Ingeo News: Vol 15, Iss 7
August 2020
Italy's EPR System Presents Opportunities for Compostable Plastics
Q. What is EPR and how does Italy's system differ from others?
Vetere: EPR stands for Extended Producer Responsibility and is an environmental policy approach in which a producer’s responsibility for a product is extended to the post-consumer stage of a product’s life cycle. An EPR policy is characterized by the shifting of responsibility (physically and/or economically - fully or partially) upstream toward the producer; and the provision of incentives to producers to take into account environmental considerations when designing their products.
While other policy instruments tend to target a single point in the chain, EPR seeks to integrate signals related to the environmental characteristics of products and production processes throughout the product chain.
Vetere: EPR stands for Extended Producer Responsibility and is an environmental policy approach in which a producer’s responsibility for a product is extended to the post-consumer stage of a product’s life cycle. An EPR policy is characterized by the shifting of responsibility (physically and/or economically - fully or partially) upstream toward the producer; and the provision of incentives to producers to take into account environmental considerations when designing their products.
While other policy instruments tend to target a single point in the chain, EPR seeks to integrate signals related to the environmental characteristics of products and production processes throughout the product chain.
New US University Case Study Confirms Coffee Pod Degradation
Life Cycle Assessment of Compostable Coffee Pods: A University Based Case Study was recently published in Nature's scientific reports. The study, which utilized the local composting facility at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, demonstrates the success found in composting compostable coffee pods in an industrial facility. In addition to an LCA that concluded "compostable pods have the least burden on the environment", testing and analysis found complete pod degradation within 46 days and a cost savings of 21% in waste disposal in addition to creating a value-add product in rich compost which was recirculated to campus gardens and farms. Read the study here.
A Rising Demand for Sustainable Pods
The July/August edition of the Tea & Coffee Trade Journal featured the article, Coffee Pods vs HoReCa (pg. 20) which explores the upswing in coffee pod purchases as fewer people go out to get their coffee. Tea & Coffee reached out to NatureWorks' Global Industry Manager, Flavio Di Marcotullio, for his thoughts on how NatureWorks may respond to the rising demand for sustainable pods. "Currently, coffee capsules made with Ingeo are available from our partners in both North America and Europe for multiple brewing systems," said Di Marcotullio. "We expect to see several more brands launch in North America and Europe with Ingeo-based compostable capsules within the next year or two." Read the article.
Breaking the Plastic Wave
PARTNER UPDATES
3D PRINTING
eSUN to release ePLA-ST
If you're looking for a super-tough PLA filament, keep an eye out for eSUN's new PLA-ST made with Ingeo. The "ST" stands for "super tough"! It'll be suitable for printing prototypes of mechanical parts, IT manufacturing, machinery, and electrical parts. The filament will have the characteristics of high impact resistance, high elongation at break, low warping, high bonding strength, high printing accuracy, smooth printing, light aging resistance, and air oxidization resistance. Learn more here.
If you're looking for a super-tough PLA filament, keep an eye out for eSUN's new PLA-ST made with Ingeo. The "ST" stands for "super tough"! It'll be suitable for printing prototypes of mechanical parts, IT manufacturing, machinery, and electrical parts. The filament will have the characteristics of high impact resistance, high elongation at break, low warping, high bonding strength, high printing accuracy, smooth printing, light aging resistance, and air oxidization resistance. Learn more here.
Infusion
PG Tips makes the switch to biodegradable teabags made with Ingeo and vows to omit all plastic packaging by next year.
As a part of #PlasticFreeJuly PG Tips, one of the biggest tea brands in the UK, touted their new biodegradable tea bags and parent company, Unilever, said they are "extremely proud" to be the first major tea brand to use biodegradable bags across their entire range of offerings. PG Tips also announced their plan to go fully plant-based and remove all plastic from their packaging by the end of 2021. Read more here or on the PG Tips Sustainability page
As a part of #PlasticFreeJuly PG Tips, one of the biggest tea brands in the UK, touted their new biodegradable tea bags and parent company, Unilever, said they are "extremely proud" to be the first major tea brand to use biodegradable bags across their entire range of offerings. PG Tips also announced their plan to go fully plant-based and remove all plastic from their packaging by the end of 2021. Read more here or on the PG Tips Sustainability page
Food Serviceware
Fabri-Kal Introduces a fresh, new (and informative) look for their Greenware brand. Fabri-Kal's Ingeo-based and newly updated Greenware Cup and Portion Cup stock print design promotes zero waste to landfill efforts by clearly signaling to users that the cup is commercially compostable. The new Greenware label also features the BPI label indicating to consumers and composters that they're certified according to ASTM D6400 standards and the design also helps differentiate them from those made of traditional plastic. Read the release here.
Organizations
The Wave, of which NatureWorks is a member, is a coalition in the Pacific Northwest collaborating to accelerate environmental programs addressing climate change, environmental justice, and youth engagement, conducted a very successful food distribution event open to the public in Cascade Locks, Oregon.
