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The path to recyclable food grade polypropylene with NEXTLOOP

Sealed Air is proud to announce that it has formed part of the global collaboration program NEXTLOOPP, working to create circular food-grade recycled polypropylene (PP) from post-consumer packaging.

PP is a major polymer used throughout the plastics industry and while PP is recycled today, it is downcycled to lower value (non-food) applications.

“It is through strong collaborative partnerships that we can really accelerate how we can ‘make our world better than we found it’, and our most recent partnership with NEXTLOOPP is one that we’re excited about” said Alan Adams, director of sustainability for Sealed Air, Asia Pacific.

NEXTLOOPP (launched by Nextek) is a global, multi-participant program targeted at closing the loop on post-consumer PP packaging to produce food grade material that can go back into direct food contact packaging. This partnership will provide a pathway to meeting Sealed Air’s global commitments to around the inclusion of post-consumer recycled content in its packaging solutions.

Here in Australia, this is directly relevant to the portfolio of CRYOVAC brand trays, tubs and lids widely used in meat and dairy retail packaging.

“The NEXTLOOPP program is founded on research projects, already proving that the recycling process can produce food grade recycled PP. This is most encouraging as currently PP packaging is not able to be recycled into food grade containers for food contact applications which is needed to get to circularity for this very common food packaging polymer”, said Adams.

NEXTLOOPP uses commercially proven technologies to separate and decontaminate food-grade PP and ensures compliance with food-grade standards used here in Australia. Major global organisations and industry bodies have joined NEXTLOOPP to produce a world-first; high-quality food grade recycled PP (FGrPP) that will be available by 2022.

Sealed Air’s portfolio of CRYOVAC brand PP solutions is fully curbside recyclable. Recent developments such as CRYOVAC HydroLoQ, the pad-less barrier tray, continue to deliver sustainable value across the food supply chain. Closing the loop on PP is another key project by Sealed Air to meet 2025 pledges to deliver recycled content.

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