Emerald Packaging Inc., a supplier of flexible packaging to the produce industry, announced that it had become a signatory to the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s New Plastics Economy Global Commitment. This requires the company to make firm commitments to reduce the use of plastic by embracing goals in line with creating a circular economy.

As such the company has agreed to make its packages reusable, recyclable or compostable in accordance with NPEGC principles, with specific targets to hit by 2025. The company also announced it has signed the Foundation’s call for a legally binding UN Plastics Pollution Treaty on Plastic Pollution. Emerald is one of the few flexible packaging companies in the U.S. to become an Ellen MacArthur signatory.

Under its MacArthur commitments, Emerald Packaging will help drive the adoption of post-consumer recycled resin (PCR) in food packaging. The company says 50% of its volume by weight will contain PCR by 2025. The process will reduce the amount of virgin resin required to make its flexible packaging, while maintaining the same food preservation qualities that extends shelf life and helps reduce food waste, which is responsible for six percent of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. 

As part of its goals, the company agreed to dramatically increase the recyclability of its packaging by 2025. This includes a significant reduction in packages made from mixed plastics in favor of mono-materials with increased stiffness, eliminating the need for non-recyclable materials.