Weekly Roundup: Pop-Tarts limited edition design celebrates Día de Muertos, Dow and LyondellBasell CEOs urge UN treaty on plastic pollution

03 Sep 2021 --- In packaging news this week, Kellogg’s Pop-Tarts unveiled a limited edition box design in celebration of Día de Muertos, also known as Day of the Dead. Meanwhile, Dow CEO Jim Fitterling and LyondellBasell CEO Bob Patel urged the UN to devise a treaty resolution to combat plastic pollution. Also, Mondi and Werner & Mertz’s recyclable stand-up pouch became the world’s first flexible packaging to achieve Gold in all categories of the Cradle to Cradle Certified Product Scorecard.

In brief: Limited edition designs
Kellogg’s Pop-Tarts unveiled a limited edition box, including nine all-new “Printed-Fun” designs in celebration of Día de Muertos, also known as Day of the Dead. The Pop-Tarts Día de Muertos box and Printed-Fun designs were created in partnership with Pop-Tarts and Kellogg's HOLA Latino Business Employee Resource Group to respect the tradition of this celebration, which originated in Mexico and honors the life of loved ones who have passed.

Evian water and US fashion company Rothy’s partnered to repurpose Evian water bottles collected this September into a limited edition, tennis-inspired capsule collection. With a shared mission to keep plastic waste in the economy and out of nature, Evian and Rothy’s will transform Evian bottles collected between Aug 30 and Sep 12, 2021, from the US Open 2021 tennis tournament, hosted in New York City, and which Evian sponsors, into a first-of-its-kind capsule collection to be debuted during the height of tennis season in September 2022.

In brief: UN plastic pollution treaty
The leaders of two of the world’s largest plastic makers called for a global agreement among nations to eliminate plastic waste in the environment, urging governments and stakeholders worldwide to press for a treaty resolution at upcoming United Nations meetings. Dow Chairman and CEO Jim Fitterling and LyondellBasell CEO Bob Patel participated in the Wall Street Journal’s special event “Getting There: A Global Agreement to End Plastic Waste.” They spoke on behalf of the American Chemistry Council and the International Council of Chemical Associations, representing leading chemical and plastic makers globally. Meanwhile, the Ellen MacArthur Foundation released a white paper detailing its position on establishing a UN treaty.Sirane’s Earthpouch for Tea Bar.

In brief: Pack launches
Aptar Food + Beverage announced that its recyclable SimpliCycle valve will launch with new Kraft Heinz Ketchup packaging. Other Kraft Heinz brands, including Heinz Mustard, Heinz Mashups and Heinz BBQ Sauce, will also convert to the SimpliCycle valve by the end of the year. Testing was coordinated and administered by both companies to maintain consumer experience in the conversion.

Sirane secured its first Dutch customer for its plastic-free Earthpouch in online tea company Tea Bar. “For years, we wanted packaging that could be recycled with waste paper and made from FSC paper. We also went for 100 percent certified plastic-free, and we did not want cellulose film with PVDC coating on the inside. It had to be biodegradable and be printed with water-based ink,” said Fenje Bolt, co-founder of Tea Bar. The Earthpouch is a plastic-free recyclable paper-based pouch suitable for coffee, confectionery, vitamins, healthcare supplements, cereals and more.Mondi and Werner & Mertz’s award-wining recyclable stand-up pouch.

In brief: Awards, certifications and investments
Mondi and cleaning products manufacturer Werner & Mertz’s recyclable stand-up pouch became the world’s first flexible packaging to achieve Gold in all categories of the Cradle to Cradle Certified Product Scorecard. “No company can single-handedly develop a product for the circular economy. It takes an interdisciplinary network of experts. Thanks to the entire team’s strict adherence to the Cradle-to-Cradle Principle, Werner & Mertz and Mondi have achieved success with the stand-up pouch in a real ‘lighthouse’ project!’ said Albin Kaelin, EPEA Switzerland’s CEO.

The Berry Healthcare facilities of Astra Plastique, Bellignat and Offranville in France were awarded International Sustainability and Carbon Certificate (ISCC) Plus accreditation. This certification enables the sites to sell ISCC Plus approved packaging and plastic components to healthcare customers that contribute to a circular economy approach based on advanced recycling and mass balance.

Pregis invested an additional US$32 million in its blown film extrusion technology at its Grand Rapids, Michigan, US, manufacturing site. The latest investment is expanding the facility, adding an additional 55,000 square feet for manufacturing, warehousing and office space. In total, the Grand Rapids facility will now have 205,000 square feet to meet the increasing demand for high-quality films and support services.

By Joshua Poole