UFlex Secures USFDA Approval for Recycled PE in Food Packaging

    UFlex Ltd. has become the first Indian company to receive approval from the United States Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) to use recycled polyethylene (rPE) in food packaging. This certification allows UFlex to incorporate post-consumer recycled (PCR) materials in food packaging, contributing to the global move toward sustainability.     The company’s recycling …

Is Plastic Fantastic? Part 3: rPET in MEA: Can Policy and Innovation close the loop?

  As demand for recycled PET (rPET) rises, the MEA region struggles to scale recycling due to contamination, infrastructure gaps, and economic barriers. However, policy support, industry collaboration, and innovation could enable a circular PET economy. Usha Benjamin, Sustainability Editor, Packaging MEA, explores the challenges and opportunities.     As sustainability has become an immediate …

Al Ain Water Pioneers Sustainable Packaging with 100% Recycled PET Bottles

Al Ain Water has introduced the UAE’s first locally produced 100% recycled PET (rPET) bottle, marking a significant milestone in the country’s commitment to sustainability and a circular economy. This new packaging initiative addresses the growing concern of plastic waste and high bottled water consumption in the UAE, where residents use an average of 450 …

100% Recycled Content: Berry Global and Mars Launch Fully Sustainable Packaging

Berry Global and Mars have announced the switch of Mars’ pantry jars for M&M’S®, SKITTLES®, and STARBURST® brands to 100% recycled plastic, excluding the jar lids. This update follows a 2022 launch of jars made with 15% recycled plastic, marking a significant step in their ongoing sustainability collaboration. The new jars, available in 60-, 81-, …

BEEAH Partners with Greenthesis to Launch First PE Film Recycling Facility in the Middle East

  BEEAH, a leader in sustainability and innovation in the UAE, has partnered with Greenthesis, an Italian company specializing in industrial waste management and environmental services, to develop the Middle East’s first polyethylene (PE) film recycling facility in Sharjah. The facility will be located within BEEAH’s integrated waste management complex in the Al Sajaa area. …

Plastlit and Gneuss Pioneering Food-Grade Polystyrene Recycling in Latin America

Plastlit S.A., a packaging company based in Ecuador, has developed a new method to integrate post-consumer polystyrene into food packaging, using Gneuss OMNI recycling technology. This marks a significant step toward sustainable packaging solutions in Latin America, particularly in Ecuador. Founded over 55 years ago, Plastlit initially focused on flexible packaging for the food industry …

Metsä Group Expands Wood-Based Packaging with Muoto™ Pilot Sales

  Espoo, Finland – Metsä Group’s innovation arm, Metsä Spring, has commenced pre-commercial sales of its three-dimensional, wood-based packaging solution, Muoto™. The packaging, developed at a demo plant in collaboration with Valmet, has been in production in Äänekoski, Finland, since May 2022.   Designed as a durable and recyclable alternative to plastic, Muoto is aimed …

IFC Supports PET Recycling Initiative in West Africa

  Accra, Ghana: The International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, has partnered with Ghana-based Mohinani Group to advance plastic recycling in West Africa. As part of the initiative, IFC will provide a $37 million loan to Mohinani subsidiaries Polytank Ghana and Sonnex Packaging Nigeria to establish polyethylene terephthalate (PET) recycling …

IFFCO Group Highlights Sustainable Innovation at Food500 Summit and Gulfood 2025

  Dubai, UAE: IFFCO Group, a UAE-based multinational FMCG company, marked three decades at Gulfood 2025 with a showcase featuring a range of products, including carbon-neutral oils and alternative proteins, as part of its focus on sustainable packaging and food innovation.   In addition to its presence on the exhibition floor, IFFCO Group executives participated …

BEEAH explores waste-to-energy and recycling solutions to improve packaging sustainability in Uganda.

  BEEAH, a sustainability leader based in the UAE, recently met with Ugandan President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni to discuss potential collaborations on sustainable waste management solutions for Uganda. The meeting, held during the World Future Energy Summit in Abu Dhabi, aimed to explore ways to adapt BEEAH’s successful waste management models, used in the UAE, …