All Comment articles

  • melbourne
    Article

    European Adventures in Australian Packaging

    2024-03-15T10:32:00Z

    Packaging Europe’s brand director Tim Sykes was invited to speak at APPEX – Australia’s leading packaging and processing event – and jumped at the opportunity to learn from stakeholders about the direction of travel in the dynamic Australian industry. He found that now is an opportune time for inter-continental dialogue.

  • eu-uk
    Article

    How will the EU’s Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation affect the UK?

    2024-03-01T14:34:00Z

    Matthew Kay, Glass Packaging Policy Lead at British Glass, highlights what the UK glass manufacturing industry is expecting from the PPWR.

  • Ton_Emans_Picture
    Article

    ‘Imports, lack of enforcement and control mechanisms turn EU recycling targets into question marks’

    2024-02-28T11:28:00Z

    March 4th 2024 promises to be a landmark day in the history of the European packaging industry. On this day, the last of the trilogue negotiations around finalizing the much-discussed Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation will be taking place. In this article, Ton Emans, President of Plastics Recyclers Europe, gives his views on why – and how – the EU should ensure the ongoing protection of the European plastics recycling industry in this context.

  • barrier
    Article

    Is barrier board packaging the future of the paper-based packaging industry?

    2024-02-22T11:31:00Z

    With pressure mounting from consumers, legislators and retailers for a reduction in the use of plastic in packaging, what role does barrier board have to play? Neil Osment, Managing Director of paper packaging industry analysts NOA, takes a look.

  • sorting
    Article

    ‘Breakthrough’ in polypropylene recycling could boost plastic packaging circularity

    2024-02-08T13:00:00Z

    A significant hurdle standing in the way of increasing the use of recycled plastics in food packaging is the risk of potential residues causing non-compliance with food safety standards. Professor Edward Kosior and Paul Marshall of Nextek and NEXTLOOPP claim to have found an innovative solution to this issue, which they outline in our latest comment article.

  • caroli
    Article

    A look at biobased alternatives to PET bottles

    2024-01-24T11:59:00Z

    PET is one of the most widely used and recognizable packaging materials for beverage and food applications. However, amid concerns from some sectors regarding low recycling rates in some parts of the world and the spread of microplastics, Caroli Buitenhuis of Green Serendipity argues that now might be the time to look into biobased alternatives. 

  • PG Ecoclic box
    Article

    Sustainability Awards 2023 Winner Interview: Proctor & Gamble’s ECOCLIC box for liquid laundry capsules

    2023-12-20T15:09:00Z

    Following Packaging Europe’s Sustainability Awards which took place in Amsterdam this November, we spoke to Samantha King, vice president of research and development at Procter & Gamble about the company’s win in the commercialized Renewable Materials category with its ECOCLIC box for liquid laundry capsules.

  • corrugatedpackaging
    Article

    A look back at the year for corrugated and folding cartons

    2023-12-18T11:43:00Z

    2023 has been a bumpy year for businesses and consumers alike, with rising inflation and interest rates, and a cost-of-living crisis. Against this backdrop, how have the European corrugated and folding cartons sectors faired? Neil Osment, Managing Director of paper packaging industry analysts NOA, takes a look.

  • marc chiron
    Article

    Surveying the changing cardboard packaging industry landscape

    2023-12-08T10:50:00Z

    On the occasion of the opening of DS Smith’s R8 innovation centre near Birmingham in the UK, Elisabeth Skoda spoke to Marc Chiron, Global Sales, Marketing & Innovation Director for the packaging division at the company, about changes and developments in the cardboard packaging industry.

  • firesidechatwithpgsvirginiehelias_740600
    Article

    Sustainable Packaging Summit: Fireside chat with P&G’s Chief Sustainability Officer

    2023-12-05T13:28:00Z

    P&G’s Chief Sustainability Officer frames the Summit with her unique, strategic insights. Encompassing P&G’s high-level goals and progress and burrowing into the specifics of how this global brand owner is adapting its packaging specifications, systems and R&D to drive sustainability.

  • ppwr
    Article

    PPWR: Are we asking the wrong questions?

