DS Smith rolls out recycling consultation service for fiber-based packaging producers

08 Aug 2024 --- DS Smith is launching a service for businesses to evaluate the recyclability levels of their packaging, in what the company says is an industry first. The service is designed to meet the growing sustainability demands of consumers, organizations and legislation.

Dubbed the Recyclability Evaluation Service (RES), the offering will perform specific tests to determine recyclability in fiber-based packaging in standard paper mills across Europe.

Tests will be undertaken in a state-of-the-art Fibre Development Laboratory at DS Smith’s Kemsley Paper Mill, UK, with each test performed in line with industry standards from industry bodies CEPI and 4evergreen.

Customers will receive detailed data and a report summarizing the findings, along with a recyclability score from –100 to +100 and a conclusion on suitability for recycling in standard paper mills.

Jonathan Edmunds, head of recyclability, sustainability and government affairs at DS Smith Recycling says: “We have ensured that 100% of our own packaging is recyclable but now we are shifting our focus beyond the packaging we produce.”

“With a constantly evolving landscape, RES allows us to examine and improve the recyclability of our customer’s fiber-based packaging, ensuring they remain one step ahead.”

“Understanding the makeup of packaging is becoming increasingly valuable and, as the first integrated paper, packaging and recycling business to offer this service to businesses, we are in the prime position to offer them advice. We don’t just point out the problems, we can solve them as well.”

Design and legal consultation
Beyond the testing service, RES will offer businesses consultation with DS Smith’s Design and Innovation Team on the overall recyclability of their packaging. It was the work of this team that played a significant role in DS Smith recently hitting its target of replacing more than one billion pieces of plastic over a year ahead of schedule.

DS Smith’s designers have been trained in the company’s Circular Design Principles and Circular Design Metrics, created in partnership with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation.

The company says these help assess performance against areas such as recycled content and recyclability, indicative estimated CO2 emissions, levels of excess waste and supply chain parameters in partnership with customers. Since its launch, the company's circular design metrics have influenced over 100,000 packaging design decisions.

The launch of RES to all businesses follows a £750,000 (US$954,000) investment made in the Fibre Development Laboratory in 2022 to research technologies that enhance the performance and sustainability qualities of fiber-based packaging.

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