The machine will utilize Mondi’s recyclable Advantage StretchWrap paper.
Mondi, a packaging and paper company with headquarters in the U.K. and Austria, has announced a collaborative effort with Austria-based mechanical engineering company EW Technology to launch a new machine for paper pallet wrapping. The machine is more efficient and sustainable on small-to-medium production lines, Mondi says.
The machine offers two settings: It can be fully automated to wrap around 60 pallets every hour or semiautomated to wrap 10-15 pallets per hour.
The machine takes a full reel of Mondi’s Advantage StretchWrap paper, allowing customers to replace the multilayer plastic that is currently the industry standard for pallet wrapping, according to the company.
Advantage StretchWrap paper, containing no plastic or coating, is 100-percent virgin paper created with renewable materials and fully recyclable, the company says. An independent life cycle assessment commissioned by Mondi found that Advantage StretchWrap paper performed better than conventional plastic stretch film in several impact categories. Mondi says the paper has a 62 percent lower carbon footprint than virgin plastic stretch film.
A full reel of Advantage StretchWrap can be applied to the new machine without any need to rewind. Additionally, the larger dimensions of the reel means a replacement reel is needed every 400-600 pallets compared with 40-80 pallets for plastic wrapping.
“Sustainable products are close to our hearts and as a young team we are determined to make a positive contribution to the environment," EW Technology co-founder Philipp Ertl says. "By taking a collaborative approach with Mondi we were able to learn exactly what was needed and work together to deliver a unique new offering in paper wrapping technology for palletized goods – one that will benefit companies across many industries."
Gov. Jared Polis signed the bill that establishes a statewide recycling system intended to boost recycling rates for plastic, aluminum, glass and paper.
The bill was backed by business and several environmental and recycling groups, including the Association of Plastic Recyclers, but opposed by groups including the American Forest & Paper Association and the National Waste & Recycling Association.
The legislation is designed to reduce plastic waste and improve Colorado’s recycling rate. According to a report by Denver-based Eco-Cycle and the Colorado Public Interest Research Group (CoPIRG), the 2020 recycling rate in Colorado was 15 percent—less than half the national average of 32 percent that year. The report also notes that 6 million tons of recyclable material is landfilled every year, representing a market value of about $100 million.
According to a news release announcing the signing of the bill, Colorado is the first state in the U.S. to develop an extended producer responsibility (EPR) system that makes producers responsible for financing a statewide recycling program to cover capital, operating, promotion and education costs to better collect, process and market recyclable materials.
The bill states that companies that sell consumer-facing packaging and some printed paper join a producer responsibility organization (PRO) which would then fund and manage a statewide recycling system. There are exceptions for small businesses and some highly regulated packaging, and an amendment would allow producers to submit an individual program plan as an alternative.
Unlike the packaging EPR laws passed in Maine and Oregon last year, HB22-1355’s supporters say Colorado’s program will be fully funded and managed by producers.
Supporters also say the law is the first to align behind the principles for a successful national collection system. The principles call for a system that:
The aim is to significantly increase the collection and sale of recyclables like bottles and cans, providing producers access to purchase recycled materials so they can be remade into new products.
“Our 100-percent recyclable bottles and cans are made to be remade and one of our industry’s highest priorities is getting them back,” American Beverage President and CEO Katherine Lugar says in a news release. “Colorado’s legislation is a promising model for creating a circular economy for recyclables and we applaud Gov. Polis for signing this legislation into law.”
Alejandro Pérez, senior vice president of policy and government affairs at the World Wildlife Fund, adds, “By matching effective waste management practices with accountability, extended producer responsibility is an essential tool to address plastic pollution. We have a lot of work to do to achieve a waste-free future, but we are one step further because of Colorado’s actions. The state is setting an example of how industry, environmentalists and policymakers can join forces to transform the way we use, reuse and recycle materials.”
According to the bill, the cost of EPR fees is built into producers’ wholesale prices and is spread across the supply chain, and supporters also say the key to the EPR measure advanced in Colorado is that it gives the packaging and paper producers a financial stake in ensuring a collection system is effective, efficient and convenient to consumers.
Officials said flows of recovered fiber are under "serious threat" from proposed changes to EU shipment legislation.
During the most recent Bureau of International Recycling (BIR) Paper Division meeting May 23, the committee was told major international flows of recovered fiber were under serious threat from proposed changes to European Union waste shipment legislation despite current figures underlining the pivotal role recovered fiber plays in the production of paper and paperboard globally.
Francisco Donoso of Spain-based Dolaf Servicios Verdes SL and divisional president of the committee, said worldwide consumption of recovered fiber in 2020 totaled more than 208 million metric tons, with 182 million metric tons absorbed by packaging alone—accounting for more than 70 percent of that sector's needs. The newsprint sector consumed approximately 64 percent of recovered fiber, while tissue's figures were near 17 percent and printing and writing around 10 percent.
