On December 22, 2017, news provider Packaging Europe published an interview with Kevin Vyse, senior food packaging technologist at UK retailer Marks and Spencer (M&S). The retailer has set a target to make all of its packaging “widely recyclable” by 2022, Vyse explained (FPF reported). Therefore, M&S “is working with policy makers, fellow retailers, manufacturers, local authorities, the recycling and plastics industry, WRAP and the Ellen MacArthur Foundation to develop scalable solutions to prevent the leakage of plastics into the environment.” Further, M&S is assessing the feasibility of making all of its own-brand plastic food packaging from one polymer group to “maximize the use of recycled content.” Currently, M&S uses three types of plastics in its food business, with polyethylene terephthalate (PET) being part of its packaging inventory. The single polymer “needs to be able to be blow molded, extruded or formed,” Vyse noted. PET is “a close contender for the role as a single,” but “there are some exciting developments in the pipeline that may perform better,” like polyethylene furanoate (PEF) (FPF reported).

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Tim Sykes (December 22, 2017). “Is moving to a single polymer the answer?Packaging Europe

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