FPA Resource Recovery Consultant Peter Hunderup and Ram Singhal, FPA Vice President of Environment and Technology provided an update to the Material Optimization Committee of PAC NEXT. The June 13th presentation provided a background about the program and an overview of the most recent phase of the FPA end-of-flexible packaging- life Resource Recovery Program.
The research builds on the sustainable advantages of flexible packaging by evaluating the current and emerging technologies, exploring the potential business models for viable recovery of flexible packaging waste, and expanding the communication and outreach efforts.
Hunderup and Singhal stressed the need to maintain a full system view of the process while addressing the key challenges. These challenges include:
- best methods for collection involving consumer participation and education;
- reviewing the cost effectiveness and operational feasibility of sortation methods;
- understanding available material and collected volume
- ensuring limitations of contamination from food and material;
- establishing markets for the recovered material; and
- maintaining an overall viability of the economicsof the entire system.
The presentation concluded with sharing the results of Post-Consumer Flexible Packaging Waste to Fuel Pilot.
