Packaging

DuPont Honors Associated Packaging Technologies and ConAgra With Packaging Innovation Award for Use of Recycled PET in Frozen Food Trays

Thursday 25. June 2009 - The partnership of Associated Packaging Technologies (APT) and ConAgra Foods to develop Healthy Choice frozen food trays using 40% recycled PET material has already resulted in successful sustainable packaging.

Now, it has also paid off with award-winning industry recognition. The pair has been named winner of a 21st annual DuPont Award for Packaging Innovation. Winners were honored by DuPont on May 28, 2009 in a global on-line event including exchanges on key sustainability topics in the packaging industry including solutions for end of life.
“We apply DuPont science in working with consumer goods companies to redesign their packaging in order to minimize packaging content and improve environmental performance, as well as to be more cost effective,” said William F. Weber, vice president and general manager — DuPont Packaging & Industrial Polymers. According to Mark Staton, APT President and CEO, “This is a huge honor to have our efforts recognized by an industry giant like DuPont. It is also a great incentive to continue our company-wide environmental initiatives.”
An independent, international expert jury panel facilitated by Anne Johnson, director of the Sustainable Packaging Coalition, evaluated the over 120 entries in this year’s competition on seven innovation factors including resource and energy optimization and enhanced performance in selecting ten winners and eight notable accomplishments. As winners, APT’s and ConAgra’s category citation read as follows:
In an outstanding use of recycled content, 40 percent post consumer recycled material offsets need for virgin PET and supports the market for post consumer recycle material in these new frozen food trays.
Healthy Choice Trays from ConAgra, Developed and Produced by Associated Packaging Technologies – U.S.
A significant achievement is the high recycle content, a first in dual-ovenable food packaging. In 2008, 8MM pounds of PET were saved from the landfill through the use of post consumer recycle and 236 million less BTUs of energy were used in the making of these trays due to the use of recycle content. Typically virgin CPET is used for this type application due to cleanliness requirements. The company met FDA requirements for the use of recycle in this application. Recognized for Resource and Energy Optimization, Clean Production and Responsible Sourcing.
The DuPont Awards for Packaging Innovation is the packaging industry’s longest running, independently judged, global innovation awards program. The entries were reviewed and judged in Wilmington, DE in March 2009, by a prestigious panel of international jurors.
— John A. Bernardo, Manager, Sustainable Innovations LLC
— Tony Burns, Associate Director, Sustainability – Global Packaging and
Device Development, The Procter and Gamble Company
— Julian Carroll, Managing Director, European Organization for Packaging
and the Environment
— Ron Cotterman, Executive Director of Sustainability, Sealed Air
Corporation
— Sara Hartwell, Environmental Specialist, U.S. EPA Office of Solid
Waste
— Masanobu Ishikawa, Ph.D., Graduate School of Economics, Kobe
University
— Anne Johnson, Director – Sustainable Packaging Coalition
— Kim Lymn, Packaging Manager, Target Corporation
— Mike Richmond, President and CEO, PTIS LLC