thereby enhancing sustainability.”

For instance, food waste that is unsuitable for human or animal consumption such as fruit/vegetable peels and eggshells can be used to enrich the soil or as a natural fertiliser for landscapes.

Hill adds: “Additionally, redistributing excess food in collaboration with nonprofit organisations and food banks will foster a sense of responsibility towards food resources. Hence, such initiatives are expected to reflect a considerable decrease in the environmental footprint.”

Mali concludes: “The growing food waste problem in the APAC region demands immediate action and collaborative efforts across sectors to establish sustainable practices, enhance resource efficiency, and establish a resilient and responsible food system. Tackling this issue is crucial not only for environmental sustainability but also for bolstering the economic and social welfare of the APAC region.”

¹CSIRO, November 2023
²Environmental Change and Security Program – Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, December 2023
³GlobalData 2024 Q3 Consumer Survey – Asia & Australasia, with 6,000 respondents, published October 2024

Arla Foods Ingredients has launched a fermented beverage concept that demonstrates how dairies can reduce waste and increase yield by upcycling whey.

Raw material waste is a major problem for dairies. After processing, many are left with large whey side streams, which can cause environmental damage if discharged with wastewater.

Meanwhile, sustainability is a growing focus in Latin America. Over 50 % of consumers in the region say they have changed their behaviors based on environmental concerns, a figure projected to reach 70 % by 2025. More than four in ten (44 %) say they have already stopped buying products due to their impact on the environment.¹

Now Arla Foods Ingredients has launched a fermented beverage concept based on upcycled acid or sweet whey. It also contains Nutrilac^® whey proteins, which provide a light texture and refreshing taste, as well as protein content as high as 8 %, so that a 200 ml bottle would contain 16 g of protein.

Nutrilac^® also offers superior heat stability to standard milk protein concentrate or whey protein concentrate. This allows the development of creamy low-viscosity beverages without sedimentation, sandiness or dry mouthfeel. Low in fat and containing no added sugar, the beverage can be produced on standard yoghurt lines with minimal investment.

Ignacio Estevez, Application Manager, South America at Arla Foods Ingredients, said: “Consumers hate the idea of waste, especially if it’s environmentally harmful. Reflecting this, we’re starting to see more and more products that make use of upcycled ingredients and communicate it on their packaging. Getting value out of whey is a significant challenge in dairy production but, as this concept demonstrates, it can be used to create on-trend new products that appeal to both sustainability-conscious and protein-focused consumers. The fact that it can be produced easily and with minimal investment provides an additional incentive to innovate.”

Arla Foods Ingredients is showcasing the new concept in a series of videos in Portuguese and Spanish. They highlight its benefits from sustainability, technical, regulatory, and consumer trends perspectives, and can be viewed at https://br.arlafoodsingredients.com/ and https://la.arlafoodsingredients.com/.

¹Kantar, November 2023

By Peter Harding, President of UNESDA Soft Drinks Europe and CEO of Suntory Beverage & Food Europe

The EU is set to move towards a circular economy for beverage packaging. In just a couple of weeks, Members of the Environment Committee in the European Parliament will vote on their amendments to the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR). In parallel, EU Member States are working towards adopting their position on this file by the end of the year. Among the key areas of attention in the PPWR is reuse and refill. It is absolutely critical that MEPs and Member States support sound measures that ensure that recycling, reuse and refill are complementary solutions, and reject proposals to increase the reuse and refill targets without further assessment of their environmental, economic and social impacts.

The EU is taking a leadership role in driving circularity and the PPWR is among the most ambitious EU policies in this regard. The European soft drinks sector, represented by UNESDA Soft Drinks Europe, supports the goals to better reduce, collect, recycle and reuse beverage packaging. We have already shown that we take bold voluntary actions to contribute to accelerating the green transition in Europe through our commitment to making our soft drinks packaging fully circular by 2030.

Our sector also supports reuse and refill systems as part of the solution to reduce packaging and packaging waste. We are already investing in these systems as a complementary action to our ongoing efforts to reduce and recycle our packaging.

It is fundamental that recycling and reusable systems are complementary solutions and MEPs and Member States should enshrine this in the PPWR. How?

Key ask 1 – Do not increase the reuse and refill targets (Art. 26) without further impact assessment

The European Commission’s impact assessment has been heavily criticised by many stakeholders, including our sector, over the last 9 months. The lack of a proper environmental and economic assessment of the implications of the reuse and refill targets proposed by the European Commission in the PPWR is worrying as legislation should always be developed on the basis of clear and granular data on the costs and benefits of the measures being proposed. So, first things first: the only way to assess the real impact of scaling up reusable systems across the EU is to thoroughly analyse the costs and benefits of setting up these systems in different Member States, different sectors and different distribution channels. As an example, the shift to 10% refillable PET as of 2030 in the EU is estimated to cost more than €16 billion, according to a PwC study.

It is very concerning to see proposals for increased reuse and refill targets for 2030 and 2040 that are not based on any further impact assessment that justifies them. Why forcing beverage manufacturers, of which a majority are SMEs, to make huge investments in reuse and refill systems in geographies or channels where existing well-functioning single-use systems make more sense from an environmental and economic perspective?

In our view, the proposed targets are already extremely challenging and therefore the focus now has to be on providing manufacturers with the necessary enablers and the flexibility to invest in the best packaging mix.

Key ask 2 – Maintain systems enabling refill in the reuse and refill targets (Art. 26)

We are all familiar with the traditional returnable refillable bottle, whereby the consumer buys a beverage bottle in a store and brings it back to the retailer for it to be refilled. This is not, however, the only system to reuse and refill – and it is not always the best solution from an environmental perspective. Asking beverage manufacturers to focus all their investment and innovation only in reuse on traditional returnable refillable bottles takes no account of consumer patterns of shopping and consuming beverages, and stifles the innovative solutions that open up possibilities to match consumers to more sustainable purchasing habits.

Today, there are several innovative reusable solutions that are convenient for consumers, are responding to new consumption habits and are helping reduce packaging as they use little to no packaging, such as home soda dispensers and refill stations in stores and horeca. Why, then, aren’t these at-home and on-the-go solutions, which are recognised by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation as reuse models, counting towards the achievement of the reuse and refill targets? It makes all sense to consider them for the attainment of the reuse and refill targets. The PPWR should secure a future for these innovative refill solutions and the EU co-legislators should therefore support a broad definition of reuse and refill that includes the whole spectrum of available reusable and refill models.

