Manufacturing company Sabic and liquid food packaging producer Elopak have collaborated on the development of a new drinks carton made using certifiably renewable polyethylene (PE).
The innovation will make Elopak the first company to offer beverage cartons with second-generation renewable coating to the European market; Sabic will also be the first petrochemicals group to produce the PE and polypropylene (PP)-based packaging from renewable stock, without impacting upon the food chain.
The renewable carton was designed in response to “the growing importance consumers are placing on sustainable packaging,” Sabic said.
Rob Balk, segment leader for extrusion coating for Sabic, said: “We are delighted to be playing a key role in helping Elopak come closer to its vision of creating the industry’s most renewable cartons. Sabic is committed to sustainability, and we recognise its importance to Elopak and Elopak’s customers. Consumers are becoming more and more environmentally conscious and it is great to be able to support these values and offer innovative solutions.”
Kristian Hall, director of corporate environment for Elopak, said: “The carton is the renewable choice for packaging of beverages, and with renewable polymers from Sabic, we are able to supply packaging which is virtually 100% renewable. This helps us continue on our journey to replace all fossil-based raw materials with renewable alternatives, as part of our future-proofed packaging strategy.
“This is a key milestone in our efforts to reduce the carbon footprint of our products. The carton already had the lowest carbon footprint among liquid food packaging, and with this we have strengthened that position. We have a vision to deliver products with zero net impact on the environment, and this is an important step towards that goal.”
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