Food packaging tray circularity initiative in Australia

SEE, formerly Sealed Air, and ExxonMobil have announced an advanced recycling initiative collaboration for food-grade plastics. SEE Australia will introduce CRYOVAC preformed food packaging trays containing resins using ExxonMobil’s Exxtend technology for advanced recycling and mass balance attribution. This collaboration is set to divert approximately 900 tonnes of plastic waste annually from landfill or incineration.

As one of the first such initiatives for fresh red meat trays in Australia, the collaboration addresses the critical challenge in driving a circular economy for food-grade plastics that have strict hygiene and performance requirements for food protection and distribution.

In this project, SEE Australia will start introducing the circular trays to the Australian market with the intention to move its entire Australian-made tray portfolio to the new solution over time. The resins and tray manufacturing are certified to the International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC) PLUS standard and the circular trays are curbside recyclable within Australia.

“We are delighted to work with SEE on this important project and excited that our ISCC PLUS certified-circular plastics leveraging Exxtend technology and mass balance attribution will play an important role in helping to address a challenge facing the food industry,” said Kwee-Lin Chan, General Manager, Asia Pacific Advanced Recycling and Sustainability for ExxonMobil. “This partnership marks an important milestone for certified-circular resins to be used to produce tray packaging solutions for retail. It’s a significant extension of our collaboration with SEE and helps demonstrate the importance of value chain collaboration to support the circular plastic economy.”

“This partnership opens up new possibilities in recycling high-performance materials,” said Alessandra Faccin, President of SEE Asia Pacific. “For SEE, it puts us closer to achieving our 2025 sustainability and materials pledge. Collaboration with our partners is key to drive the adoption of a circular business model, and this is exactly what we’re doing with Exx

Image credit: iStock.com/VLG