Key ask 3 – Create well-designed exemptions to ensure reusable packaging is only used where and when it makes the most sense

It is essential to make sure that reusable packaging is only introduced where it makes sense from an environmental, economic and consumer perspective. To enable it, the PPWR should provide a form of exemption if certain environmental criteria are met in order to avoid unintended adverse effects of the reuse and refill targets.

Some amendments tabled in the different European Parliament’s committees involved on this file can serve as a positive source of inspiration as they recognise the role of existing well-functioning circular systems. For example, many countries are investing in achieving 90% collection of PET bottles and aluminium cans through the introduction of Deposit and Return Systems (DRS). Let’s encourage these investments!

Now is the moment for the European Parliament and EU Member States to make the PPWR more supportive and more realistic. Our sector will remain constructive and engaged with all stakeholders to help create a stable and enabling policy environment.

Intermarché, one of the most popular retail chains in France, demonstrates its relentless commitment to sustainability as it becomes the first in the country to use tethered SIG SwiftCap Linked closures on SIG’s carton packs. This pivotal move covers their entire private label juice portfolio of around 20 SKUs.

The fruit juice for the Paquito own brand distributed in Intermarché outlets is produced by Agromousquetaires, the agro-industrial entity of the Les Mousquetaires group.

Intermarché will also switch to a packaging material from the SIG Terra portfolio, which helps to reduce the use of fossil plastics. The SIG Terra portfolio is a set of more sustainable packaging solutions offering different structural options: without aluminum layer, with renewable materials from the forest, and/or recycled materials.

The polymers in SIG Terra packaging material support the transition to renewable polymers from the forest using a certified mass balance approach. SIG uses tall oil as a forest-based raw material for the production of the polymers. This is a by-product of the paper industry, thus avoiding the use of raw materials from agricultural crops. The polymers are certified according to the certification scheme ISCC PLUS. The ultra-thin aluminum foil used in the packaging material protects the contents from light and oxygen and is certified against ASI (Aluminium Stewardship Initiative) standards.

Intermarché, in its likeminded partnership with SIG, has achieved a first for the French juice market in helping to combat plastic waste leaking into the environment. The move to tethered caps comes well ahead of the EU’s Single-Use Plastics Directive deadline of July 2024 and will also be welcomed by both consumers and regulators. The tethered caps can be easily disposed of and recycled with the rest of the carton pack.

SIG’s tethered caps do not compromise on convenience for consumers, offering an easy pouring and drinking from the pack experience, via a robust double hinge solution. They are also compatible with existing SIG filling machines and closure applicators. This means no major investment is required, demonstrating the flexibility and adaptability needed to reassure customers that SIG’s packaging and filling solutions are a secure investment for the future.

The decision to launch Paquito and MERCI! brand juices with both innovations from SIG, fits perfectly with the company’s priority on responsible action. Intermarché’s socially responsible brand called Les Éleveurs vous disent MERCI! (The Farmers say Thank You!) is all about giving back. Its products offer consumers the opportunity to support farmers with better remuneration. MERCI! is also vehemently committed to the environment, society and animal welfare. MERCI! juices will come in SIG PremiumBloc 1,000 ml carton packs and Paquito in 750 ml and 1,000 ml.

The UK’s favourite squash is launching a new packaging concept, Robinsons Ecopack – a highly concentrated squash in a plant-based carton. The Britvic brand continues to create innovative products that offer consumers more squash, with less plastic.

Launching exclusively in selected Tesco stores across the nation, the Robinsons Ecopack boasts a super concentrated liquid that contains 60 serves per 500 ml carton and is made from 89 % plant-based material. Robinsons’ new packaging innovation aims to reduce packaging waste with 85 % less plastic per serve, compared to a one litre bottle of Robinsons Double Concentrate. With a higher squash concentration compared to its single or double concentrate drinks, the carton is the equivalent of three single concentrate bottles and results in significantly less packaging per serve.

Fiona Graham, Innovation lead for Robinsons, said: “As a brand, Robinsons is continuously innovating and is committed to improving the environmental impact we have. Squash is already a sustainable product due to its concentrated format. Making Robinsons available in this new format allows consumers to feel confident in the knowledge that the pack they’ve chosen has more serves, but used less packaging per serve, and can be recycled once finished. All packaging types have their own unique benefits and challenges, and we know there is currently no one ‘silver bullet.’ That said, we believe that continuing to innovate with products such as Robinsons Ecopack will bring us one step closer to a solution and provide consumers with a range of options. The brand-new Robinsons Ecopack carton will be available via Tesco to begin with, and we are excited to learn what consumers think about the new format.”

Martin Shaw, Market Unit Manager at Elopak UK & Ireland, said: “We’re happy that Robinsons have chosen our Pure-Pak carton for their super strength squash product. Our renewable and recyclable carton packaging makes a great match with their products.”

The launch marks the latest activity for the brand, following a radical rebrand earlier this year and the launch of its new £4 million marketing campaign Get Thirsty. Robinsons Ecopack is one element of Britvic’s positive packaging strategy which seeks to reduce the need for unnecessary plastic, and make sure packaging doesn’t become waste.

Since 2017, Britvic has reduced the amount of virgin plastic it uses by more than 4,000 tonnes through packaging redesign, and it continues to increase the amount of recycled packaging and sustainably sourced materials it uses across its portfolio.

Last year, the company launched the Aqua Libra Flavour Tap – a sleek tap that reduces packaging waste by 99 %. The launch followed London Essence launching the Freshly Infused fount – offering premium tonic on dispense in 1,200 outlets across the UK and cutting packaging by 96 % when compared with traditionally packaged tonic water.

According to the scientific study conducted by Professor Christian Fischer of the Free University of Bolzano, the company contributes to a 10% reduction in harvest losses in the apple sector.

An estimated 22 % of fruit and vegetables are lost every year during or immediately after harvest. Much of global food waste therefore occurs at the beginning of the value chain, long before products reach the market.

Through its activities, VOG Products contributes to reducing this phenomenon, thanks to its business model, to efficient planning and the significant technological investments made in recent years. The South Tyrolean producer organisation is one of the largest in the sector in Europe and processes about 70 – 80 % of the Italian industrial apple harvest (20 % of the Trentino-South Tyrol harvest).

The validity of the anti-waste model adopted by VOG Products is demonstrated by a recent scientific study conducted by Christian Fischer, Professor of Agricultural and Food Economics at the Free University of Bolzano, which was also presented at the 2022 International Horticultural Congress in Angers (France).

