Sustainability

Label converter Logotech Inc. (Fairfield, NJ) has earned the Label Initiative for the Environment (LIFE) certification from the Tag and Label Manufacturers Institute. According to the company, fewer than a dozen label companies nationwide have earned the certification, which requires a review of 35 criteria ranging from clean production techniques to greenhouse gas emissions to management practices. Logotech also holds ISO 14001 environmental certification.

MeadWestvaco Corp. is reporting that its Mebane, NC, packaging plant received Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) Chain of Custody certification in February 2011. The facility is already certified by the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI). MWV’s Mebane operation supplies printed packaging materials to pharmaceutical companies.

Colbert Packaging Corporation unveils the next generation of its EnviroGuard sustainable packaging solution. Colbert has reengineered EnviroGuard with design improvements that offer dozens of new material options and combinations that increase design flexibility for customers, while continuing to deliver sustainability, security, durability, and branding benefits for consumer products that are commonly found in the retail aisle.
 

The collection and recycling of post-consumer non-bottle rigid plastics across the United States is rising, reports the American Chemistry Council. A report by Moore Recycling Associates Inc. shows that in 2009, nearly 480 million pounds of post-consumer rigid plastics were collected for recycling nationwide, an increase of nearly 33% from 2008 and 47% since 2007.

Proteus Packaging has obtained chain-of-custody certifications under the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) and the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) as part of the company’s corporate responsibility initiative.
 
The SFI and FSC certifications enable Proteus to offer clients packaging materials that have been traced to responsibly managed woodlands, the company reported in a press release. Both SFI and FSC employ third-party audits to ensure continued compliance with their extensive criteria. 
 

Healthcare group purchasing organization (GPO) MedAssets Supply Chain Systems LLC has contracted SRI/Surgical Express Inc. (SRI Surgical) to provide reusable surgical products, instrument programs, and a new product offering, the Hybrid Preference Pack, a sustainable surgical kitting solution combining reusable and disposable surgical items that it co-markets and distributes exclusively with Cardinal Health. This is the second consecutive contract between MedAssets and SRI Surgical, Med Assets reported. The new three-year agreement started December 1, 2010.

Perfecseal, a Bemis Company, has been awarded the Gold Medal, Roll Fed–Medical Category, in the Society of Plastic Engineers (SPE) 2010 Thermoforming Competition. Collaborating with Ascent, a division of Stryker, the two companies redesigned the packaging for Ascent’s Gyrus ACMI device.

A panel of respected professionals from leading consumer packaged goods companies will face the industry press at Pack Expo International 2010 to offer their opinions on the latest developments in packaging.