Materials & Packaging

The latest developments in materials, feedstocks and processes that are transforming the way many conventional products are made and packaged — and eliminating their negative impacts

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Materials & PackagingMaterials & Packaging
The Push for Bioplastics and the Myth of Biodegradability
The Push for Bioplastics and the Myth of Biodegradability
Published on January 7, 2015
About a 4 minute read

This is the first of a three-part series by TerraCycle CEO Tom Szaky that examines the benefits, risks, misconceptions and long-term viability of bioplastics. ... View More

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Materials & PackagingMaterials & Packaging
BASF, Haier, Astronautics Corp Unveil Next-Gen Refrigeration Technology at CES 2015
BASF, Haier, Astronautics Corp Unveil Next-Gen Refrigeration Technology at CES 2015
Published on January 6, 2015
About a 3 minute read

Among the dizzying array of potentially game-changing innovations on display this week at the International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, BASF — along with Haier, a global manufacturer of household appliances, and Astronautics Corporation... View More

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Materials & PackagingMaterials & Packaging
Cashew Nut Byproduct Could Help Trap Tsetse Fly, Create New Value for African Farmers
Cashew Nut Byproduct Could Help Trap Tsetse Fly, Create New Value for African Farmers
Published on January 5, 2015
About a 2 minute read

Researchers have developed a new chemical method applied to a byproduct of cashew nuts that could make it easier to trap tsetse flies and open new revenue streams for nut producers in sub-Saharan Africa, according to a new report. ... View More

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Materials & PackagingMaterials & Packaging
Revlon Agrees to Remove Some Dangerous Chemicals From Its Products
Revlon Agrees to Remove Some Dangerous Chemicals From Its Products
Published on January 5, 2015
About a 2 minute read

Late last month, global cosmetics giant Revlon announced it will remove some long-chain parabens and formaldehyde-releasing chemicals from its products, in response to a petition circulated last year by the non-profit Environmental Working Group (EWG... View More

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Materials & PackagingMaterials & Packaging
Year in Review: One Company’s Waste Becomes Another’s Bioplastic
Year in Review: One Company’s Waste Becomes Another’s Bioplastic
Published on December 30, 2014
About a 4 minute read

As data continues to emerge on the damage being caused by discarded plastic persisting in the environment, it’s clear the millions of tons of the ubiquitous material we’ve already produced isn’t going away anytime soon.Luckily, a host of scient... View More

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Materials & PackagingMaterials & Packaging
AkzoNobel Develops Reflective Paint That Keeps You Cool
AkzoNobel Develops Reflective Paint That Keeps You Cool
Published on December 30, 2014
About a 2 minute read

AkzoNobel, the paint, coatings and specialty chemical company, has developed exterior wall paints that reflect more infrared light to reduce heat absorption and reduce energy consumption.With this technology, an average house can save up to 15 percen... View More

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Materials & PackagingMaterials & Packaging
Survey: Packaging Pros Have Limited Understanding of Biz Impacts of Resource Scarcity
Survey: Packaging Pros Have Limited Understanding of Biz Impacts of Resource Scarcity
Published on December 23, 2014
About a 2 minute read

Packaging professionals within consumer packaged goods companies report growing awareness around the business impacts connected to natural resource scarcity, but robust knowledge and understanding is still absent, according to a recent survey by Tetr... View More

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Materials & PackagingMaterials & Packaging
The Evidence Is Clear: Consumers Want More Sustainable Packaging Options
The Evidence Is Clear: Consumers Want More Sustainable Packaging Options
Published on December 19, 2014
About a 4 minute read

With the holiday season upon us, millions of shoppers are in the midst of purchasing wrapping paper and packaging for their gifts this year. What might surprise many is how much consumer commitment towards environmentally sustainable packaging has in... View More

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Circular EconomyMaterials & Packaging
Purdue Researchers Turn Biomass Waste into Valuable Chemical Products
Purdue Researchers Turn Biomass Waste into Valuable Chemical Products
Published on December 18, 2014
About a 3 minute read

A team of researchers from Purdue University's Center for Direct Catalytic Conversion of Biomass to Biofuels (C3Bio) has developed a new catalytic process that converts biomass waste into chemical products that can be used in fragrances, flavorings o... View More

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Materials & PackagingMaterials & Packaging
Study Finds Toxic Chemicals in Many Seasonal Holiday Decor Products
Study Finds Toxic Chemicals in Many Seasonal Holiday Decor Products
Published on December 16, 2014
About a 2 minute read