In the study, titled “The apple processing cooperative VOG Products as a role model for minimising post-harvest crop losses – an empirical case study from South Tyrol, Italy”, Professor Fischer demonstrates how VOG Products significantly contributes to reducing harvest and post-harvest losses in the apple production chain. While internationally apple wastage averages 20 % of the harvest volume, with VOG Products food loss in Italian apples drops to 6 – 10 % (depending on the year).

“Food waste is not inevitable,” comments Christoph Tappeiner, CEO of VOG Products. “With good organisation and investment in innovation along the supply chain, product losses can be significantly reduced, providing a triple win for producers, consumers and the environment.”

The FAO specifically refers to food loss as “the waste of edible food in the production, post- harvest and processing stages of the food chain”. Besides the wastage of the food itself, food loss also entails environmental costs in the form of loss of land, water, factors of production and labour, and leads to greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to global warming.
For VOG Products, food loss already starts with the company’s mission statement: apples destined for industrial processing are those with minor quality defects (too big, too small or not enough colour) or do not meet the quality standards of fresh fruit, and therefore cannot be sold on the table apples market.

“VOG Products is an international model for minimising harvest and post-harvest losses in the apple supply chain,” remarks Prof. Fischer. “VOG Products also generates significant added value for members in the region by giving them a fair and sustainable payout price.”

Growers who deliver their apples to VOG Products’ members (VOG, VIP, La Trentina and 18 cooperatives) receive an average of 4,000 euro per head or 1,400 euro per hectare for their apples for processing. The producer organisation also creates jobs for around 210 employees. The industrial fruit enhancement strategy pursued in recent years strengthens the region’s high-quality image of table apples, based on a win-win approach that rewards all operators along the supply chain. Generating value for the economy, people and the planet.

According to a WWF study, 42 percent of all cultivated fruits and vegetables worldwide are thrown away every year – even though they are eminently suitable for further processing. The Swedish company RSCUED wants to change this and has appointed itself fruit rescuers. Their business concept is as sustainable as it is unconventional and requires a special solution. This has now been delivered to them by the technology group GEA. With the innovative vacuum juicer GEA vaculiq, RSCUED can produce high-quality juices in the shortest possible time from raw materials that would otherwise have fallen victim to waste. The icing on the cake: the waste from production is also recycled into valuable fertilizer.

On its way to food recycling, RSCUED has taken a big step forward together with the technical solution from GEA. “The advantages of the GEA skid for us were the very short processing time, efficiency, high product quality and flexibility. We need to be able to respond to seasonal supply just as quickly as to fluctuating incoming goods,” explains Truls Christenson, co-founder of RSCUED. This is because the company receives the fruit and vegetables sorted out for regular trade via donations from wholesalers, supermarkets, farms and delivery services. Private individuals who have larger quantities from their gardens also participate in RSCUED’s appeal.

GEA vaculiq with its vacuum spiral filter delivers the desired flexibility in full measure: The system processes a ton of fruit or vegetables within about twenty minutes and cleaning the system between productions takes just five minutes. Different varieties can thus be turned into high-quality juice in quick succession. And it does so with maximum yield: in the first test phase, RSCUED was able to produce twice as much juice compared to its previously used press. With a capacity of up to 1,800 liters per hour, RSCUED is now able to easily increase its production in the future thanks to GEA vaculiq and is also capable of receiving goods – besides Sweden – from all over Northern Europe.

In addition, GEA’s vacuum spiral filter technology was convincing in terms of quality. With this juicing method, the products do not come into contact with oxygen, which is known to have unfavorable effects on vegetables and fruits. In addition, the gentle process preserves all healthy vitamins and secondary plant nutrients. Finally, the juice produced with GEA vaculiq not only looks better, it also tastes fresher and has a longer shelf life. “GEA’s overall concept is therefore an innovative and unique solution for us in the field of sustainable, industrial juice production,” adds Truls Christenson.

All’s well that ends well

And so the circle closes for GEA and RSCUED: The dry mash discharged by the vaculiq plant, together with remaining rejects, is ideally suited as a basis for fertilizer – which, as is well known, promotes the growth of new fruits and vegetables. This fertilizer is finally distributed through a large garden center chain in Sweden.

“When we founded RSCUED as a start-up seven years ago, we had the vision to stop the waste madness. Together with GEA, we have now been able to realize this on a higher level. With the new GEA vaculiq 100 vacuum juicer and the multiCrush milling system from GEA, we are very well positioned and can develop our production excellently”, says Truls Christenson. “And the faster, more flexible and more productive we are at RSCUED – the more we contribute to sustainability for a healthier planet.”

About RSCUED
RSCUED was founded in Helsingborg in 2015 as a start-up. The company employs around 15 staff members and expects revenues of EUR 3,2 million in 2022. The company’s purpose is to rescue all kind of fruit and vegetables which would otherwise be wasted. RSCUED receives the fruit and vegetables sorted out for regular trade via donations from wholesalers, supermarkets, farms and delivery services from Sweden as well as Northern Europe. The products are sold via their webshop as well as in selected grocery stores, coffee shops and restaurants and in Sweden. Learn more here: rscued.se.

AIJN joined forces with NMWE, UNESDA, the Changing Markets Foundation and Zero Waste Europe to call on EU decision-makers to create the right enabling policy framework and help our industries accelerate the transition to a circular economy.

AIJN, together with Europe’s non-alcoholic beverage industry represented by Natural Mineral Waters Europe (NMWE) and UNESDA Soft Drinks Europe, and leading NGOs, including Changing Markets Foundation and Zero Waste Europe, call on EU decision-makers to create the right enabling policy framework to help accelerate the transition to a circular economy in Europe. Our organisations underline the need to ensure resource-efficient waste management systems to enable close-loop recycling. We also call for a “priority access”, or a similar mechanism that guarantees a “right of first refusal” to beverage producers to facilitate their fair access to the food-grade recycled materials coming from the products they placed on the market and which were successfully collected.

The EU Circular Economy Action Plan has the ambition of accelerating the transition to a circular economy. This will require significant changes in the way we collect, reuse, recycle and incorporate recycled materials. Achieving fully closed and resource-efficient waste management systems for all materials should be the primary objective. The more closed-loop a system is, the more resource efficient it will be by delivering quality recycled materials which can be re-used multiple times for the same application. Therefore, for each sector, the ultimate goal should be to achieve «closed-loop recycling». With the right enabling policy framework this can be achieved.

Read the recommendations here and see the position paper attached below as well.

