Constantia Flexibles commits to fight plastic pollution

Constantia Flexibles was a signatory of the New Plastics Economy Global Commitment when it was launched in late October.

The company noted that researchers estimate that more than 8.3 billion tons of plastic have been produced since the early 1950s. About 60 percent of that plastic has ended up in either a landfill or the natural environment. If current trends continue, there could be more plastic than fish in the ocean by 2050, a figure it quotes from the Ellen McArthur Foundation.

Constantia Flexibles CEO Alexander Baumgartner said: ‘As a global flexible packaging producer and a company committed to sustainability from the very beginning, we have of course recognized the importance of actively contributing to the circular economy. Taking part in the New Plastics Economy Global Commitment is one aspect of our strategy for more sustainable packaging.’

A key target of the New Plastics Economy Global Commitment is transitioning from linear to circular packaging models. Participating companies and organizations have made the commitment to focus on developing packaging innovations that ensure easy and safe reuse, recycling or composting. Within this framework, Constantia Flexibles has pledged that 100 percent of its packaging will be recyclable by 2025.

Thomas Greigeritsch, vice president of group sustainability at Constantia Flexibles, explained: ‘To achieve these goals, we are focusing on those products which are already currently recyclable in practice and at scale. Additionally, we are strengthening development efforts directed at overcoming the challenges of problematic or unnecessary non-recyclable packaging.’

Constantia Flexibles has added the Ecolutions packaging line to meet these and other sustainability requirements, while having all the properties required to protect the packaged products. Constantia Flexibles is also currently testing an entirely new approach to more sustainable food packaging, using paper made from the renewable resource grass manufactured without bleach or other chemical treatments.

Greigeritsch said: ‘These are just some of our solutions aimed at making our packaging, including our plastic packaging, 100 percent recyclable. The real question is not whether a world without plastic pollution is possible but what we will do together to make it happen.’