Berry Global Group forms closed-loop recycling ecosystem

Process will supply postindustrial recycled materials into the manufacturing of its Endura nonwovens product line.

man in background with circular economy in foreground.

Elnur | stock.adobe.com
In the effort to increase the availability of postindustrial recycled materials and reduce its dependence on virgin polymers, Berry Global Group Inc., Evansville, Indiana, has announced it will use a closed-loop recycling system to aid in the manufacturing of its Endura product line.

The system was first introduced earlier this year at six of the company’s existing European locations. Through it, Berry supplies customers with nonwoven materials, receives postindustrial materials from the conversion processes of its customers and incorporates recycled content into Berry’s Endura nonwovens line.

According to Berry, Endura Spunbond and Meltblown products contain up to 90-percent-recycled content for use in applications like disinfectant wipes, home and bedding, roofing and carpet tiles.

“Customers look to Berry for help in reaching their sustainability goals,” says Achim Schalk, executive vice president/general manager Health, Hygiene and Specialties Europe, Middle East and Africa. “Through our size and scale, we have the unique ability to invest and commercialize innovative, sustainable solutions to increase recycled content, reduce emissions and promote circularity.”

Through the use of the Endura line and closed-loop recycling, Berry will gain increased access to recycled plastic. The company says the use of postindustrial materials results in a 70 percent reduction of Scope 1 CO2 equivalent emissions during the manufacturing process, per kilogram, versus virgin materials, and will directly impact its target to reduce absolute Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 25 percent from 2019.

Berry says products under the Endura line are recognized under the SCS Recycled Content Certification, which measures the percentage of recycled content for the purpose of making an accurate claim in the marketplace, allowing customers the ability to include the SCS logo on-pack.