An enzyme variant created by engineers and scientists at The University of Texas at Austin can break down environment-throttling plastics that typically take centuries to degrade in just a matter of hours to days.

This discovery, published in Nature, could help solve one of the world’s most pressing environmental problems: what to do with the billions of tons of plastic waste piling up in landfills and polluting our natural lands and water. The enzyme has the potential to supercharge recycling on a large scale that would allow major industries to reduce their environmental impact by recovering and reusing plastics at the molecular level.

“The possibilities are endless across industries to leverage this leading-edge recycling process,” said Hal Alper, professor in the McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering at UT Austin. “Beyond the obvious waste management industry, this also provides corporations from every sector the opportunity to take a lead in recycling their products. Through these more sustainable enzyme approaches, we can begin to envision a true circular plastics economy.”

The project focuses on polyethylene terephthalate (PET), a significant polymer found in most consumer packaging, including cookie containers, soda bottles, fruit and salad packaging, and certain fibers and textiles. It makes up 12 % of all global waste.

The enzyme was able to complete a “circular process” of breaking down the plastic into smaller parts (depolymerization) and then chemically putting it back together (repolymerization). In some cases, these plastics can be fully broken down to monomers in as little as 24 hours.

Researchers at the Cockrell School of Engineering and College of Natural Sciences used a machine learning model to generate novel mutations to a natural enzyme called PETase that allows bacteria to degrade PET plastics. The model predicts which mutations in these enzymes would accomplish the goal of quickly depolymerizing post-consumer waste plastic at low temperatures.

Through this process, which included studying 51 different post-consumer plastic containers, five different polyester fibers and fabrics and water bottles all made from PET, the researchers proved the effectiveness of the enzyme, which they are calling FAST-PETase (functional, active, stable and tolerant PETase).

“This work really demonstrates the power of bringing together different disciplines, from synthetic biology to chemical engineering to artificial intelligence,” said Andrew Ellington, professor in the Center for Systems and Synthetic Biology whose team led the development of the machine learning model.

Recycling is the most obvious way to cut down on plastic waste. But globally, less than 10% of all plastic has been recycled. The most common method for disposing of plastic, besides throwing it in a landfill, is to burn it, which is costly, energy intensive and spews noxious gas into the air. Other alternative industrial processes include very energy-intensive processes of glycolysis, pyrolysis, and/or methanolysis.

Biological solutions take much less energy. Research on enzymes for plastic recycling has advanced during the past 15 years. However, until now, no one had been able to figure out how to make enzymes that could operate efficiently at low temperatures to make them both portable and affordable at large industrial scale. FAST-PETase can perform the process at less than 50 degrees Celsius.

Up next, the team plans to work on scaling up enzyme production to prepare for industrial and environmental application. The researchers have filed a patent application for the technology and are eying several different uses. Cleaning up landfills and greening high waste-producing industries are the most obvious. But another key potential use is environmental remediation. The team is looking at a number of ways to get the enzymes out into the field to clean up polluted sites.

“When considering environmental cleanup applications, you need an enzyme that can work in the environment at ambient temperature. This requirement is where our tech has a huge advantage in the future,” Alper said.

Alper, Ellington, associate professor of chemical engineering Nathaniel Lynd and Hongyuan Lu, a postdoctoral researcher in Alper’s lab, led the research. Raghav Shroff, a former member of Ellington’s lab and now a research scientist at the Houston Methodist Research Institute, created the 3DCNN machine learning model used to engineer the plastic-eating enzyme. Danny Diaz, a current member of Ellington’s lab, adapted the model and created a web platform, MutCompute, to make it available for wider academic use. Other team members include from chemical engineering: Natalie Czarnecki, Congzhi Zhu and Wantae Kim; and from molecular biosciences: Daniel Acosta, Brad Alexander, Hannah O. Cole and Yan Jessie Zhang. The work was funded by ExxonMobil’s research and engineering division as part of an ongoing research agreement with UT Austin.

A new study by Oregon State University scientists outlines a key advance in turning apple waste into an environmentally friendly packaging material that could serve as an alternative to plastic.

Recycled newspaper has traditionally been the main ingredient of so-called molded pulp packaging products, which have become increasingly popular because they are compostable. But the supply of recycled newspaper is in decline, creating a market for substitute materials.

Yanyun Zhao, an Oregon State professor who leads a research team focusing on sustainable food packaging and processing, has studied apple pomace and other byproducts from processing fruit and vegetable juice and winemaking as an alternative for recycled newspaper in molded pulp manufacturing. She and the team received a patent for this research.

“Right now, apple pomace is typically just composted or used for animal feed,” said Zhao, whose research aims to reduce food loss and waste across the food supply chain. “We thought why not turn it into an environmentally friendly product that meets an industry need.”

Zhao envisions apple pomace being the main ingredient for molded pulp packing products such as take-out containers, flower pots, beverage cartons and bottles and clamshell packaging used for fruits and vegetables.

She is focused on apple pomace, in part, because it is readily available in the Pacific Northwest. When apples are processed for juice about 70 – 75 % of the apple goes into the juice, leaving the remaining 25 – 30 % as pomace.

One of the key problems to solve in creating pomace and paper-based packaging is improving water resistance so that it could withstand high moisture, liquid food or non-food items and products stored under high humidity conditions.

In a just-published paper in Food and Bioproducts Processing, the team sought to create eco-friendly, bio-based, compostable and cost-effective solutions that would improve the hydrophobicity, or water resistance, of the apple pomace-based molded pulp products.

They used two strategies: incorporating polymers and compounds with characteristics to improve water resistance into the pulp formulation and applying superhydrophobic coatings on the product surface. The polymers and compounds studied include lignin, chitosan and glycerol.

Lignin is a polymer that forms key structural materials in the support tissues of most plants. Rhubarb pomace, which is particularly lignin rich, was used in this study.

Chitosan is a bio-based polymer commonly used in the papermaking industry. A previous study from Zhao’s team found that chitosan reduced water absorption of cellulose nanofiber (CNF) films significantly through adsorption of chitosan onto CNF fibers via hydrogen bonds.

Finally, glycerol is an organic compound often added to a material to make it softer and more flexible. Previous studies had shown that at low levels glycerol decreased water absorption.

The researchers determined the optimal amounts of those polymers and compounds while also adding a small amount of cardboard fiber for stability of the molded pulp packaging products.

Zhao’s team has a long history of studying food coatings as a barrier to water and gases. The team had previously created a two-step preparation of superhydrophobic coating that is heat, cold and water resistant. They applied a simplified, one-step coating on the surface of the apple pomace-based product to enhance water resistance.

