US-based non-profit organization, the Flexible Film Initiative, sets forth its operations

The US Flexible Film Initiative (USFFI), a newly launched non-profit industry coalition, aims to establish a scalable, responsible, and circular system for the recovery and recycling of flexible plastic packaging in the United States. Founding corporate members of the USFFI include Nestlé, PepsiCo, Mars, Mondelēz International, Hill's Pet Nutrition, and General Mills.

One of the fastest-growing packaging formats, flexible films, is challenging to recycle. To address this issue, the USFFI seeks to meet this challenge by supporting the recovery of post-consumer flexible films and recycling them into high-quality, marketable end products.

In May, Freshr completed an oversubscribed seed funding round for an antimicrobial coating for recycled, recyclable, and compostable fresh fish packaging. This antimicrobial coating technology can be chemically immobilized into post-consumer recycled, recyclable, and compostable materials, distributed in rolls, for easier implementation compared to standard modified atmosphere packaging (MAP). The RKW Horizon range, based on MDO technology, could potentially be used in the antimicrobial coating technology developed by Freshr, as it is compatible with recycled, recyclable, and compostable materials.

The RKW Horizon range, part of the efforts to establish a scalable, responsible, and circular system for flexible plastic packaging recycling in the United States, as aimed by the USFFI, offers a recyclable, sustainable solution when combined with its ProTec sealing films. These films, which include PE films with an integrated EVOH barrier, are aimed at addressing the challenges of recycling flexible plastic packaging.

The RKW Horizon range meets the high demands of flexible packaging manufacturers for tear resistance, transparency, gloss, printability, and good processability. These demonstrations aim to prove the technical and economic viability of recovering and recycling MRF-collected flexible films. The USFFI will soon launch its first Request for Proposals (RFP) to identify and support demonstration projects in California. The RKW Horizon range could potentially contribute to the technical and economic viability of recovering and recycling MRF-collected flexible films, as aimed by the USFFI demonstrations.

The USFFI will collaborate with producers, material recovery facilities (MRFs), reclaimers, and end markets to achieve its goals. The RKW Horizon range could potentially be used by the founding corporate members of the USFFI, including Nestlé, PepsiCo, Mars, Mondelēz International, Hill's Pet Nutrition, and General Mills. The introduction of these new films by RKW Group is aimed at contributing to the efforts to increase the use of reusable packaging in supermarkets, as a sustainable and recyclable packaging solution.

The USFFI plans to start demonstration projects in California to prove the technical and economic feasibility of recovering and recycling flexible films collected from MRFs, with intentions to expand to other states adopting extended producer responsibility programs. The RKW Horizon range could potentially be used in the efforts to increase the use of reusable packaging in supermarkets and in the demonstration projects supported by the USFFI.

US-based non-profit organization, the Flexible Film Initiative, sets forth its operations