Unilever, Nestlé, PepsiCo, Procter & Gamble, Colgate-Palmolive and Mars are founding members of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s new ‘PaperFlex Consortium’. The aim of the collaboration is to drive innovation in the field of recyclable and biodegradable paper-based flexible packaging.
Launched by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation and supported by (RE)SET, the consortium will focus on markets where flexible packaging is widely used, but where a lack of collection and recycling systems can result in the material ending up in the natural environment.
The plan is to develop alternative formats that can be recycled and are biodegradable should they end up as litter in the natural environment.
The consortium members will plan, fund and carry out joint trials to develop innovations such as biodegradable coatings and other technologies that ensure product protection, shelf life and user-friendliness. They also aim to improve the performance of paper-based materials in production lines.
