Sustainability alert: Veolia launches new Sustainable Packaging Academy

As part of the drive to increase the circular economy and tackle the problem of packaging scrap, France-based Veolia is launching a Sustainable Packaging Academy (SPA) that makes it easier to improve manufacturers’ environmental credentials. Designed to close the link between producers and recyclers, the new initiative will provide businesses with the opportunity to better understand packaging circularity and future-proof packaging design, according to a Veolia news release.

Veolia’s SPA provides a new route for industry to achieve a real circular economy for all types of packaging and ensure materials can be easily collected, recycled and returned to industry for reuse. This approach brings in the consumer experience, waste collection, processing and end-market realities to help provide the best advice on overcoming the challenges.

By joining the Academy, members will be able to take advantage of the latest reports and design guides and work in partnership to develop solutions that boost sustainability. Members will also be able to keep ahead of legislative changes, network with other packaging stakeholders and take advantage of Veolia expertise in the latest recycling technologies, the company says.

“We all know the impact of packaging on the environment, and the launch of our Sustainable Packaging Academy will further strengthen our work with manufacturers, industry bodies and local authorities in the drive to ensure that it is all recyclable,” remarks Richard Kirkman, chief technology and innovation officer at Veolia UK and Ireland. “If we are to deliver on the huge surge in public interest in our sector, we must put the Resources & Waste strategy into practice in a way that can be understood by people inside and outside the industry.

“Our service now delivers the expertise needed to understand packaging recyclability and make the right design decisions and can help develop joint solutions or new recycling processes. In the move to cut climate change and target net zero carbon, it's vital that we address the real impact packaging has, and the SPA will help do just that.”

The Academy is aimed at anyone who is involved in packaging design, environment, supply chain or sustainability roles in key sectors such as food and beverage, pharmaceuticals and chemicals, retail or packaging manufacture.

PepsiCo, Centerplate offer Aquafina aluminum cans at Super Bowl LIV

PepsiCo, Purchase, New York, and Centerplate offered more than 100,000 aluminum cans of Aquafina to fans at Super Bowl LIV inside Hard Rock Stadium in Miami. The cans helped forward the venue's broader mission to phase out 99.4 percent of single-use plastics this year, according to Centerplate, the food and beverage partner to the stadium, which says it has already been implementing a reduced reliance on single-use plastics throughout the year.

PepsiCo says it plans to reach its target to reduce 35 percent of virgin plastic content across its brand by 2025 by boosting recycled PET content as well as using more alternative materials, such as the aluminum cans.

"We can't achieve PepsiCo's vision of a world where plastics need never become waste alone. It requires partnership and pulling many levers," says Derek Lewis, president of PepsiCo Beverages North America’s South Division. "We have set ambitious sustainability targets and take pride in working with partners like Centerplate and Hard Rock Stadium, who are playing an important role in driving toward a circular economy."

Go Beyond Racing partners with Agilyx

Agilyx Corp., Tigard, Oregon, has announced a partnership with Go Beyond Racing, Portland, Oregon, to chemically recycle single-use polystyrene generated during dozens of trail races throughout the Pacific Northwest each year.

Go Beyond Racing’s Todd and Renee Janssen say that while the company strives to reduce waste that is generated at their events by finding the best recycling alternatives, the events produce bags of waste that are destined for landfill. After meeting with Agilyx in 2019 and reviewing its recycling capabilities, Go Beyond Racing decided to utilize polystyrene food service items for all plates, utensils and cups.

"We originally thought we were doing the best we could by using compostable service ware, but after meeting with Agilyx in 2019 and some changes in our local composting system, we realized that we could do much more than that," Todd Janssen says. "The Agilyx team makes it easy for organizations small or large to donate their materials and apply that same approach in their personal lives by recycling polystyrene from their homes as well."

Items from events are sent to Agilyx, where they're chemically recycled back into food-grade polystyrene products. With Agilyx's help, a 500-person event will now only generate one or two bags on average for disposal, while the rest of the material is able to be recycled, the company says.

"We commend forward-thinking organizations like Go Beyond Racing, who understand the importance of utilizing plastic as a valuable renewable resource and keeping the material out of the landfill to create a circular economy for plastics," says John Desmarteau, Agilyx's director of communications and government affairs. "We enjoy collaborating with groups who prioritize waste reduction and recycling initiatives."

Meijer expands food waste pilot program to all stores

After a successful pilot program that cut down in-store food waste by more than 10 percent, Meijer, Grand Rapids, Michigan, is expanding the sustainability effort to all its stores starting next month.

The initiative allows customers to purchase food nearing its sell-by date at up to 50 percent off on the Toronto-based Flashfood app, and then pick them up at Meijer stores.

"In just a few months, we diverted thousands of pounds of food from landfills," says Don Sanderson, group vice president of Fresh for Meijer. "Minimizing in-store food waste is the right thing to do for our communities and our customers. We're excited to expand upon these efforts and offer this opportunity to all our customers."

Meijer began testing this effort in the fall of 2019 at four stores in Metro Detroit. The test drew more than 1,000 active users during the pilot period. Meijer now plans to expand the effort to each of its 246 stores by the end of 2020 with rollout beginning the end of February, according to a news release.

This is the latest effort in the retailer's commitment to sustainability. Meijer has a Food Rescue program that donated more than 13 million pounds of food in 2019 to local food banks. Meijer has also put food waste created during the manufacturing process of its foods to better use. For example, waste from Meijer dairy facilities in Michigan is being turned into animal feed, and fresh food byproducts from Michigan are sent for anaerobic digestion and being turned into compost.