They concluded that the study demonstrated the feasibility of using fruit pomace as a new source of fiber in producing molded pulp packaging and effective approaches to enhancing water resistance in those packaging materials.

Co-authors of the paper are Clara Lang, Jooyeoun Jung and Taoran Wang, all of whom are former or current members of the Sustainable Food Packaging and Processing team in the Department of Food Science and Technology in Oregon State’s College of Agricultural Sciences.

The research was supported by the Oregon Department of Agriculture Specialty Crop Block Grant Program. Kerr Concentrates, Inc. of Salem and Hood River Juice Company of Hood River provided fruit pomace for the research.

About the OSU College of Agricultural Sciences:
Through its world-class research on agriculture and food systems, natural resource management, rural economic development and human health, the College provides solutions to Oregon’s most pressing challenges and contributes to a sustainable environment and a prosperous future for Oregonians.

Singer and songwriter Ellie Goulding has acquired a significant stake in the premium British hard seltzer brand SERVED.

Ellie was introduced to Ryan and Dean Ginsberg, the co-founders of SERVED through mutual friends and says she “immediately fell in love with the brand – not only because it’s the best hard seltzer I’ve tasted by quite some margin, but also because this is a brand driven by care and respect for the natural world at this crucial point.”

“I’ve always enjoyed a social drink with friends, but I also lead a busy lifestyle and I am passionate about my health, fitness, and the environment. Served is a brand that allows me to have it all – a delicious and refreshing alcoholic drink without all the calories, sugar and bad stuff.”

Ellie, a global goodwill ambassador for the UN Environment Programme since 2017 adds, “We are going to take on some of the biggest brands on the planet, but do it our way. We refuse to compromise on quality nor the health of the natural world. We use ‘wonky fruit’ as an intervention on food waste, the most innovative ecological packaging materials we can think of and we will support habitats, people and animals on the frontline of the nature crisis. We will continue to be 100 % transparent. Oh, and we’ll do all this while having fun and building an awesome brand with awesome people.”

“We are thrilled to welcome Ellie as a co-owner of SERVED and excited to build a global brand alongside her. Ellie embodies everything that we stand for at SERVED, and she will be an integral part of the brand as we continue to grow” says Dean Ginsberg.

SERVED is already available in the UK with high-profile listings including Selfridges, Harvey Nichols, Planet Organic and WHSmith – and will continue to expand its retail footprint alongside significant growth in key international markets including Ireland, France and Spain. Regarding their expansion, Ginsberg continued “we are excited to be working with such great partners who share our enthusiasm and vision for the brand, and we look forward to introducing SERVED to more people up and down the country and across Europe this summer.”

SERVED is crafted in Herefordshire, where Ellie grew up, by infusing sparkling spring water with wonky fruit and pairing this with their own ServedPureTM spirit. The result is a refreshing 4 % ABV plant-based, gluten-free hard seltzer with a crisp, fresh flavour, and a touch of natural sweetness. Designed for the modern health-conscious consumer, SERVED only contains 57 calories and zero sugar.

Committed to reducing food waste and environmental impact as much as possible, SERVED Hard Seltzers are packaged in fully recyclable cans, use wonky fruit that would have otherwise gone to waste, and contain no artificial additives or sweeteners. Committed to inspiring the industry as a whole todo better, 5 % of profits from each can sold are invested towards environmental projects and saving critically endangered species around the world.

A recent study by Wageningen University & Research (WUR), Netherlands, analysed the fate of compostable packaging products in a full- scale industrial organic waste treatment facility. The results show that the tested EN13432 certified products break down within a maximum of 22 days. The project was commissioned by the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy (EZK). “The study shows that the tested objects have the same disintegration and degradation rate as regular biowaste or are even faster. We need more research of this kind, conducted by independent and renowned institutions”, says EUBP Chairman of European Bioplastics (EUBP), François de Bie.

Central aim of the study was to gather more empiric data on the question whether the disintegration rate of compostable products is sufficient to be compatible with the current organic waste treatment practices. In an industrial organic waste treatment trial, a set of nine different compostable plastic products, consisting of organic waste collection bags, plant pots, tea bags, coffee pads, coffee capsules, and fruit labels were tested. “We studied how compostable plastics behave in the current Dutch system for the treatment of GFT (i.e source separated municipal biowaste) and came to the conclusion that compostable products can be processed well with GFT“, says Maarten van der Zee, co-author of the study.

After the first waste treatment cycle of only 11 days, the PLA plant pot already completely disintegrated. “This is significantly faster than paper and most organic matter. Even the orange peel and banana skin (the reference materials) did not completely disintegrate and needed more time” de Bie commented on the study. “The PLA tea bag, which is a typical consumer product, also successfully disintegrated within 22 days.”

The study also analysed the composition of the current visual contamination of conventional plastics in compost, and no compostable plastics were identified amongst the plastics that were found in the compost. “The importance of this result cannot be overstated”, de Bie stresses. “All stakeholders involved in the business of organic recycling, be it waste managers, industry, or legislators, now have the proof that certified compostable plastics actually deliver.”

Read the complete study here: https://bit.ly/2HHAXhn

Sulapac and Stora Enso launch a renewable and microplastic-free straw to combat the global problem of plastic waste. The straw has strong usability and works just like a traditional straw. The new straws are available to brands and consumers looking for more eco-friendly solutions.

The first customers include Finnair’s lounges in Helsinki replacing their plastic and paper straws, food delivery platform Wolt, the alcoholic beverage brand company Altia, Hotel St. George, and vegan café Kippo, among the others. The first customers represent different business sectors but have one common interest: to be in the forefront of sustainability. For end-consumers, the straws will be available in January via Biofutura.com, an online store specialised in compostable tableware and packaging, and an online retailer Verkkokauppa.com.

“There’s clearly a large demand for our product that both fulfills the sustainability criteria and has superior usability. Like all Sulapac materials, the straw is 100 % microplastic-free. It is designed to mimic nature; if the straw accidentally ends up in the ocean, it acts like a birch leaf and does not harm the ecosystem,” says Sulapac CEO Suvi Haimi.

The straws are based on Sulapac’s patent pending material innovation. The main components are renewable materials such as wood and plant-based binders. The straw is microplastic-free, meaning that it is designed to be fully biodegradable in different environments. The straw complies with existing waste systems and is designed to be recycled via industrial composting.

