Schumer calls for USDA investigation into nationwide milk carton shortage

The New York senator is calling for help “to find packaging alternatives” and resolve the issue. Many point to Pactiv Evergreen as the source of the supply chain snarl, although no origin point has been positively confirmed.

Edible packaging may be a plastic alternative, but it remains nascent

Companies such as Notpla, Evoware and Sorbos are pursuing concepts made from ingredients that include seaweed, rice and sugar in an attempt to replace more traditional packaging formats.

US recycling rates have stagnated. Can collaborative packaging solutions turn them around?

Speakers from Tetra Pak, Coca-Cola, Kraft Heinz and General Mills discussed at the Packaging Recycling Summit how to work together to improve recycling — even though collaborating with competitors can pose challenges.

Lower-carbon packaging gains traction in beauty and cosmetics

As more consumers say they prioritize sustainability, manufacturers are looking to reduce their products’ footprints by packaging them with new materials and postconsumer recycled content.

Reloop report offers 10 ideas for passing more bottle bill laws in U.S.

The report aims to “create a bridge between theory and action” to get more state bills past the standstill that often occurs due to competing interests among producers, recyclers and government entities.

Brands, packaging companies and recyclers talk collaboration to improve recycling

Speakers from LRS, Myplas, P&G, PMMI, Rumpke and more connected at the Packaging Recycling Summit to hash out ways to improve recycling and product recyclability as “really, really rapid” packaging changes occur.

Amcor looks to source recycled PE from forthcoming Nova Chemicals facility

The Indiana rPE plant’s first line is on track for an early 2025 start. “We can't wait until Connersville is up and running for us to consider future investments” or M&A, said Nova Chemicals’ director of mechanical recycling.

Farewell to foam: Cup Noodles’ iconic container undergoes substrate switch to fiber

Graphic Packaging International helped to make the iconic package microwaveable for the first time. The polystyrene cup was always "an opportunity for improvement," according to a Nissin Foods USA executive.

Packaging innovations: Reusable crates go bananas, medical packaging goes monomaterial

Plus, PepsiCo rolls out more easily recyclable paper packaging and Eco-Products hopes snap lids appeal to customers in plastic-restricted markets.

CPGs diversify pack sizes to reach cost-pressured consumers

“We have more that we can do in the marketplace in the U.S., whether it be on the nature and the range of the can sizes and shapes or the PET bottles,” Coca-Cola CEO James Quincey said on a recent earnings call.

3 trends to watch in EPR implementation

Eco-modulation, harmonizing definitions and expanding recycling infrastructure are key themes that speakers from state agencies in California, Colorado and Maine discussed during the Northeast Recycling Council’s fall conference.

Researchers find PFAS in non-plastic straws, complicating sustainability efforts

Straws have been a prime focus for anti-plastic groups but remain prevalent. Recent studies showing the presence of toxic chemicals in a range of “eco-friendly” alternatives highlights the complexity of eliminating the hazard.

WestRock Q4 results helped by corrugated, hurt by closures

While the corrugated sector grew, global paper sales declined. The company did not share new details on Smurfit Kappa’s pending acquisition.

Milk suppliers sour over carton shortage

Dairy suppliers and others cite Pactiv Evergreen as the supply problem’s source. Tetra Pak and other competitors are trying to step up production to meet increased demand as beverage producers seek help.

Amcor touts growing chemical recycling partnerships in 2023 sustainability report

As it seeks more recycled and recyclable product materials, Amcor said absolute greenhouse gas emissions declined in FY23. It awaits approval by the Science Based Targets initiative for targets going forward.

Packaging companies seeing ‘no impact whatsoever’ from weight-loss drugs

Multiple analysts and executives view concerns about potential downstream impacts from popular medications such as Ozempic as being overblown.

Ball announces site closures, discusses Bud Light impacts

Amid changes in demand, Ball is shutting down sites in Virginia and Washington and stepping back from expansion projects in Nevada and North Carolina.

Packaging manufacturers’ Q3 results

Follow what top companies are saying in quarterly earnings reports about demand, destocking and optimizing manufacturing as 2023 winds down.

Updated Nov. 17, 2023

Packaging innovations: Perrier’s new look, Naturepedic mattresses blanketed in fiber

Plus, Philips appliances get fiber packaging and Berry Global adds a line of reusable cups.

Sonoco outperforms Q3 guidance, but ‘cautious’ consumers depress demand

The company is beginning to see returns from recent M&A and equipment conversion investments, according to executives on a Q3 earnings call.

O-I Glass to curtail 20% of global capacity in Q4

The company is forging ahead on a new high-tech plant in Kentucky for a mid-2024 ramp-up, but it is extending the timeline for expansion projects in South America and Europe “to better align with the market recovery.”

Amcor CEO talks ongoing customer destocking, weak consumer demand

The company reaffirmed its guidance for fiscal year 2024, saying it expects the destocking trend to abate and cost-cutting benefits to kick in during the back half of the year.

Amazon tweaks tech to create first 100% fiber-focused fulfillment center

Two main technologies are being tested at an Ohio facility to determine how best to transform other facilities to handle only fiber — not plastic — packaging.

Updated Nov. 1, 2023

What’s in the box? Maybe a gift of recovering corrugated demand.

Containerboard demand remains down year over year, but was ending October’s spooky season in a less scary position than previous quarters, according to data from the American Forest & Paper Association.

Destocking in ‘rearview mirror,’ but ‘cautious consumer’ slows Graphic Packaging’s recovery

GPI’s growth could be fueled by ramen, as a partnership to transform an iconic noodle cup from foam to fiber marks the company’s most recent innovation investment. Meanwhile, GPI discontinued a project to add capacity in Texas.