In a fast-paced world where convenience is currency, a continuing prominent trend in product packaging is the use of flexible plastic pouches. More consumers are choosing pouches over traditional glass, paper and metal packaging, and even rigid plastics, as global market demand is projected to rise 6.2% annually to $37.3 billion in 2018. Food is the largest and most developed market for pouch use due in great part to rising output and consumption rates worldwide. Pharma/medical and beverage are the second and third largest markets, respectively. Japan is a country that has long been ahead of the pouch packaging trend, as urbanization and a fast-paced lifestyle keep space and time at a premium in Japanese cities. The heat-resistant boil-in-a-bag (later microwavable) food delivery model addressed lifestyle needs of Japanese consumers as far back as in the 1970s, when more women were entering the workforce and convenience was compulsory. Today, Japanese pouch-meals and pre-cut single-serving vegetables and meats respond to Japan’s aging population of elders who live alone (27% are 65 or older), pioneering innovation in the consumer retail experience. Here in the U.S., consumer lifestyle trends demand increasingly convenience and portability of product, particularly in the food sector. Ease of use at home and on the go have become a requisite for driving the purchase of consumer foods. This is particularly true for Millennials, who represent about a fourth of the entire U.S. population with $200 billion in annual buying power; significantly, one in four Millennials are now parents, which not only compounds the demand for convenience, but their influence on future consumers (their children) and older generations (their parents). With less time to spare and more options than ever, consumers cite convenience as a consumer need that is increasingly addressed by the innovations offered by pouch packaging. Advancements in seal and barrier technologies for the pouches market are keeping food fresher longer at all stages of the supply chain, contributing to a longer shelf lifefor both retailers and end-users. As quality and healthfulness of convenience food products continue to increase in significance, pouch technologies allow a greater variety of these foods to be available to more consumers, geographically and economically speaking. For example, the dairy market segment, which includes yogurt (a product very much in demand), is expected to grow significantly through 2020 with the aid of these high-barrier pouches. The environmental implications of pouches in food packaging and other markets are significant. Pouches are smaller and thinner than glass, paper and metal packaging and will use 60% less plastic and be 23% lighter compared to traditional rigid packaging on average. Both the stand-up and flat variety of pouch generally have a higher product-to-package ratio than rigid packaging and require about half of the energy required to produce, cutting down on the CO2 emissions released during production and during transport; taking up less space means fewer trucks are needed, reducing fuel consumption and additional CO2 emissions. While flexible plastic pouches reduce landfill waste because they are lighter, less bulky and take up less volume than conventional packaging, it is important to note that they are not recyclable through the current waste management infrastructure. The multi-layer films from which most pouches are comprised are often made up of several different plastics, which are difficult to recycle because these components they require separating. Further, contact with food, beverage, medical and industrial substances requires additional processing so as to not contaminate recycled plastic batches. This is not to mention the numbers associated with the waste created by single-serving items.  Pouches now feature handles, zippers, easy-tear and resealable openings, spouts, straws, spoons and caps to name just a few types of the closures and fitments that make consumer food products easier to transport and use with high functionality, but make them that much more difficult to recycle due to their component parts. However, consumers do have free recycling options for their pouch waste. Companies solving for their pouch brand packaging through sponsored recycled programs with my company TerraCycle include GoGo squeeZ, GU Energy and Honest Kids, all of which make products with the on-the-go pouch configurations that are exemplars of the convenience and efficiency that pouches deliver. Innovative, sustainable solutions for packaging consumer products, from sambar to soap, lie in inventing the most efficient, environmentally sound ways to accommodate the world’s changing lifestyles. Convenient, efficient and comparatively smaller in carbon foot print than some rigid packaging, pouches of all material compositions and shapes address consumer trends while moving in a good direction for waste reduction. “Necessity is the mother of invention,” and pouches continue to push enhanced functionality and convenience in excitingly fresh ways.

