Blue Ribbon at PAC Green Den goes to plastic processing.

Press Release Summary:



PAC Green Den - Fast Track to Sustainable Innovation competition was conducted by The Packaging Association (PAC) November 2 at PACK EXPO International 2010. Top prize winners were MicroGreen Polymers' InCycle method for reducing cost of recycled plastics by adding gas that expands length and width of solid polymer sheets, and EcoLogic's EcoPure plastic additive that accelerates decomposition. Competition included solutions from 10 PACK EXPO exhibitors, including 5 PMMI members.



Original Press Release:



Plastic Processing Wins Blue Ribbon at PAC Green Den



Arlington, VA.-Reducing waste was a key factor for success in the 2010 "PAC Green Den - Fast Track to Sustainable Innovation" competition, which PAC - The Packaging Association conducted Nov. 2 at PACK EXPO International 2010 in Chicago. The top two prizes went to MicroGreen Polymers' InCycle method for reducing the cost of recycled plastics by adding a gas that expands the length and width of solid polymer sheets and EcoLogic's EcoPure plastic additive, which accelerates decomposition.

The competition included innovative solutions from 10 PACK EXPO Exhibitors, including five PMMI members. Henkel Corporation, a PMMI supplier member, took home third place with an ink that gives the appearance of foil packaging.

"As suppliers provide more sustainable packaging, reduction is becoming a central component of the packaging process," said Charles D. Yuska, president & CEO, PMMI. "The 10 packages presented at PAC Green Den have used a wide variety of techniques to attack the situation."

TerraCycle founder Tom Szaky kicked off the event with a presentation on the importance of sustainability in the packaging industry before he took his seat at the judges' table with PTIS Global Co-Founder Brian Wagner. Once the competition was under way, each contestant was given 15 minutes to present his or her innovation and take questions from Szaky and Wagner. At the end of the presentations, the audience voted for the day's winners.

As a result of their participation, all 10 presenters were granted one-on-one meetings with representatives from a number of consumer packaged goods companies, including: Colgate, Con-Agra Foods, Henkel, Kraft Foods, Maple Leaf Foods, McCain Foods, MolsonCoors Brewing Company, Unilever and Wal-Mart.

This was the PACK EXPO debut of PAC Green Den, which launched in early 2010.

PAC Green Den Winners:
First Place: MicroGreen Polymers' InCycle Reduces, Recycles PET - MicroGreen Polymers took first place at the PAC Green Den Competition with a plastic processing technique that greatly increases the efficiency of recycled PET. Using the process, the plastic from one 20 oz. beverage bottle could produce 12 hot-beverage cups that would replace the polystyrene and coated paperboard cups that dominate the market today.

Learn more about the product at microgreeninc.com/incycleprocess .

First Runner Up: Ecologic EcoPure Speeds Bio Breakdown in Plastics - The second place winner in this year's competition was the EcoPure additive from Ecologic, which coats plastics in microbes that consume plastics and attract other microbes that accelerate the biodegradable breakdown of a plastic container.

Learn more about EcoPure at http://ecologic-llc.com/product/.

Second Runner Up: Henkel MiraFoil Replaces Printed Foil with Recyclable Paint - MiraFoil is an ink designed to give the appearance of foil, while maintaining the disposal need-based usage properties of ink. This innovation prevents excessive foil printing and allows for more efficient recycling of a package.

Learn more about MiraFoil at www.henkelna.com .

Other participating PAC Green Den Innovators included:
  • AFA Systems Ltd
  • Avery Dennison
  • BIOPAQc
  • Cryotech International (PMMI Member)
  • FOX IV Technologies Inc (PMMI Member)
  • Package Machinery Company (PMMI Member)
  • Ropak Packaging (PMMI Member)

    About PMMI
    PMMI is a trade association of 560-plus member companies that manufacture packaging, processing and related converting machinery in the United States or Canada; machinery components and packaging containers and materials. PMMI's vision is to be the leading global resource for packaging, and its mission is to improve and promote members' abilities to meet the needs of their customers.

    PMMI organizes the PACK EXPO trade shows: PACK EXPO International, PACK EXPO Las Vegas and EXPO PACK México, connecting participants in the packaging and processing supply chain with their customers around the world. Coming Up: EXPO PACK México at Mexico City's Centro Banamex, June 21-24, 2011, and PACK EXPO Las Vegas at the Las Vegas Convention Center Sept. 26-28, 2011.

    Learn more about PMMI and the PACK EXPO trade shows at PMMI.org and Packexpo.com.

    4350 North Fairfax Drive
    Suite 600
    Arlington, VA 22203
    Phone: 703.243.8555
    1.888.ASK.PMMI (275.7664)
  • All Topics