06.22.22
Flexible packaging is the fastest growing plastic packaging category, but it also features low recycling and high leakage rates. Based on these challenges, Koehler Paper has contributed to the Ellen MacArthur Foundation to help generate options for a circular economy in flexible packaging.
Koehler is supporting an initiative that contributes to the realization of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. The Ellen MacArthur Foundation was launched in 2010 with the aim of accelerating the transition to the circular economy.
With input from over 100 experts, the Ellen MacArthur Foundation has presented an overarching strategy for flexible packaging and identified 21 specific and urgent actions that need to be commenced immediately by businesses and policymakers in order to make significant progress toward 2025 targets and beyond. It has been primarily designed for businesses, collaborative cross-sector initiatives, policymakers and other organizations that are already on their circular economy journey, and spans from high-level calls to action that will be of use to executive teams, to detailed insights that will be of use to internal R&D and technical teams.
Jens Kriete, sustainability manager of the Koehler Group, states, “We’re very happy to had the chance to support the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, the globally, highly respected initiative to fight plastic pollution and drive circular economy in this strategy.”
Koehler brought in its knowledge in flexible packaging paper solutions and sustainable fiber supply chains to help support this initiative. “At the Koehler Group, we are convinced that we as a company can contribute to the realization of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, and supporting this initiative is part of our contribution,” adds Jens Kriete.
In certain contexts, substitution from plastic to paper appears to be a relevant strategy for flexibles and could result in higher recycling rates compared to plastics and allow for synergies with food composting systems, Koehler notes. Paper-based flexibles potentially also have a reduced persistence in the environment compared to plastic. This strategy, with existing technology, has been estimated to be applicable for roughly 15% of plastic flexibles.
Koehler is supporting an initiative that contributes to the realization of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. The Ellen MacArthur Foundation was launched in 2010 with the aim of accelerating the transition to the circular economy.
With input from over 100 experts, the Ellen MacArthur Foundation has presented an overarching strategy for flexible packaging and identified 21 specific and urgent actions that need to be commenced immediately by businesses and policymakers in order to make significant progress toward 2025 targets and beyond. It has been primarily designed for businesses, collaborative cross-sector initiatives, policymakers and other organizations that are already on their circular economy journey, and spans from high-level calls to action that will be of use to executive teams, to detailed insights that will be of use to internal R&D and technical teams.
Jens Kriete, sustainability manager of the Koehler Group, states, “We’re very happy to had the chance to support the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, the globally, highly respected initiative to fight plastic pollution and drive circular economy in this strategy.”
Koehler brought in its knowledge in flexible packaging paper solutions and sustainable fiber supply chains to help support this initiative. “At the Koehler Group, we are convinced that we as a company can contribute to the realization of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, and supporting this initiative is part of our contribution,” adds Jens Kriete.
In certain contexts, substitution from plastic to paper appears to be a relevant strategy for flexibles and could result in higher recycling rates compared to plastics and allow for synergies with food composting systems, Koehler notes. Paper-based flexibles potentially also have a reduced persistence in the environment compared to plastic. This strategy, with existing technology, has been estimated to be applicable for roughly 15% of plastic flexibles.