Biodegradable? Environmentally friendly? Altered performance? Better than recycled? With bio-based materials' checkered past in the past, what remains a truth or a myth? Lux Research maintains that new bio-based materials and chemicals offer performance advantages over petro-based; bio-based products manufacturer MHG chimes in, and well-respected upcycler Tom Szaky provides his insights. In its recent announcement, “New bio-based materials and chemicals offer performance advantages over petro-based,” Lux Research, Boston, maintains that although bio-based materials earned past skepticism, the next generation offers high value in specialty chemicals, biopolymers, and advanced materials.   An Upcycler’s Input In his Jan 7, 2015 Sustainable Brands article, “The push for bioplastics and the myth of biodegradability,”TerraCycle CEO Tom Szaky stated, “… many are pointing to plant-derived plastic alternatives as the ultimate solution to our unsustainable dependence on fossil fuel-based plastics,” but warned that their biodegradability is a characteristic of “misplaced optimism and confusion.” “Petroleum-derived plastics don’t exist in nature, and as such there are no microorganisms naturally predisposed to facilitating decomposition (without the help of additives). Bioplastics are not always biodegradable, either, which can be another source of confusion for consumers. For example, Coca-Cola’s PlantBottle simply replaces 30 percent of the ethanol in their normal polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic bottle with 30 percent plant-derived ethanol. This means the bottle is still considered PET and can be recycled even though it’s made with some plant material, but it still won’t biodegrade,” Szaky stated. Therein lies the sticky wicket, as well as the basis for optimism, because rapidly advancing technology changes the dynamics. For example, only six months after the article’s publication, CocaCola introduced its reformulated PlantBottle 2.0, made entirely of plants—100 percent plant-based PET. Szaky acknowledged that polylactic acid (PLA) bioplastic, made from corn biomass, “does indeed biodegrade into water and carbon dioxide … in the right conditions.” High humidity and high temperatures are required, he said. In the article, Szaky points to one clear advantage of large-scale adoption of bioplastics beyond the biodegradability quandary: “First and foremost is the fact that the required raw materials are renewable; the supply of corn, sugarcane, algae, and other bioplastic feedstocks are only as finite as our cultivation capacity, and the plastics industry could finally emancipate itself from its dependence on fossil fuels.”

DePaolo Middle School has been named the second runner up in the “Recycled Playground Challenge,” courtesy of Colgate, ShopRite, and recycling pioneer TerraCycle. DePaolo earned a total of 8,494 Playground Credits by recycling waste and through online voting to place in the contest. The second runner up prize winner will receive 500 kids toothbrushes, 500 kids toothpaste tubes, a Colgate Bright Smiles Futures van visit, and a Shoprite gift card. Flanders Elementary PTO, a Southington school organization, placed among the six honorable mentions with 1,539 Playground Credits. The Recycled Playground Challenge launched in March 2016 among schools throughout New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Connecticut and Maryland participating in the Colgate Oral Care Recycling Program a free recycling program operated by Colgate and TerraCycle. Participating schools earned one Playground Credit for each unit of oral care waste, such as empty toothpaste tubes and floss containers, sent to TerraCycle for recycling. Schools earned additional Playground Credits by encouraging parents and teachers to vote online. The Colgate Oral Care Recycling Program is an ongoing activity, open to any individual, family, school or community group. For each piece of waste sent in using a pre-paid shipping label, participants earn money toward donations to the school or charity of their choice. To learn more about the Colgate® Oral Care Recycling Program program, visit www.terracycle.com. To learn more about Colgate Bright Smiles, Bright Futures®, Colgate’s global oral health education program, visit www.colgatebsbf.com.

Today’s retail landscape is characterized by a constant stream of product releases and innovation. Coupled with planned product obsolescence, this leaves the world with a massive amount of excess inventory and a growing stream of product waste. According to Sustainable Brands, the average American throws away 70 pounds of clothing each year. Importantly, the Wall Street Journal notes that product waste, particularly e-waste, not only ends up in U.S. landfills, but also in developing nations — creating a myriad of environmental and human health risks. Yet retailers are well positioned to be at the forefront of waste reduction — without sacrificing business growth — by focusing on the end of a product's life from the start. In fact, a smart sustainability strategy can positively impact the retailer and the environment at the same time. By prioritizing product reuse, retailers may find that they can cut costs, while ensuring high-quality products and increasing brand loyalty. Investing In Take-Back Campaigns When retailers are transparent about their sustainability programs, they not only showcase ongoing efforts to reduce their environmental footprints, but they also strengthen long-term customer loyalty. Brita, the water pitcher and filtration company, for example, partners with the recycling company TerraCycle to provide customers with a free and easy recycling program. The program supplies customers with clear instructions on how to recycle Brita products and explains to customers how their old products will be repurposed as outdoor chairs, bike racks, park benches and more. The sustainability program clearly positions Brita as an environmentally conscious company, while also deepening customer loyalty by engaging them in an innovative initiative.