“Billions of plastic straws are produced and used every week, creating harmful waste that often end up in the sea. This renewable and biodegradable material can replace fossil-based materials and help combat plastic waste. Our cooperation with Sulapac allows us to explore new types of innovative and scalable materials and widen our offering of renewable solutions”, says Marcus Dehlin, Head of Business Alliances, Stora Enso.

In the first phase the straws will be available in Europe and a global roll out will follow. The straws are produced with machinery originally designed to produce plastic straws.

This National Science Week, Australia’s national science agency, CSIRO, has revealed how a secret recipe to get Black Soldier Flies in the mood could help tackle local food waste crisis.

Working with Canberra-based start-up Goterra, CSIRO’s farming experts have been testing lighting, temperature, moisture, surface texture and diet in a bid to find the perfect combination of conditions that will encourage flies to mate.

By boosting egg-laying, Goterra will be able to breed more insects to eat through food waste and turn it into compost – reducing landfill, emissions from transporting food to landfill, and enriching soil with nutrient-rich fertiliser.

This is just one of a number of CSIRO projects designed to kick-start the growth of a new Australian industry that will use insects to tackle challenges like food waste and create a more sustainable source of protein for human consumption.

Farming insects sustainably requires less land and water, while still maintaining a high protein production.

Working alongside the University of Adelaide, CSIRO is now expanding its partnership with Goterra to investigate which native Australian insects are the best nutritional choices for human consumption.

CSIRO’s Australian National Insect Collection will help identify native species of insects that are potential candidates for the edible insect industry in Australia, and work with local Aboriginal communities to understand traditions around witjuti grubs, bogong moths and green tree ants, which are known for their zesty citrus-tasting abdomens.

Later this month, CSIRO will host an international symposium on edible insects, and begin work on an industry roadmap to identify unique Australian opportunities to grow a local insect industry.

CSIRO Chief Executive Dr Larry Marshall said solving our national challenges of food security and environmental sustainability called for precisely the kind of innovative science and technology we celebrate during National Science Week.

“CSIRO has been at the forefront of agricultural and food innovation in Australia for over a century, so it’s fitting that today we’re using that expertise to grow a new local industry using native Australian resources like insects,” he said.

“Growing a new industry is a complex, multidisciplinary challenge, but with CSIRO’s expertise spanning farming, insects, nutrition, economic and environmental forecasting, and collaboration with industry, government and universities, we have a strong track record for turning excellent science into real-world solutions.”

While working with CSIRO, Goterra CEO Olympia Yarger had the Australian soldier fly Hermetia olympiae named after her, and said working with an organisation as diverse as CSIRO meant her business could develop in multiple directions.

“We were inspired to start the business out of passion for insects and a belief in harnessing them to work for us, whether that’s as a source of food with edible insects, or to process food waste using larvae,” Ms Yarger said.

“Our solution is focused on technology to create opportunities to use insects as a biological service. We’re building the technology to breed the insects and transport them to wherever there is a need, creating a mobile and versatile alternative to everything from sources of protein to landfill.”

Goterra accessed CSIRO expertise with funding from the CSIRO Kick-Start Program, which matches start-ups and small/medium businesses with research and development activities. CSIRO’s partnership with the University of Adelaide is part of CSIRO’s Industry PhD program, which offers science PhD students experience working on real industry challenges.

Research from Swansea University has found how plastics commonly found in food packaging can be recycled to create new materials like wires for electricity – and could help to reduce the amount of plastic waste in the future.

While a small proportion of the hundreds of types of plastics can be recycled by conventional technology, researchers found that there are other things that can be done to reuse plastics after they’ve served their original purpose.

The research, published in The Journal for Carbon Research, focuses on chemical recycling which uses the constituent elements of the plastic to make new materials.

While all plastics are made of carbon, hydrogen and sometimes oxygen, the amounts and arrangements of these three elements make each plastic unique. As plastics are very pure and highly refined chemicals, they can be broken down into these elements and then bonded in different arrangements to make high value materials such as carbon nanotubes.

Dr Alvin Orbaek White, a Sêr Cymru II Fellow at the Energy Safety Research Institute (ESRI) at Swansea University said: “Carbon nanotubes are tiny molecules with incredible physical properties. The structure of a carbon nanotube looks a piece of chicken wire wrapped into a cylinder and when carbon is arranged like this it can conduct both heat and electricity. These two different forms of energy are each very important to control and use in the right quantities, depending on your needs.

“Nanotubes can be used to make a huge range of things, such as conductive films for touchscreen displays, flexible electronics fabrics that create energy, antennas for 5G networks while NASA has used them to prevent electric shocks on the Juno spacecraft.”

During the study, the research team tested plastics, in particular black plastics, which are commonly used as packaging for ready meals and fruit and vegetables in supermarkets, but can’t be easily recycled. They removed the carbon and then constructed nanotube molecules from the bottom up using the carbon atoms and used the nanotubes to transmit electricity to a light bulb in a small demonstrator model.

The research team plan to make high purity carbon electrical cables using waste plastic materials and to improve the nanotube material’s electrical performance and increase the output, so they are ready for large-scale deployment in the next three years.

Dr Orbaek White said: “The research is significant as carbon nanotubes can be used to solve the problem of electricity cables overheating and failing, which is responsible for about 8 % of electricity is lost in transmission and distribution globally.

“This may not seem like much, but it is low because electricity cables are short, which means that power stations have to be close to the location where electricity is used, otherwise the energy is lost in transmission.

“Many long range cables, which are made of metals, can’t operate at full capacity because they would overheat and melt. This presents a real problem for a renewable energy future using wind or solar, because the best sites are far from where people live.”

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture has awarded $1.8 million to two Cornell food science research projects.

One project improves the commercial viability of a new food packaging material that actively reduces the need for preservatives, while decreasing food waste; the other project improves juice and beverage production to keep the fresh taste in concentrates.

Ever-increasing food waste represents an emerging threat to the economic and environmental sustainability of the U.S. food system, said Julie M. Goddard, associate professor of food science. Preservatives are added to foods to retain quality with a longer shelf life, but consumers are demanding a reduction in additives.

However, this consumer movement leads to unintended results: food that spoils more quickly, which could cause a surge in food waste.

“We’ve shown that you can introduce preservative functionality into packaging materials, so that we can reduce the additives in foods and beverages without losing product quality,” Goddard said. These “active packaging” materials are a promising new technology, but technological hurdles and consumer-mindsets have so far prevented their successful commercial translation, she added.

Removing the preservatives in food products – such as sauces, mayonnaise or salad dressing – would severely diminish shelf life, even with refrigeration. But by adding chelating agents – compounds that can sequester metal ions – to the jar or bottle itself, the food can last much longer without the additives seeping into the food.

