Page 15 - Packaging News Sep-Oct 2020

September-October 2020 | www.packagingnews.com.au | SUSTAINABILITY 15 Sustainable packaging champions
AUSTRALIAN plastics manufacturer and supplier Martogg has partnered with Recyclable Packaging (Rpak) to drive sus- tainability in food packaging, and to close the loop in Australian plastics.
Rpak managing director Michael Read said he saw an urgent need for change and
started working to shift the business away from materials that may be easy to process but are difficult to recycle.
Rpak moved away from using PVC to using PET 10 years ago. PET is well known for its high strength-to-weight ratio, as well as its capacity to be recycled while
largely maintaining its structural integrity.
The next step was to con- sider what to do with the products after their initial use. Packaging produced in PET can be a green solu- tion. Packaging made with the material can preserve vital food stocks and reduce waste through spoilage. The ultimate goal
marPET is Martogg’s locally manufactured recycled PET product.
is to manufacture food packaging from the post-consumer PET waste. Given its inherent ability to be recycled back into certified food-contact resin, PET can be reused to produce the same product that it originated from.
Rpak has looked beyond the bottom line in order to reduce the company’s footprint and not only establish a long-term value driver but set an example to the FMCG industry in Australia.
One material, Martogg Group’s locally manufactured recycled PET (marPET) has been put to use by Rpak. Head of opera- tions at Rpak, Andrew Looker said: “I couldn’t believe how good the material was when we first trialled it a number of years ago, and with little set up change required to either extrude or thermoform it into product. It combines local supply and excellent quality for processing and assisting in solving a massive problem in Australia and the world – we couldn’t ask for anything more.” ■