Recycling and sustainability are becoming increasingly visable as key factors for action at the consumer-level. The need for environmentally-sound practices has galvanized companies around the world, and it’s no coincidence that the world’s most admired companies are sustainability stars; consumers around the world report a willingness to pay more for goods and services from businesses known for commitment to social and environmental value.   At TerraCycle, we have worked with hundreds of brands and consumer packaging goods companies- large and small- to help them reach (and develop new) sustainability goals. Now more than ever, we are seeing some of the largest companies on the planet shifting toward environmental stewardship as part of their CSR intiatives—and the potential benefit for the environment is huge.   Our partner PepsiCo, while just one example, has created massive impact through Recycle Rally: a K-12 school initiative challenging children to recycle on-campus and engage their communities. Since 2010, thousands of K-12 schools have recycled 59 million bottles and cans and received portions of $1 million in prizes. In addition to the reward incentives, PepsiCo has invested in developing and sharing a broad array of educational resources and tools and is inspiring students with art projects that utilize used cans and bottles. When recognizable brands like PepsiCo lead sustainability at this level, environmental stewardship is more likely to resonate with younger generations— and the success of Recycle Rally is a great indicator.   Unilever, makers of everything from food to personal care products, is another large corporation accepting its environmental responsibility. Unilever recently set ambitious reduction targets aiming to slow down the depletion of natural resources, to success. The multi-national consumer goods company decreased waste associated with the disposal of their products by 29% since 2010, and 60% of its agricultural raw material was sustainably sourced by the end of 2015. They have also launched campaigns that encourage recycling like #RethinkRecycling, which emphasizes the recycling of bathroom products. Unilever has outwardly stressed the importance of recognizing the impact that businesses have on issues such as global warming and sustainability, and implicates itself as a leader in future-proofing.   But it is not just about targeted environmental action campaigns at the consumer-level: large corporations are collaborating to innovate around sustainability and create far-reaching solutions to global environmental challenges. Companies are realizing that in order to even have a future, they have to create one together- which is why some of the largest companies in the world have joined The UN’s Sustainable Development Goal 17. It is an exciting collaboration between companies to “share their ideas, data, and insights on addressing key global challenges.” Through open communication, these industry partners hope to accelerate environmental developments and find the sustainable solutions that we all need. Collaborations like this are necessary in today’s interconnected global environment, and the world’s largest brands are taking the lead.     Industry leaders can and need to engage their consumers (and industry partners) around sustainability, as their reach and impact across the globe is undeniable. With the resources and collaboration of large corporations like PepsiCo and Unilever, issues like recycling and environmental stewardship can be in the forefront of more minds for dynamic solutions. 

VILLA PARK – Villa Park’s Environmental Concerns Commission will offer a recycling drop-off location Sept. 10 during the village’s Oktoberfest. The Environmental Concerns Commission also will be running a booth from noon to 5 p.m. Sept. 10 at Oktoberfest to educate patrons about what products are recyclable. Stop by the commission’s booth to get information about its recycling efforts and other environmental issues and learn what items can be recycled curbside. Attendees can drop off pens, mechanical pencils, markers, highlighters, crayons – used, new, broken and whole – Brita and PUR pitchers, filters, packaging, faucet mounts and adapters and Brita bottles. The crayons will be taken to the local nonprofit SCARCE. The other items will be sent to the international company Terracycle. It’s “widely considered the world’s leader in the collection and reuse of nonrecyclable, post-consumer waste,” according to its website Terracycle.com.

