Jokey-Neste collaboration triggers rigid plastics circular economy

25 Jun 2020 --- International manufacturer of rigid plastic packaging Jokey and renewable and recycled materials supplier Neste have partnered to develop the market for environmentally sustainable rigid packaging for food and non-food applications. By promoting the use of more sustainable materials in packaging, such as those produced with Neste’s high-quality drop-in hydrocarbons produced from renewable and recycled raw materials, the partners are positioned to help companies using rigid plastic packaging meet their material sustainability targets. The joint aim of the collaboration is to increase the adoption of renewable and recycled materials in the rigid plastics market to facilitate the viability of circular value chains.

Jokey produces rigid plastic packaging, such as buckets, boxes and trays for food and non-food goods, which are up to 100 percent recyclable. Neste’s product for plastics production consists of renewable and recycled components derived from biomass, such as various waste and residue oils and fats, and chemically recycled plastic waste, which is suitable for high-quality rigid packaging applications.

The plastics produced with Neste’s renewable and recycled feedstock are compatible with existing production and recycling infrastructures, and their quality is identical to conventional plastics, the company says. The plastics can be used safely even in sensitive applications, such as healthcare and food packaging.Jokey packaging for Jonas based on PCR raw materials.

“We have been working with renewable raw materials since 2011, and it is important not only to find a simple substitute for plastics, but also to meet future ecological requirements and, of course, today's technical demands. These questions need to be examined together,” Michael Schmidt, Chief Procurement Officer at Jokey SE, tells PackagingInsights.

“With the Jokey Eco Concept 2.0, we are setting ourselves a sustainable development guideline. Our packaging is already designed to meet the requirements of a circular economy. We always look forward to exploring new paths and to inspiring insights with Neste, which will make our future even more sustainable,” Schmidt adds.

“Grey is the new green”
Recycled plastic is just as sturdy and durable as virgin material and its gray color does not detract from marketing possibilities, Jokey clarifies on its website. “The grey material can be decorated excellently with in-mold-labeling or digital printing. The whole container as well as the lid can be fully printed in photo-realistic quality,” Schmidt confirms in support of this, conceding that only the rim of Jokey’s gray Eco Concept containers cannot be decorated.

“Grey is the new green. We are sure of the fact that a responsible consumer reaches for recycled packaging if they have the choice. The consumer only needs to be informed adequately and the change of view is happening all by itself,” Schmidt adds, recommending that producers advertise recycled buckets by placing obvious messaging directly on the packaging.Jokey packaging for Knauf based on PCR raw materials.

CPG brands are increasingly finding a competitive advantage in more prominent on-pack communication of their packaging’s environmental sustainability credentials. Packaging – and its impact on the planet – are now regarded as key purchasing considerations for many global consumers. Innova Market Insights identified “The Language of Environmental Sustainability” as its number one packaging trend for 2020.

“We must tackle the critical core issues of our time - whether climate change, biodiversity or resource consumption - more quickly and decisively. We have been offering packaging made from recycled raw materials for 30 years but, unfortunately, not yet with the breakthrough success we hope for. In 2018, we have again launched our initiative “Grey is the new green” to reinforce this approach, and we are slowly seeing more and more orders for products made from Post Consumer Recycled (PCR) raw materials. But there is still a lot to do,” Schmidt explains.

Recycled versus renewable
Whether renewable materials are a better solution than recycled plastics is a complex consideration, according to Schmidt. Currently, both recycled and renewable materials are integral to Jokey’s long-term environmental sustainability strategy.

“The effects on climate, land and resource consumption and biodiversity must be examined very carefully. For example, conventional PCR materials are a very important component in the context of the circular economy because even renewable raw materials – if they can then be easily recycled together with conventional plastics – come back via the path of household collections to return to the material cycle. In this case, both material flows also complement each other.”In February, Jokey produced a 20 percent ocean-based and more than 50 percent PCR recycled plastic bucket for JONAS.

“With polypropylene, we now have a versatile and proven raw material for all our applications. Our packaging can be recycled without any problems, which we have already put into practice with many packaging projects,” he tells PackagingInsights.

In February, Jokey cooperated with JONAS Farbenwerke paint supplier to provide packaging that consists of 20 percent ocean-based recycled plastics and more than 50 percent post-consumer recyclates. The packaging is also fully recyclable, while the blue rim at the top of the JONAS buckets intends to visualize the circular economy concept prevalent in the packaging design.

“We see a great match between Neste’s and Jokey’s solid commitments to sustainability. We are equally delighted to join forces with Jokey to contribute to the industry’s transformation towards a circular plastics economy,” adds Mercedes Alonso, Executive Vice President, Renewable Polymers and Chemicals at Neste.

By Joshua Poole