Asian countries remained what Donoso called "keen customers" for Europe's substantial recovered fiber surplus, but he warned, "exports to Asia are going to be much more difficult than [they are] at the moment."
The committee's general delegate Manuel Dominguez of Repacar in Spain said the current draft of the EU Waste Shipment Regulation revision would require official confirmation from individual non-OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development) countries that they want to import recovered fiber, and there also would need to be demonstrable proof that the receiving facility is able to treat the material in an environmentally sound manner.
He explained that even with shipments to OECD members, a sharp increase in recovered fiber flows to any particular country could lead to a suspension of shipments if there is no guarantee of sustainable treatment, and also suggested there is a "great risk of creating a captive market within the European countries," which could lead to lower prices, unless the revision draft undergoes significant modification.
Donoso pointed to the volatility of old corrugated container (OCC) prices in recent years and noted the recovered paper sector "had every right to feel exposed and a little nervous," but suggested hedging via futures contracts offers more stability and predictability.
The latest Paper Division meeting in Barcelona also saw the return of the Brussels-based BIR's Papyrus Award for outstanding contributions to the furtherance of recycling. Donoso announced the winner as Ecoembes, an organization based in Spain that aims to develop an integrated EPR system for domestic packaging.
The BIR convention was May 22-25.
The partnership will include a glass recycling initiative for the Aug. 5-7 NTT Indycar Race Series race weekend and Nashville entertainment districts beginning July 1.
Knauf Insulation Inc., a manufacturer of thermal and acoustic fiberglass insulation based in Shelbyville, Indiana, has been named the official glass recycling partner of the Big Machine Music City Grand Prix. Knauf will lead a sustainability initiative that will impact the NTT Indycar Series race weekend and Nashville’s entertainment districts.
Knauf says it will have a multifaceted glass recycling initiative beginning July 1 at participating establishments on Broadway and Midtown. This will culminate Aug. 5-7 with the Big Machine Music City Grand Prix at the Nissan Stadium campus.
"We're thrilled to partner with the Big Machine Music City Grand Prix to recycle glass bottles which would otherwise end up in a landfill," says Chris Mahin, vice president of sustainability at Knauf Insulation. "These types of unique recycling opportunities are valuable for Knauf as we continue to seek alternative sources for glass, the main ingredient in our high-quality fiberglass insulation.”
For the Big Machine Music City Grand Prix that attracted more than 110,000 guests over three days in last year’s inaugural event, Knauf Insulation will be recycling any glass on the Nissan Stadium campus throughout the race weekend.
Knauf Insulation’s efforts will extend to Broadway and Midtown in Nashville, where most establishments have committed to taking part in the recycling efforts. From July 1 through August 8, Knauf Insulation will collect glass from several venues in Nashville. The recycled glass will be picked up from each location and delivered to Knauf’s local recycling partner, Strategic Materials Inc., daily to collect 150,000 glass bottles throughout the month.
“We are excited that Knauf Insulation has chosen to partner with the Big Machine Music City Grand Prix to promote its products as well as its sustainability and recycling message,” says Matt Crews, Big Machine Music City Grand Prix CEO. “We know our hometown of Nashville appreciates Knauf putting its values into action through an impactful program that will take the glass out of our landfills and transform them into environmentally friendly building products.”
ABM invests in Recycle Track Systems to form waste and recycling operations partnership.
Recycle Track Systems Inc. (RTS), a waste and recycling technology manufacturer based in New YorkCity, has announced that it has entered a strategic and operational partnership with ABM, a provider of integrated facility services and solutions also based in New York City.
"I am very excited to partner with ABM, which will allow us to provide our offering of solutions to more customers worldwide and continue our mission of promoting transparency within the waste and recycling industry,” says Greg Lettieri, co-founder and CEO of RTS. “We look forward to working together to increase our collective impact on promoting sustainability and responsibility throughout our respective industries."
Under the partnership, ABM will offer its clients RTS' full suite of on-demand waste removal and materials management solutions. This includes reporting on clients' waste habits, analysis and insight into recycling practices, waste pickup optimization and tracking, and development of zero waste and circular economy programs in alignment with net-zero goals and targets.
ABM will also make an investment in RTS to minimize climate impacts by increasing environmental transparency and reducing waste. RTS will support ABM in leveraging the RTS sustainability platforms, including ZeroWaste.com and RecycleBank, which serve as one-stop solutions for sustainability resources and provide incentives to haulers and municipalities to deploy best practices in sustainability and minimizing waste.
"Helping our clients deliver and manage sustainability across their facilities is core to our mission and we are focused on providing them with data and insights-driven solutions for making the greatest possible positive environmental impact,” says Josh Feinberg, chief strategy officer of ABM. “We are proud to partner with RTS to provide ABM's clients with access to innovative tools that will create real-time transparency into daily waste removal and enhance their waste practices overall."