“There is a lot of benefit in having fewer additives but gaining the preservative quality built-in to the package so they don’t migrate to the food,” she said.

During the research phase, the researchers will work directly with consumers and producers to ensure that the packaging material meets food-production, supply chain needs and that consumers are more likely to accept this new technology.

Joining Goddard on this project will be co-principal investigators Randy Worobo, professor of food science, and Motoko Mukai, assistant professor of food science; David Just, professor of applied economics at the Charles H. Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management; and Chris Ober, professor of materials science and engineering.

For the other project, Carmen Moraru and Olga Padilla-Zakour, both professors of food science, will lead research on using reverse and forward osmosis filtration and other cold processes to create nutritious, high-quality and tasty juices and beverages in an energy-efficient way. Collaborators include Miguel Gomez, associate professor of applied economics at Dyson, and Robin Dando, associate professor of food science.

Currently, juice processors use heat to create juice concentrate, but heat changes the product’s nutritional and sensory profiles.

“Our combination nonthermal process maintains product quality and makes the juice concentrate taste like it is fresh,” Moraru said.

Also, juice concentration consumes energy. “With this cold process technology, we can save energy and conduct the concentration at a fraction of the thermal evaporation cost,” she said.

The researchers will examine different filtration conditions for specific juices and other beverages. In addition to New York state fruit juices like apple and grape juice, the researchers will also examine concentration of cold-brew coffee and tea.

Juice and beverage concentrates make sense from a financial perspective, Moraru said.

“For commercial purposes,” she said, “it is more economical to transport concentrate rather than move the added weight of water. Concentrate is economical and stable, while water makes juices more prone to degradation.”

The developed processes will be transferred to industry stakeholders. Said Moraru: “Ultimately, this work will benefit consumers and will help boost the competitiveness and sustainability of the U.S. food sector by reducing the energy in food processing.”

These new projects add to the department’s growing research output in improving environmental sustainability in the U.S. and global food production by reducing food waste while improving energy efficiency.

SABIC introduced its LNP^™ ELCRIN^™ iQ portfolio of polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) compounded resins derived from recycled polyethylene terephthalate (rPET) to support the circular economy and help reduce plastic waste. By chemically upcycling consumer-discarded PET (primarily single-use water bottles) into higher-value PBT materials with enhanced properties and suitability for more-durable applications, the company is encouraging the use of recycled resins. These products also offer a smaller cradle-to-gate environmental footprint than virgin PBT resin, as measured by Cumulative Energy Demand (CED) and Global Warming Potential (GWP).

Better Properties, Longer Life than PET

SABIC’s LNP^™ ELCRIN^™ iQ compounds and blends are based on upcycled iQ PBT resins, a proprietary SABIC technology. This technology overcomes some of the limitations of mechanical recycling by using chemical processes to depolymerize PET bottles and other PET waste into their precursor chemicals, purify them and then use them to create new PBT resin. The technology can deliver performance and processing benefits such as good chemical resistance, colorability, high flow for faster throughput and flame retardance (FR).

LNP^™ ELCRIN^™ iQ resin is a drop-in solution for virgin PBT and other conventional PBT materials, making it easier for manufacturers to make their products more sustainable. By displacing virgin raw material used to manufacture PBT, LNP™ ELCRIN™ iQ resin has been shown through peer-reviewed life cycle assessment^[1] to reduce the energy and carbon footprint of the material by up to 61 percent and 49 percent, respectively. Further, each kilogram of LNP^™ ELCRIN^™ iQ resin uses up to 67 post-consumer PET water bottles (0.5 liter).

The ELCRIN^™ iQ portfolio offers customers multiple options, including glass- and mineral-reinforced grades and non-halogenated FR and UV-resistant formulations. Some of the LNP^™ ELCRIN^™ iQ grades even have the potential to achieve compliance with U.S. Food & Drug Association (FDA) food contact regulations.

Potential applications for these new polymers include durable internal and aesthetic components for consumer electronics, automotive connectors, and housings for medical devices. Such applications can extend the useful life of the original, single-use PET resin, which helps keep the material out of the waste stream for a longer period.

“Consumer-discarded PET bottles lose value and performance properties through conventional mechanical recycling,” said Joshua Chiaw, Global Business Director, LNP, SABIC. “This downcycling process limits the types of applications for which rPET can be used. In contrast, SABIC’s chemical upcycling process helps improve the performance and quality of the final resin product. As a result, these PBT materials are potentially more desirable for durable applications. Overall, LNP^™ ELCRIN^™ iQ materials can help reduce reliance on virgin resin and address industry and consumer demand for greater use of more-sustainable materials.”

“The development of LNP^™ ELCRIN^™ iQ materials is a major step forward for SABIC and illustrates our unyielding commitment to our customers, the global plastics industry, and the Alliance to End Plastic Waste, which we joined as a founding member,” said Frank Kuijpers, General Manager, Corporate Sustainability, SABIC. “Our innovative process for chemical upcycling of single-use PET directly supports the AEPW’s goal of developing new technologies that help minimize waste, make recovering and recycling plastics easier, and create value from all post-use plastics.”

SABIC LNP^™ ELCRIN^™ iQ grades are available worldwide.

^[1] The original peer-reviewed life cycle assessment study was completed by SABIC in 2011. The results are being reviewed and updated based on current models, with expected completion and peer-review in 2019.

How much food do we waste on the farm, in manufacturing, supermarkets, restaurants and canteens and in households? In order to help Member States quantify food waste at each stage of the food supply chain, the Commission has established an EU measurement methodology that is published for open public consultation. Citizens and stakeholders have the opportunity to express their views on the proposed methodology, which will be open for feedback for 4 weeks. In drafting a common methodology to measure food waste levels in the EU, the Commission worked closely with Member States’ experts and also benefitted from the input and insights of actors in the food value chain participating in the EU Platform on Food Losses and Food Waste. Thanks to the revised waste legislation, adopted in May 2018, specific measures on food waste prevention have been introduced which will provide the EU with new and consistent data on food waste levels. These data are needed by Member States to implement effective food waste prevention programmes and help guide the EU’s progress towards the Sustainable Development Goal Target 12.3 of halving food waste by 2030.

For more information on EU action to fight food waste

To participate, until 4th April, in the feedback mechanism

The government’s Resources and Waste Strategy has been unveiled, setting out how ministers aim to change the way consumers deal with waste from the home to the workplace.

