NEW ZEELAND – Global packaging solutions provider Amcor has placed its first commercial order of certified-circular polymers to facilitate advanced recycling in packaging for the Australian and New Zealand market.
Leveraging ExxonMobil’s Exxtend technology, this order specifically focuses on the Australian and New Zealand markets.
The order will make Amcor the first flexible packaging company to offer certified-circular plastics in this market, which supports partial displacement of fossil-based feedstock and meets the growing consumer demand for plastic circularity.=
Using its ExxtendTM technology, ExxonMobil offers certified-circular polymers with the International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC) PLUS certification that are identical to polymers made from conventional fossil feedstock.
The certified-circular polymers can be used in existing applications that otherwise require the use of virgin resins.
Amcor’s Sustainability Director, Asia Pacific, Richard Smith, said this order is another step toward helping its customers achieve the circularity of their flexible packaging in Australia and New Zealand and meet Australia’s National 2025 Packaging Targets.
“We are excited to provide our customers in Australia and New Zealand access to this important resource, and to contribute to developing more sustainable solutions that help our customers and their brands continue to meet consumer needs,” he said.
Kwee-Lin Chan, General Manager, Asia Pacific Advanced Recycling and Sustainability at ExxonMobil added: “We are proud to work with Amcor to bring a new certified-circular solution to the ANZ market.
“We look forward to continuing our work with Amcor to develop products that deliver exceptional performance, while also supporting the circular economy.”
In December last year, Amcor inked a five-year deal with ExxonMobil to purchase certified-circular polyethylene material in support of its target to achieve 30% recycled material across its portfolio by 2030.
Amcor says the volume of material will increase incrementally each year and is expected to reach 100,000 metric tonnes annually at the end of the contract period.
The company added that through ExxonMobil’s Exxtend technology for advanced recycling, it intends to leverage this material across its global portfolio, with a particular focus on the healthcare and food industries, which are required to meet stringent safety requirements for recycled plastic.
According to Amcor, the agreement will expand on its initial purchase of certified-circular PE material from ExxonMobil earlier this year.
More recently, the company partnered with finite Nanotechnology to explore the use of the latter’s nanocoating technology in both recyclable and compostable packaging.
The two companies aim to deliver an oxygen barrier to improve performance and optimize manufacturing. In the first proof-of-concept phase, Nfinite’s coating technology will be applied to Amcor’s current recyclable and compostable packaging materials to enhance performance for the same.
Once the oxygen barrier is validated, the following research stage will seek to ensure the products are optimized to Amcor’s manufacturing processes and analyze additional substrates like bio-based materials to create more sustainable applications.
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