Amcor creates food flexible packaging with recycled content

The prototype KitKat wrapper demonstrates the opportunity to close-the-loop on recycling soft plastics and has been created by a coalition of companies with a shared vision to resolve the challenge of plastic waste in the environment.

Nestlé, CurbCycle, iQ Renew, Licella, Viva Energy Australia, LyondellBasell, REDcycle, Taghleef Industries, and Amcor leveraged their expertise in collecting and processing soft plastic waste to turn it back into oil using advanced recycling technology and create the prototype KitKat wrapper.

Simon Roy, vice president and general manager of Amcor Flexibles Australia and New Zealand, commented, “This is an exciting time for Amcor, and our participation in this project is fully aligned with our commitment to ensure all our packaging is designed to be recyclable or reusable by 2025.”

“As the global leader for consumer packaging, we were proud to contribute our expertise in designing a structure that meets consumer needs and has a responsible end of life where it can be reprocessed and reused in food-grade packaging. This collaboration shows how soft plastics can be part of the circular economy when stakeholders across the entire value chain work together.”

“There will always be a role for soft plastics - they create a strong consumer-friendly packaging solution, with great barrier properties and are lightweight and cost-efficient. This is a fantastic outcome for the environment and our communities as all of the benefits of soft plastics are retained, and there is also less waste in the environment.”