Weekly Roundup: Scottish Parliament votes yes on DRS, Neopac unveils carbon-reducing tube

26 Feb 2021 --- In packaging news this week, the Scottish Parliament voted in favor of a Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) for all drinks containers, including PET, metal and glass. The DRS is set to roll out from July 2022 across the country. Meanwhile, Neopac launched a lightweight plastic tube for personal care using up to 30 percent less material. Also, Ecolean’s emissions reduction targets were approved by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), aligning them with Paris Agreement goals.

In brief: Circular economy progress
The Scottish Parliament voted in favor of a DRS for Scotland, meaning Scotland is set to become the first UK country to introduce a DRS for drinks containers. The DRS will be available nationwide from July 2022, making it easier for consumers to recycle used bottles and cans, including all drinks sold in PET, metal and glass. Consumers pay a small deposit of 20p (US$0.28) when they buy a drink in a single-use container and receive the deposit back when they return the empty bottle or can.

AG Barr announced all its soft drinks consumer multipacks will be wrapped in 100 percent recycled shrink wrap by the end of 2021. The move is estimated to save 400 tons of virgin plastic annually. IRN-BRU is the first brand to switch to 100 percent recycled wrap across its can multipacks from May. AG Barr’s packaging is already fully recyclable.

In brief: Beauty and Personal Care
Hoffmann Neopac introduced a lighter plastic tube solution comprising up to 30 percent less virgin material. The Lightweight Tube reduces carbon footprint and material waste and is the latest addition to the company’s eco-friendly tube EcoDesign series. The lighter-weight packaging reduces both shipping costs and Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) fees. The solution is available in plastic tube diameters ranging from 30-50 mm in four substrate varieties. Material reduction is most prominent in the tubes’ wall thickness, reduced from 0.5 mm to 0.35 mm without sacrificing haptics. Low profile closures are in the pipeline for maximum weight reduction in plastic tubes, Neopac indicates.Neopac’s lightweight plastic tube.

Baralan, a primary packaging supplier for the cosmetics and beauty industries, introduced the Minerva Jar 50 Amber, an expansion of its popular Minerva line. Characterized by its amber color, the new jar with 50 ml capacity was developed for skincare products and can be adapted for makeup items. The amber color enables the glass to filter UV rays, avoiding light absorption. Ideal for light-sensitive products, the amber jar provides enhanced protection that significantly diminishes the possibility of discoloration, shelf life reduction or other adverse effects of UV Rays.

In brief: Climate change action
Ecolean’s emissions reduction targets were approved by the SBTi, aligning them with Paris Agreement goals. The targets covering greenhouse gas emissions from Ecolean’s operations are consistent with reductions required to keep warming to 1.5°C. “By joining SBTi, Ecolean is included in a very special group of companies – the corporate leaders of the low-carbon transition,” notes Peter L Nilsson, CEO, Ecolean Group. “For us, there is no question this is the right thing to do. Aligning our sustainability work to science-based targets will strengthen our ambitions even further and this initiative provides a good and transparent platform for presenting our progress.”

ProAmpac partnered with the Clemson University Department of Food, Nutrition and Packaging Sciences, US, to support its commitment to leading the industry in developing smart food packaging. “ProAmpac is committed to leading the industry in developing smart packaging technologies,” said Hesam Tabatabaei, vice president of product development and innovation. “Smart packaging is a fast-growing packaging innovation, which can promote both food safety and food shelf life; and, within the food segment, seeks to protect food from harmful bacteria and virus contamination to prolong product freshness.” ProAmpac is working with Clemson’s Kay Cooksey, recognized as an expert in the fields of food safety, shelf life and active packaging. Cooksey’s lab will provide testing capabilities critical to the smart-packaging mission of extending shelf life and promoting food safety.

Braskem expanded its production capacity of green ethylene, the main feedstock derived from sugarcane ethanol used in renewable resin production. These materials can therefore claim to capture CO2, a greenhouse gas. The raw material is produced at the company's plant in Triunfo, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. The capacity will be increased from the current 200 kton/year to 260 kton/year. The expansion project, budgeted at US$61 million, will be rolled out in 2021 and should be concluded in the fourth quarter of 2022.Baralan’s Minerva Jar 50 Amber.

Mondi announced a three-year strategic partnership to support the United Nations World Food Programme’s (WFP’s) efforts to save and change lives worldwide. The collaboration will see Mondi make a US$1 million in-kind and financial contribution to help WFP improve how it delivers nutritious food over a complex humanitarian supply chain, aiming to reduce food waste and mitigate the impact of packaging on the environment. The partnership will draw on the infrastructure, knowledge and expertise from Mondi's corrugated solutions, paper bags and consumer flexibles businesses.

In brief: Mergers and acquisitions
International Paper acquired Berkley Molded Fiber division for an undisclosed purchase price. After seven years of manufacturing outside Los Angeles, US, Berkley moved operations into an 80,400 square foot state-of-the-art molded fiber manufacturing plant outside Reno, Nevada, US, in 2019. Berkley International works with high-growth CPG companies looking to utilize sustainable packaging technology for e-commerce and food packaging applications.

Ardagh and Gores Holdings V, a special purpose acquisition company, entered into a definitive business combination agreement under which Gores Holdings V will combine with Ardagh’s metal packaging business held by Ardagh Metal Packaging (AMP) to create an independent public company. The company intends to apply to list its shares on the New York Stock Exchange under the new ticker symbol “AMBP.” Ardagh will retain an approximately 80 percent stake in AMP and receive up to US$3.4 billion in cash in the transactions.

Mill Rock Capital, a growth and operations-oriented private investment firm, announced its portfolio company Mill Rock Packaging acquired All Packaging Company, a specialty paper packaging company focused on various consumer end markets. Mill Rock Packaging is a growth-oriented specialty packaging company focused on design, innovation and technology. All Packaging operates two facilities in Utah and Colorado, US. Terms of the transaction were undisclosed.Amipak’s carton packaging.

In brief: Packaging and labeling machinery
Accraply, a designer and manufacturer of label application systems, introduced Sirius MK6, a heavy-duty, modular labeler designed for high-speed label applications. With repeatable, toolless changeovers, the Sirius MK6 reduces waste and saves time. Designed for label applications with advanced machine capability requirements, the Sirius MK6 includes Accraply’s SmartLink HMI, providing easy access to efficiency reporting, preventative maintenance alerts and self-diagnosing software. Through this next-generation smart HMI, overall equipment effectiveness can also be measured, allowing operators to easily identify and order parts.

Amipak invested over £200,000 (US$230,000) in a new high-performance Heiber+Schröder tray forming machine, increasing production capacity for its growing range of carton packaging products for the food-to-go, retail and out-of-home sectors. The new Heiber+Schröder CE 1560 tray former is now fully operational at Amipak’s Willesden site in the UK. “The trays we produce on this new machine are easy for both operators and consumers to use. They are often made from easily recyclable material and are pulpable or compostable in an industrial facility, which fits well with current consumer expectations,” explains Amipak Director of Communications and Sustainability, Daniel Schwitzer.

By Joshua Poole