Energy drinks buzz with new designs and sustainable packaging

New research from the renewable materials company Stora Enso sheds light on the importance of packaging in achieving greater food systems sustainability. The report entitled “Food packaging for better food systems” identifies 13 impact opportunities for the food packaging value chain, powered by innovation and collaboration, to unlock greater global climate, biodiversity, and social progress. Fiber-based packaging is an enabler of sustainable food systems due in part to its renewable base material, recyclability, and reliability in hygienic food protection. In the report, Stora Enso envisions a new developmental role for packaging to combat the hidden socioeconomic costs created by our food systems. This includes strengthening food system sustainability by advancing opportunities in areas including supporting healthy diets, minimizing food loss, and developing new compostable or waste-based materials. Tiina Pursula, SVP Sustainability commented: “Our food systems play a crucial role in securing a circular, biodiversity- and climate-positive future. We need to look at these systems holistically and consider how can we contribute to food system transformation, such as healthier, plant-based foods and food waste reduction. This way, we can drastically change the way we produce, transport, and consume food.”

Crews estimate they will continue to battle last night's large commercial fire at an Industrial Way paper mill throughout Wednesday in Longview. Wood chip piles are fueling the blaze at Nippon Dynawave Packaging at 1701 Industrial Way near the entrance on the Longview side of the Lewis and Clark Bridge and Weyerhaeuser's gate 4 near Oregon and Industrial ways. A large plume of smoke could still be seen Wednesday morning.

WestRock Company announced today a planned investment in its Florence, South Carolina kraft linerboard mill that will significantly increase the mill’s efficiency, quality and service levels. The $410 million investment over two years will include installing a 330” state-of-the-art kraft linerboard machine and related infrastructure that will replace three older, narrow-width paper machines. The company expects the new machine to produce 710,000 tons of kraft linerboard annually. In addition, the company plans to invest approximately $60 million over the next five years to support the new machine and other mill projects. When coupled with the recently completed modern woodyard, the Florence mill will become one of the lowest cost kraft linerboard mills in North America. Click Read More below for additional information.