COVID-19 has been affecting the Northwest's food system due to sudden closures of event centers, restaurants, and other public venues. The Wave responded with their healthy and sustainable food program to increase local food recovery, help people get back to work, feed vulnerable communities, and promote more resilient community food systems. Read more about The Wave and their food program here.
COVID-19 has been affecting the Northwest's food system due to sudden closures of event centers, restaurants, and other public venues. The Wave responded with their healthy and sustainable food program to increase local food recovery, help people get back to work, feed vulnerable communities, and promote more resilient community food systems. Read more about The Wave and their food program here.
NATUREWORKS & INDUSTRY NEWS
UPCOMING EVENTS
Printing Consciously: Considering Sustainability in 3D Printing | August 18, 2020
A NatureWorks Webinar
Presenters: Dan Sawyer, Business Development Leader and Deepak Venkatraman, Applications Development Engineer from NatureWorks
A renewed focus on climate change and the impacts petrochemical plastics have on the environment has many individuals and companies considering how they can incorporate more sustainable practices into their efforts. The additive manufacturing industry has long been a leader in how technology can fit into a progression toward more sustainable production. In this webinar, we will dig into the sustainability attributes behind the materials often used in fused filament fabrication (FFF) processes that have an environmental impact. We’ll also talk about how 3D prints fit within common waste scenarios as well as new sustainability frameworks like the circular economy.
Event is complimentary - REGISTER HERE.
A NatureWorks Webinar
Presenters: Dan Sawyer, Business Development Leader and Deepak Venkatraman, Applications Development Engineer from NatureWorks
A renewed focus on climate change and the impacts petrochemical plastics have on the environment has many individuals and companies considering how they can incorporate more sustainable practices into their efforts. The additive manufacturing industry has long been a leader in how technology can fit into a progression toward more sustainable production. In this webinar, we will dig into the sustainability attributes behind the materials often used in fused filament fabrication (FFF) processes that have an environmental impact. We’ll also talk about how 3D prints fit within common waste scenarios as well as new sustainability frameworks like the circular economy.
Event is complimentary - REGISTER HERE.
Special Thank you to our Blair Team!
At NatureWorks, we're especially grateful to our amazing manufacturing team in Blair, Nebraska for all of their hard work during this very trying and unpredictable pandemic time. Not only has the team not missed a manufacturing beat, but they have also maintained a stellar health and safety record within the plant. Thanks team; you keep us running! 💚
We're Growing!
Join a fast-growing, ever-evolving team of professionals. Join NatureWorks!
Responsible for providing financial analysis, collaboration and cross-functional support for the Finance Department, company management and other departments within NatureWorks. The position will focus on building and managing financial tools, reporting mechanisms, business models and financial planning processes that will effectively scale with the company's growth. This position possesses and applies a broad knowledge of principles, practices, controls and procedures for the completion of strategic Finance assignments.
Contracts Administrator / Administrative Assistant | Minnetonka, MN
Responsible for providing contract administration support to the Executive Team and Senior Leaders, and provide support to the Administrative and Senior Leaders, as well as to the members, of the Technology and Admin Teams, as needed. Responsibilities of this role include legal contract administration, and maintenance of Intellectual Property files and database
Applied Mathematician | Minnetonka, MN
Responsible for gathering and translating fundamental physical, chemical, and engineering knowledge into useful mathematical models, deterministic or stochastic, including their execution (computation), to shape and/or evaluate new product and/or application concepts within given boundary conditions. The role includes postulating hypotheses and guiding or conducting effective experimentation to validate the hypotheses. This position will also collaborate with project team members on statistical design of experiments and analysis of results for statistical significance.
Keep up with ALL of our available job opportunities on our Careers page.
Available Job Opportunities:
Senior Financial Analyst | Minnetonka, MNResponsible for providing financial analysis, collaboration and cross-functional support for the Finance Department, company management and other departments within NatureWorks. The position will focus on building and managing financial tools, reporting mechanisms, business models and financial planning processes that will effectively scale with the company's growth. This position possesses and applies a broad knowledge of principles, practices, controls and procedures for the completion of strategic Finance assignments.
Contracts Administrator / Administrative Assistant | Minnetonka, MN
Responsible for providing contract administration support to the Executive Team and Senior Leaders, and provide support to the Administrative and Senior Leaders, as well as to the members, of the Technology and Admin Teams, as needed. Responsibilities of this role include legal contract administration, and maintenance of Intellectual Property files and database
Applied Mathematician | Minnetonka, MN
Responsible for gathering and translating fundamental physical, chemical, and engineering knowledge into useful mathematical models, deterministic or stochastic, including their execution (computation), to shape and/or evaluate new product and/or application concepts within given boundary conditions. The role includes postulating hypotheses and guiding or conducting effective experimentation to validate the hypotheses. This position will also collaborate with project team members on statistical design of experiments and analysis of results for statistical significance.
Keep up with ALL of our available job opportunities on our Careers page.