Over the course of nine months in 2020, stakeholders from across the consumer packaged goods (CPG) industry collaborated within a workshop led by RCD Packaging Innovation on a framework to address both waste and chemical safety challenges of flexible films. The workshop aimed to bring flexible film stakeholders together to move the industry “towards a zero-waste future.” This included 80 representatives from CPG brands, resin producers, retailers, waste managers, film converters and extruders, and soil health experts. Outcomes from the discusses have been published in a separate white paper.
The collaboration featured presentations and discussion sessions across a wide range of topics relevant to flexible film packaging, including the importance of redesigning materials so they do not contain toxic chemicals. The group recognized that there is “growing awareness of packaging toxicity,” and participants identified the issue of chemical migration from packaging as a priority with highest importance and currently very low satisfaction. However, while education and resources on the issue were provided to participants, the workshop noted that “this issue remains enormous and unwieldy for this scope of work” with additional effort needed to systematically address it. Looking ahead, the white paper recommends that “step by step we can eliminate carcinogenic and endocrine disrupting chemicals from our supply chain.”
Read More
RCD Packaging (November 2020). “Redefining Flexible Films.”
Reference
RCD Packaging (November 2020). “Redefining Flexible Films: Innovation Workshop.”