It includes the introduction of a deposit return scheme in 2023, subject to consultation early next year.

Gavin Partington, Director General at British Soft Drinks Association, said:

“The soft drinks industry supports the introduction of a GB-wide full deposit return scheme for all plastic and can beverage containers. We believe this is the best way to increase recycling levels and tackle litter.

“Reform of the current producer responsibility system is also necessary to create greater transparency and increased investment in UK recycling infrastructure.”

The University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL) and a group of leading bottled water and soft drink manufacturers have launched a report at the House of Commons, which sets out an ambitious roadmap to eliminate plastic packaging waste from the bottled water and soft drinks value chain by 2030.

The report, the first of its kind, is set out to enable and encourage other industries and countries to create their own systemic roadmaps and visions to eliminate plastic packaging waste.

The report, developed collaboratively by the industry and its stakeholders, sets out key actions and aspirations to make eliminating plastic packaging waste a strategic priority. These include:

• Producers to commit to all bottled water and soft drinks packaging to be made from 100 per cent recyclable or reusable material and aim for at least 70 per cent recycled material by 2025.
• Producers and Government to investigate the optimal material of the future for bottled water and soft drinks that eliminates plastic waste while ensuring the lowest overall environmental impact.
• Producers and Government to undertake research into consumer behaviour to support recycling ambitions towards achieving a ‘circular economy’ for bottled water and soft drinks packaging.
• Government to create a consistent nationwide recycling system, and reinvest revenue from new policies into UK recycling, sorting and reprocessing capacity.

The roadmap provides a clear timeline for working towards the ultimate goal of transitioning to a more circular economy for plastic soft drinks packaging, where plastic packaging use is reduced wherever possible and otherwise is reusable or recovered and recycled.

The report was developed with input from the Future of Plastic Packaging Working Group: Lucozade Ribena Suntory and members of the Natural Hydration Council: Brecon Mineral Waters, Danone Waters (UK and Ireland), Harrogate Water Brands, Highland Spring Group, Montgomery Waters, Nestlé Waters UK, Shepley Spring and Wenlock Spring.

Read the full report.

In Spring Statement the Chancellor, Philip Hammond, announced a call for evidence on using the tax system or charges to address single-use plastic waste in the UK.

The review will look broadly across the whole supply chain, from production and retail to consumption and disposal.

In his speech, Philip Hammond insisted that any measures will seek to change behaviour and encourage innovation, rather than raise revenue. Any such revenue raised will be invested into developing “new greener products and processes” and to kick-start this Government is committing £20 million now from existing budgets to “businesses and universities to help stimulate new thinking and rapid solutions in this area.”

Responding to the announcement, BSDA’s Director General Gavin Partington (British Soft Drinks Association) said:

“As an industry we recognise that more can be done to reduce litter and increase recycling rates and so we welcome the launch of the innovation fund to develop new greener products and processes.

“The ambition is for all our packaging in the UK to be 100 % recyclable, that consumers recycle and that drinks containers do not end up as litter in our towns, countryside, rivers and oceans.

“We have long believed that reform of the current compliance system would create greater transparency, and lead to increased investment in UK recycling infrastructure, more so than a tax on a single material.

“We believe that by working together with governments, NGO’s and other stakeholders real progress can be achieved to make the UK the world leader in creating a truly circular economy.”

The Coca-Cola Company announced that it is fundamentally reshaping its approach to packaging, with a global goal to help collect and recycle the equivalent of 100 % of its packaging by 2030.

This goal is the centerpiece of the Company’s new packaging vision for a World Without Waste, which the Coca-Cola system intends to back with a multi-year investment that includes ongoing work to make packaging 100 % recyclable. This begins with the understanding that food and beverage containers are an important part of people’s modern lives but that there is much more to be done to reduce packaging waste globally.

“The world has a packaging problem – and, like all companies, we have a responsibility to help solve it,” said James Quincey, President and CEO of The Coca-Cola Company. “Through our World Without Waste vision, we are investing in our planet and our packaging to help make this problem a thing of the past.”

The Company and its bottling partners are pursuing several key goals:

• Investing in the planet: By 2030, for every bottle or can the Coca-Cola system sells globally, we aim to help take one back so it has more than one life. The Company is investing its marketing dollars and skills behind this 100 % collection goal to help people understand what, how and where to recycle. We will support collection of packaging across the industry, including bottles and cans from other companies. The Coca-Cola system will work with local communities, industry partners, our customers, and consumers to help address issues like packaging litter and marine debris.
• Investing in packaging: To achieve its collection goal, The Coca-Cola Company is continuing to work toward making all of its packaging 100 % recyclable globally. The Company is building better bottles, whether through more recycled content, by developing plant-based resins, or by reducing the amount of plastic in each container. By 2030, the Coca-Cola system also aims to make bottles with an average of 50 % recycled content. The goal is to set a new global standard for beverage packaging. Currently, the majority of the Company’s packaging is recyclable.

World Without Waste is the next step in the Company’s ongoing sustainability efforts, building off success in replenishing an estimated 100 % of the water it uses in its final beverages. The Company achieved and exceeded its water replenishment goal in 2015, five years ahead of expectations. These efforts are part of the Company’s larger strategy to grow with conscience, by becoming a total beverage company that grows the right way.

“Bottles and cans shouldn’t harm our planet, and a litter-free world is possible,” Quincey said. “Companies like ours must be leaders. Consumers around the world care about our planet, and they want and expect companies to take action. That’s exactly what we’re going to do, and we invite others to join us on this critical journey.”

This morning the Prime Minister Theresa May launched the Government’s 25 Year Environment Plan for England.

Under the Government’s plan, there will be an extension of the 5p charge for plastic carrier bags to all retailers in England, supermarkets will be encouraged to introduce “plastic-free” aisles and taxes and charges on single-use plastic items will be considered as part of planned Government consultations.

Gavin Partington, Director General at the British Soft Drinks Association, responded to the plan:

“BSDA and its members welcome the launch of government’s 25 Year Environment Plan and its commitment to an evidence-based approach to establishing the best way to deal with plastic waste.

“The ambition is for all our packaging in the UK to be 100 % recyclable, that consumers recycle and that drinks containers do not end up as litter in our towns, countryside, rivers and oceans.

“China’s decision to ban plastic waste imports has further exposed the gaps in the UK’s recycling infrastructure and emphasised the need for a reform of the current compliance system.

“We believe that by working together with governments, NGO’s and other stakeholders real progress can be achieved to make the UK the world leader in creating a truly circular economy.”