Recycling old school binders when purchasing new ones is being offered to shoppers by Terracycle at Office Depot and OfficeMax stores. Office Depot has teamed with Trenton-based Terracycle, which collects and repurposes hard-to-recycle, post-consumer waste. Shoppers can bring any old, empty binder to an Office Depot or OfficeMax retail location and receive a $2 instant discount off a same-day binder purchase. The Binder Recycling Program encourages shoppers to help preserve the environment by recycling, since many binders are tossed into the garbage after each school year. TerraCycle is able to recycle the binders, significantly reducing the amount of waste going into landfills. “We’re excited to partner with TerraCycle this back-to-school season as parents, teachers and students prepare for the school year with new supplies,” said Ron Lalla, executive vice president of merchandising for Office Depot. “The program provides a way to recycle binders in an environmentally conscious way while also offering a discount to shoppers who are looking for new ones.” TerraCycle works with major manufacturers and retailers to recycle products and packaging that would normally be thrown away. To learn more about TerraCycle and its innovative recycling solutions, visitwww.terracycle.com. For more information on the Office Depot Binder Recycling Program, visitofficedepot.com/recyclebinders The $2 discount applies only to binders purchased and will not be applied to any free binders with a purchase. It is limited to six discounts per household or business. Area participating stores are Office Max, Route 541, Burlington Township and Office Depot, Route 561, Voorhees. Founded in 2001, TerraCycle, Inc., collects and re-purposes waste, ranging from used potato chip bags to coffee capsules to cigarette butts. The waste is collected through free, national, brand-funded recycling programs, as well as various consumer and government-funded models. The collected waste is reused, upcycled or recycled into a variety of affordable, sustainable consumer products and industrial applications. Each year, across 20 countries, TerraCycle collects and repurposes billions of pieces of waste, donating millions of dollars to schools and charities in the process. To learn more about TerraCycle or get involved in its recycling programs, visit www.terracycle.com

Hillcrest Elementary PTO of the Somerset section of Franklin has been named an honorable mention in the “Recycled Playground Challenge,” courtesy of Colgate-Palmolive (“Colgate”), the global oral care leader; ShopRite, which has more than 250 stores in the Northeast; and recycling pioneer TerraCycle. Hillcrest Elementary PTO earned a total of 907 Playground Credits by recycling waste and through online voting to place in the contest. The honorable mention prize winner will receive a $150 ShopRite Gift Card, 500 Colgate kids toothbrushes, and 500 Colgate kids toothpaste tubes. The Recycled Playground Challenge launched in March 2016 among schools throughout New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Connecticut and Maryland participating in the Colgate Oral Care Recycling Program a free recycling program operated by Colgate and TerraCycle. During the contest window, participating schools earned one Playground Credit for each unit of oral care waste, such as empty toothpaste tubes and floss containers, sent to TerraCycle for recycling. Schools earned additional Playground Credits by encouraging parents and teachers to vote online. “On behalf of Colgate, I am pleased to congratulate the students, parents and faculty of Hillcrest Elementary PTO on being named an honorable mention in the Recycled Playground Challenge,” said Juan Pablo Zamorano, president, North America, Colgate-Palmolive. “The energy and passion they put into protecting the environment has truly made a difference.” The Colgate Oral Care Recycling Program is an ongoing activity, open to any individual, family, school or community group.  For each piece of waste sent in using a pre-paid shipping label, participants earn money toward donations to the school or charity of their choice. To learn more about the Colgate® Oral Care Recycling Program program, visit www.terracycle.com.

Each morning is the beginning of a new day and another chance to make the world a better place. Think your actions don't make a difference? Think again! Taking small, mindful actions for positive improvement can have a great impact on your community and inspire others to do the same. There are so many opportunities to do good for the planet, and many of them are right under your nose. Here are three ways you can do your part to make the world a better place...all before 10 a.m. * Concentrate on your morning routine. So much of what we do in the morning can be condensed to consume less and do much more. Try to reduce your water usage by shortening your shower time and don't let it run while you brush your teeth. Make your own coffee and lunch to cut down on food packaging waste. Carpool to put fewer vehicles on the road and get to know your co-workers. * Engage in "mindful" acts of kindness. Make it a point to hold the door open for a stranger, compliment your co-worker's outfit or new hairstyle, or buy a snack for the person behind you in line. To be kind is an act of solidarity, and doing good for others will inspire members of your community to do the same. Kindness is the currency of change: spend wisely and often. * Learn about new ways to recycle. Did you know that Malt-O-Meal cereal bags can be recycled through a free program in partnership with TerraCycle, a New Jersey-based recycling company? To begin with, Malt-O-Meal bagged cereal creates 75 percent less packaging waste than boxed cereal with a bag inside. Through the MOM Brands Cereal Bag Recycling Program, you can ensure that none of it ends up in the landfill and raise money for charity at the same time!