When the Oregon community of The Dalles rolled out 5,000 new 96-gallon recycling carts at the end of March, it became the first in the state to pay for that improvement using funding directly from packaging producers under Oregon’s EPR for packaging law. Circular Action Alliance, the state’s producer responsibility organization, projects spending around $123 million for local recycling improvement projects through 2027. The EPR program requires brands and companies that supply packaging and paper products to help fund recycling system improvements.  CAA’s EPR program plan has mapped out how the PRO expects to disburse recycling infrastructure funding to communities through 2027, prioritizing local governments that “are not, or will not be, able to provide the opportunity to recycle,” without funding for upgrades, according to CAA’s program plan.

Smurfit Westrock invested approximately US $3.5 million in social and environmental initiatives in Colombia in 2024, reinforcing its commitment to the sustainable development of the communities where it operates. The initiatives, which positively impacted 21,800 people in more than 30 municipalities, were in areas including education, income generation and environmental management. Managed by the Smurfit Westrock Colombia Foundation, which was established in 1962, alongside the forestry division, the company has fostered deep roots within the community. Early childhood development has been one of the cornerstones of the initiatives with the Foundation’s child development center, El Caracolí, providing care for over 590 vulnerable children in Yumbo. Secondary level education also receives strong support with over 580 students attending the company’s agricultural and forestry technical institute (ITAF) school in 2024. The school, which specializes in rural education, teaches students from the Cajibío and El Tambo municipalities (Cauca) and Calima Darién (Valle del Cauca) and has above-average scores in Saber tests. To date, over 1500 students have graduated from ITAF and 40% of them have been employed in local industrial and agricultural sectors.

Fulfillment operations today face growing pressure to handle more orders with fewer resources, adapt to shifting material requirements and deliver more sustainable packaging options. Sealed Air is helping its customers meet these challenges by expanding its industry-leading AUTOBAG® brand portfolio with the addition of the AUTOBAG® 850HB Hybrid Bagging Machine — a new automated bagging system engineered to run both poly and paper mailers, giving fulfillment teams the flexibility to choose the right packaging for every order while improving efficiency and supporting curbside recyclable formats. The AUTOBAG® 850HB Hybrid Bagging Machine strengthens Sealed Air's ability to deliver a complete range of protective packaging solutions. By supporting both curbside recyclable paper and traditional poly mailers in one system, it enables fulfillment operations to adapt packaging without slowing throughput. This balance of efficiency, product protection and material flexibility helps e-commerce, direct-to-consumer brands and third-party logistics providers meet the demands of modern fulfillment.