Packaging major claims ‘early mover’ role on recycled content 

Global packaging company Elopak, together with its customer Orkla Home and Personal Care, and chemical giant Dow, have rolled out a new line of cartons containing ‘a unique mix’ of recycled polyethylene and other polymers. 

Their D-Pak cartons are made from recovered paperboard, coated with thin layers of polymers to protect the product inside. The thin plastic layer in the new cartons will initially contain 10% post-consumer polyethylene (PE). The other 90% of the PE fraction is polymers sourced from vegetable-based waste such as used cooking oil.

‘Leading the way’

The upcoming EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation requires producers to use recycled content in the plastic fraction by 2030. Elopak and OHPC say they are ‘proactively leading the way’, demonstrating a shared commitment to address market requirements.

‘We are early movers in offering this mix of circular and bio-circular materials, showcasing our commitment to circularity and to significantly reduce GHG emissions in line with our Scope 3 -25% target,’ says Elopak’s director of sustainability Emilie Olderskog. ‘This reinforces Elopak’s position as a sustainability frontrunner.’

Less landfilling

‘The inclusion of circular PE now helps to reduce the amount of plastic that ends up in landfill, supporting the transition to a circular economy where recycled waste materials replace virgin materials,’ she adds.