DALLAS, Feb. 28, 2023 — Charter Next Generation (CNG) and Revolution Sustainable Solutions, LLC (Revolution) are collaborating to drive market adoption of commercially available post-consumer recycled, linear low density polyethylene (PCR-LLDPE) for food and flexible packaging applications. This marks a significant milestone for brands in search of solutions to incorporate post-consumer recycled content in food contact packaging.
“CNG is excited to partner with Revolution to bring food-grade LLDPE post-consumer resins to the market. Revolution’s proprietary recycling process, combined with CNG’s expertise in developing films with post-consumer resins enables brands to transition to post-consumer recycled materials without sacrificing performance,” said Scott Hammer, CNG’s Director of Corporate Sustainability.
As the need for sustainable consumer packaging grows worldwide, the two environmentally conscious manufacturers share a vision to help brands achieve their corporate global commitments and meet legislative mandates requiring post-consumer content.
Being members of the U.S. Plastics Pact, a solutions-driven consortium launched as part of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s global Plastics Pact network, Revolution and CNG’s offering fills a need for businesses that package, produce or sell food products to include PCR content in their flexible film food packaging looking to reach the target goal of 30% recycled content by 2025.
CNG will offer Revolution’s Encore® food-grade PCR-LLDPE resin for application in their film products, which include stand-up pouches, pre-made bags, and roll stock applications for both vertical form fill and seal (VFFS) and horizontal form fill and seal (HFFS) packaging. When produced with Revolution’s high-quality certified PCR resin, CNG films offer 40% or more recycled content, without sacrificing performance.
Revolution introduced Encore® food-grade PCR-LLDPE to the market in 2022 after receiving a Letter of No Objection (LNO) in December 2021 from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The LNO allowed for Revolution’s proprietary recycling method to produce PCR-LLDPE for flexible films in food contact at content levels up to 100% for all food packaging types under nearly all Conditions of Use (B through H) as defined by the FDA. This performance allows packaging manufacturers to use PCR in application from boiling water sterilized and high temperature filled to refrigerator and freezer storage.
“We are proud to have developed a process to manufacture and offer high-grade PCR-LLDPE for customers committed to using recycled content in consumer packaging,” says Tammy Rucker, Revolution’s Vice President of Sustainable Materials. “And our partnership with CNG is a significant step forward to narrow the gap in the demand for post-consumer recycled content in plastic packaging for food-contact applications.”
To learn more about how you can use food-grade PCR in flexible film packaging, join us for a panel discussion on film recycling from collection to end use March 7 at the upcoming Plastics Recycling Conference in Washington, D.C.
About Charter Next Generation
Charter Next Generation is North America’s leading independent producer of high-performance, specialty films used in flexible packaging and other end-use markets. Known for sustainable, innovative products and world-class manufacturing capabilities, the company’s quality and expertise are unsurpassed. Its sustainability-first mindset and relentless pursuit of excellence make it an ideal partner to help brand owners reach their long-term sustainability goals. www.cnginc.com
About Revolution
It’s time to redefine possible. Revolution has been setting the standard in sustainable loop, high-performance plastic solutions for over 25 years with its recycling and manufacturing operations throughout the United States. Through its unique, circular approach to recycling and manufacturing, Revolution diverts over 300 million pounds of plastic waste from landfills every year, processing it into high-quality certified recycled resin and putting it back into sustainable products like trash can liners, reusable carryout bags, stretch film and construction films.