A research study released today finds that top retailers of holiday decor continue to sell seasonal products containing hazardous chemicals. The research found that two-thirds of tested products had one or more hazardous chemicals that have been link... View More

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Materials & PackagingMaterials & Packaging
Companies Boosting Profits by Leasing Chemicals
Companies Boosting Profits by Leasing Chemicals
Published on December 16, 2014
About a 2 minute read

The traditional business model of chemical suppliers selling their products in the largest possible quantities, while profitable, encourages the overuse of chemicals and places a strain on human health and the environment. But another model has emerg... View More

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Materials & PackagingMaterials & Packaging
Ecover Partners with Sonoco on Plant-Based Plastic Bottles for New North American Cleaning Products
Ecover Partners with Sonoco on Plant-Based Plastic Bottles for New North American Cleaning Products
Published on December 15, 2014
About a 2 minute read

Ecover, the world's largest maker of non-toxic, eco-friendly cleaning products, has teamed up with packaging producer Sonoco for a series of plant-based plastic bottles for its new North American home care line. ... View More

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Materials & PackagingMaterials & Packaging
Google, Facebook Flex Market Muscle in Favor of Healthier Building Materials
Google, Facebook Flex Market Muscle in Favor of Healthier Building Materials
Published on December 12, 2014
About a 2 minute read

Google, Facebook, Genentech and several other companies and organizations comprising a working group of The Building Health Initiative are actively using their collective market influence to create demand for new and innovative products that improve ... View More

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Materials & PackagingMaterials & Packaging
Pantry Pest Could Provide Potential Solution to Plastic Problem
Pantry Pest Could Provide Potential Solution to Plastic Problem
Published on December 9, 2014
About a 2 minute read

While companies around the world continue to innovate to find solutions to our ‘plastic problem’ — from creating biodegradable plant-based plastics to compete with their conventional counterparts to developing depolymerization processes to degr... View More

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Materials & PackagingMaterials & Packaging
Dow, Nestlé UK, Unilever Researching New Options for Recycling Flexible Packaging
Dow, Nestlé UK, Unilever Researching New Options for Recycling Flexible Packaging
Published on December 8, 2014
About a 3 minute read

Nestlé UK and Unilever are among organizations coming together on a new project aiming to improve the recyclability of flexible packaging products, in the hope of pushing the resource industry closer towards a circular economic approach. ... View More

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Materials & PackagingMaterials & Packaging
New Tool Measures Corporate Progress Towards Safer Chemicals
New Tool Measures Corporate Progress Towards Safer Chemicals
Published on December 8, 2014
About a 1 minute read

A group of corporate and NGO leaders today released a new tool for assessing leadership in corporate chemicals management.The Chemical Footprint Project (CFP) provides the first-ever common metric of its kind for publicly benchmarking corporate chemi... View More

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Materials & PackagingMaterials & Packaging
BASF, Schuster Developing Greaseproof, Recyclable Cardboard for Fast Food Packaging
BASF, Schuster Developing Greaseproof, Recyclable Cardboard for Fast Food Packaging
Published on December 8, 2014
About a 2 minute read

BASF and recycled cardboard company Schuster have announced they are working on a solution for a combined migration and grease barrier on recycled cardboard.The biopolymer ecovio® PS 1606 is applied to recycled cardboard in an extrusion coating proc... View More

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Materials & PackagingMaterials & Packaging
VTT Developing Eco-Friendly Alternative for Polystyrene
VTT Developing Eco-Friendly Alternative for Polystyrene
Published on December 5, 2014
About a 2 minute read

VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland has announced it is developing an affordable and environmentally friendly alternative for polystyrene from PLA bioplastic, which is derived from organic sources.Although expanded polystyrene (EPS) is currently... View More

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Materials & PackagingMaterials & Packaging
UK Researchers Cleaning Mine Water with Algae
UK Researchers Cleaning Mine Water with Algae
Published on December 5, 2014
About a 2 minute read

The GW4 Alliance—a consortium of four leading research universities in the South West of England and Wales—has announced a new project to clean up water from a Cornish tin mine using algae to harvest the precious heavy metals and produce biofuel ... View More

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Materials & Packaging
Plum Organics Joins GreenBlue's How2Recycle Label Program
Plum Organics Joins GreenBlue's How2Recycle Label Program
Published on December 5, 2014
About a 3 minute read

GreenBlue’s Sustainable Packaging Coalition announced this week that Plum Organics is the latest company to join its How2Recycle Label program. Plum joins 30 other participating companies — including most recently, Kellogg and McDonald’s — co... View More

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