Mondi worked closely with Noel Alimentaria to identify the best possible packaging solution for their range of plant-based and meat food. The collaboration resulted in Noel Alimentaria choosing Mondi’s PerFORMing paper-based tray to pack its rebranded range of sliced plant-based food and vegetarian burgers ‘Verday’. Verday is used by Marks and Spencer’s for its ‘Plant Kitchen’ range in the UK and supplied to Nordic markets for ham and charcuterie products. Being formable, the trays can be moulded and adapted to a range of different-sized food products, with high symmetrical stretch for uniform formability, ideal for shallow food trays. PerFORMing offers strong barrier protection against moisture and oxygen, keeping the food fresh throughout the storage and distribution process. The trays consist of 80% paper compared to the industry standard where they are made of 100% plastic, which means the plastic content of the tray has been greatly reduced. The paper tray is designed for recycling and passed the recyclability tests by German institute PTS (Papiertechnische Stiftung, method RH:021/97).

IPG (Intertape Polymer Group) announced that its Danville, VA manufacturing plant, which produces carton sealing tape, stretch film, air pillows, and polyethylene (PE) tape, was awarded TRUE Zero Waste Certification under the TRUE (Total Resource Use and Efficiency) rating system. Administered by Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI), TRUE helps facilities measure, improve, and recognize zero waste performance by encouraging the adoption of sustainable waste management and reduction practices, which contribute to positive environmental, health and economic outcomes. The Danville, VA facility is the first IPG manufacturing plant to obtain this certification. The IPG Danville team has implemented numerous recycling initiatives over the years and now has a diversion rate of 97.5%. In 2023, the plant diverted over 16 million pounds of material from the landfill, mostly through recycling efforts. By implementing the TRUE Zero Waste program, the plant has enhanced its already robust culture of zero waste.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Organic Standards Board on Tuesday voted unanimously against adding synthetic compostable materials as compost feedstocks to the National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances. That list in part stipulates which substances can be used in organic crops or processed organic products. The board determined that the broad classes of materials it was evaluating did not meet necessity, environmental and human health, and sustainable agriculture criteria for the National List. But going forward, the group said it’s open to evaluating individual substances, as some showed potential to meet those criteria. It would also consider allowing broader classes of substances with more restricted use patterns, such as for fruit stickers or collection bags. Many composters are screening out compostable polymers altogether, Lewis said, to avoid contamination from other plastic lookalikes diverted by confused consumers. “We are not hearing them asking for more compostable polymers. We are hearing them ask for less contamination in the food waste they accept,” said Lewis, the vice chair of NOSB’s crops subcommittee. NOSB’s decisions on what’s allowed in organic compost hold particular weight in California. Under a 2021 law aimed at tightening “compostable” labeling, the item would have to be an allowable agricultural organic input, as defined by NOP. That requirement was set to take effect Jan. 1 of this year, but CalRecycle granted an extension to June 30, 2027.