If you’ve been in the conversation about sustainable packaging at all in the last few years, you’ve seen the rise in use of recycled content in plastic packaging. But what exactly is post-consumer recycled (PCR) content, and where does it fit into the sustainable packaging landscape? Is it really sustainable? In this Deep Dive we’ll focus on PCR in plastic packaging. Post-consumer recycled content refers to materials that have already been used by consumers, recycled, and then repurposed into new products, including packaging. A piece of packaging is said to have some percentage of PCR – if for example, a plastic bag with 20% PCR was made of 20% recycled content, and the other 80% was virgin (new) content. In the world of sustainable packaging, PCR is most commonly part of the discussion in plastics (you may also hear PCR spelled out as “post-consumer resin” in the context of plastics), but most kinds of packaging can have recycled content – glass, metal, paper, and more. For whatever reason, the term PCW (post-consumer waste) is sometimes used, especially in paper products, but the concept is the same.

Mid South Extrusion, a flexible film and bag manufacturer, announced it is investing $17 million at its facility in Ouachita Parish to install two new state-of-the-art blown film extrusion lines to support growing demand from customers. “Mid South Extrusion has driven economic activity and created opportunity in northeast Louisiana for nearly 40 years, and we are proud that they continue to grow in Louisiana,” LED Secretary Susan B. Bourgeois said. “I thank MSE for its continued reinvestment and commitment to our state and best-in-class manufacturing workforce.” The additional lines will allow the company to increase production of polyethylene film, the thin, lightweight plastic sheeting that is used to seal and protect a wide variety of packaged industrial and consumer products. MSE serves customers in a wide array of sectors, including agriculture, consumer products, food and beverage, e-commerce and industrial applications.

Mondi has recently completed a €95 million investment at its Świecie containerboard mill, which will increase kraftliner capacity by 55,000 tonnes. The upgrade comprises an extensive rebuild of paper machines PM2 and PM5, a new anaerobic treatment plant including an integrated cooling system, and upgrades to the pulp mill, the recycled fibre line and the energy recovery system. These improvements will allow the mill to meet growing customer demand for heavy-duty packaging for large and heavy products, enhance product quality, and bolster its environmental performance by decreasing water consumption and wastewater emissions and increasing energy efficiency. Since the project’s completion in June, Mondi Świecie has also expanded its ProVantage SmartKraft Brown portfolio with a broader range of grammage options.