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Tom Egan, vice president of Industry Services for PMMI, the Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies
Consumers and regulators want products with a smaller carbon footprint and a transition to a circular economy. Achieving these objectives often involves installing machines that consume fewer resources and adopting sustainable packaging. Tactics include transitioning materials, phasing out single-use plastics, specifying recyclable mono-materials, and working to eliminate volatile organic compounds and other hazardous substances such as PFAS (per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances).
Material transitions involve less plastic packaging and shifting away from foam and multi-material substrates to recyclable, source-reduced, reusable, and/or compostable or possess recycled, renewable, or bio-based content. The PMMI Material Transitioning Dashboard, curated by PMMI, The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, shows what materials are being used in 44 industry categories, the top 10 materials being phased out, and what replacements will be most in demand during the next three to five years. The customizable tool enables users to tailor the data to their industry and business.
End users, converters, and OEMs also must be prepared to look beyond packaging to integrate environmental, social, and governance (ESG) strategies into corporate policy, according to Sustainability and Technology – the Future of Packaging and Processing, a report published by PMMI Business Intelligence, a division of PMMI. Although many firms have not begun to formulate a strategy or are just beginning to do so, ESG programs can deliver significant benefits, such as diverting tons of plastic waste from landfills, saving energy, improving productivity, and increasing profits.
To help achieve ESG goals, the OpX Leadership Network, a collaborative group convened by PMMI to develop best practices and protocols, has developed the ESG Framework – Journey to a Successful ESG Program. Built around the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, this free work product defines ESG, sets a framework, identifies six success factors, and describes near- and longer-term goals, strategies, and tactics for each pillar (environmental, social, and governance).
Tactics used to achieve ESG goals include installing new equipment to enable a change to a more sustainable packaging format, adopting renewable energy, minimizing truck transport, and reducing corrugate waste. ESG commitments may also involve considering end-of-life disposal when designing new packaging and joining efforts such as the Amazon Climate Pledge.
End users, converters, and OEMs also need to prepare for looming regulatory requirements related to extended producer responsibility (EPR), which shifts funding for the collection, recycling, and management of packaging waste to product producers.
Although EPR started in Germany about 40 years ago and is well-established in many countries, it’s in its infancy in the U.S. where five states, California, Oregon, Colorado, Minnesota, and Maine, have passed regulations. According to the Sustainable Packaging Coalition, EPR laws in California and Oregon will take effect in mid-2025, and other states are considering legislation. As of February 2025, 10 states (Hawaii, Washington, Nebraska, Illinois, Tennessee, New York, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Jersey, and Maryland) have introduced EPR bills. Without a national law, harmonization and standardization, industry collaboration, and consumer education will be needed. In fact, the PMMI report cites early collaboration about new materials as the most important action stakeholders can take to prepare for EPR. However, they also must understand the laws and the impact of non-compliance, collect data to demonstrate improvements, and assess the impact of technology and material choices to prevent negative effects on product purity and shelf life.
Looking beyond EPR and ESG, end users, converters, and OEMs must be prepared for other potential regulatory targets, especially at the state level. A video from AMERIPEN, a materials-agnostic group that advocates on issues related to packaging and the environment, identifies four other areas of concern: source reduction, labeling claims regarding recycling or compostability, recycled content, and chemicals in packaging. Other potential regulatory targets include microplastics, the subject of a growing number of negative media reports.
End users, converters, and OEMs seeking sustainability solutions will discover new materials, mono-material designs, and reusable options at the first PACK EXPO Southeast, March 10–12, 2025, at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, a regional manufacturing hub and easily accessible destination. Sustainability solutions may be found throughout the show, starting with the Reusable Packaging Pavilion, which highlights how reusable transport packaging products and services can reduce waste, lower costs, and enhance supply chain efficiency. In addition, sustainability is the focus of several of the free, on-floor educational sessions at Industry Speaks and the Innovation Stage.
To help locate sustainability resources quickly, the professionally vetted, searchable Sustainability Solutions Finder tool identifies exhibitors with environmentally-friendly products and machinery. It can be searched by sustainability feature, package type, or “beyond the package” by criteria such as machinery and sustainable facilities. PACK EXPO Green signage identifies sustainable materials and machinery suppliers and service providers. The icon also flags educational sessions that explore sustainability topics.
At PACK EXPO Southeast, showgoers can explore new technologies, observe equipment in action, compare machines, meet key partners, and discover new packaging materials. With 500+ exhibitors spread over 110,000 net square feet and an array of educational and networking sessions, the debut event is packed with actionable solutions to meet sustainability, regulatory compliance, productivity, and product safety goals.
Discover the future of sustainability at the new PACK EXPO Southeast, the most comprehensive show in the region offering crossover solutions for today’s biggest packaging and processing challenges. For more information and to register online, visit packexposoutheast.com.