    2023-12-05T11:47:00Z

    In the middle of the debate around the recent revisions to the EU’s Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation, where many responses have focussed on the reuse vs recycle debate, are we missing the point? Mike Newman, CEO at Returnity Innovations, argues that a key consideration may have been overlooked: how will real consumers living real lives actually respond to the new rules?

  • Picture1
    Article

    Unpacking the progress and setbacks from the latest round of Global Plastic Treaty negotiations

    2023-11-30T09:48:00Z

    Recent developments in the negotiations for the Global Plastic Treaty have left stakeholders with mixed emotions ranging from disappointment to cautious optimism. As the dust settles from a week of intense talks and unexpected twists, Willemijn Peeters, CEO and founder of circular plastics agency Searious Business, explores the nuanced dynamics of INC-3 – the stormy nights but also the sun shining through the clouds.

  • openai
    Article

    What ChatGPT gets right (and wrong) about packaging sustainability

    2023-11-23T12:56:00Z

    What does ChatGPT have to say about packaging sustainability? Robert Lilienfeld, founder and executive director of sustainable packaging think tank SPRING, recently conducted a thought experiment along these lines, and details the results – and his opinions on them – in our latest opinion article.

  • miwa
    Article

    PPWR: Are we missing the chance to set more ambitious targets?

    2023-11-21T09:51:00Z

    Tomorrow, MEPs will be voting on the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation proposal. There is currently a clear divide between nations and stakeholders, with some advocating for recycling and others backing increased reliance on reuse as a solution to the packaging waste problem. Ivana Sobolíková, Impact Strategy Specialist at MIWA Technologies, gives us the perspective of a member of the former group.

  • euflag
    Article

    PPWR: Who will the winners be?

    2023-11-20T11:58:00Z

    In September, the European Parliament was due to vote on the new Packaging & Packaging Waste Regulation. But this can has been kicked down the road and now the vote won’t happen until this month. In the meantime, the battle between those calling for reuse (the politicians) and those largely favouring recycling (the packaging producers) continues. Which side will win? Neil Osment, Managing Director of paper packaging industry analyst firm NOA, tries to answer the question.

  • plasticcollectio
    Article

    Why does INC-3 matter?

    2023-11-13T13:02:00Z

    Rob Opsomer, Executive Lead of Plastics and Finance at the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, urges governments and policymakers not to miss a once-in-a-generation opportunity to establish a bold global treaty to end plastic pollution.

  • nairobi
    Article

    What do we need the UN’s legally binding instrument on plastic pollution to actually do?

    2023-11-13T10:13:00Z

    Today is a landmark day for packaging sustainability, with the start of the third meeting of the UN’s Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee, which is aiming to develop international, legally-binding legislation on plastic pollution. What can we expect from this meeting, which is taking place in Nairobi from the 13th to the 19th of November? Dominic Hogg, director of Equanimator, tells us more.

  • Recyda software
    Article

    Sustainability Awards 2023 Finalist Interview: Recyda’s software for packaging recyclability management

    2023-11-09T16:25:00Z

    Our latest Sustainability Awards Finalist Interview is with Recyda about its software for packaging recyclability management, nominated in the commercialized Driving the Circular Economy category. You’re a finalist in the Sustainability Awards 2023. Congratulations! To start off, could you summarize your entry, in less than 50 words? ...

  • Wageningen University and Istanbul Technical University
    Article

    Sustainability Awards 2023 Finalist Interview: Wageningen University & Research and Istanbul Technical University’s smart modified atmosphere packaging for fresh produce

    2023-11-09T12:37:00Z

    As part of our Sustainability Awards Finalist Interview series we spoke to Wageningen University & Research about its work with Istanbul Technical University to create smart modified atmosphere packaging for fresh produce, nominated in the pre-commercialized Active & Intelligent category.

  • UV Direct to Metal
    Article

    Sustainability Awards 2023 Finalist Interview: ACTEGA do Brasil, Brasilata Labs and Plasmatreat GmbH’s UV coating with plasma treatment

    2023-11-08T16:27:00Z

    Our next Finalist Interview ahead of the Sustainability Awards is with Ömer Yagci, head of strategic marketing at ACTEGA about the UV coating solution from ACTEGA do Brasil, Brasilata Labs and Plasmatreat GmBH, ‘UV DIRECT TO METAL’, nominated in the commercialised Climate category.