A world without waste holds untold benefits for our environment and contributes to sustained protection of the world’s precious natural resources. But this concept, as embodied by the principles of a circular economy, can also unleash tremendous opportunity for growth and innovation that experts say will deliver $4.5 trillion in new economic potential by 2030. That’s because, as noted by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, “a circular economy is restorative and regenerative by design, and aims to keep products, components and materials at their highest utility and value at all times.” To get there, companies are pushing to achieve greater productivity and eliminate inefficiencies, and in doing so, realizing the economic reward that comes from these practices.
Food and beverage companies can’t afford to get left behind in the transition to this new economic model. A new report from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s Corporate Citizenship Center, which includes a case study from Tetra Pak, showcases how companies of all sizes from across a variety of sectors and industries are translating circular aspiration into action.
As we note in the report, a key opportunity area for the food and beverage industry to participate in the circular economy is to deploy renewable materials in packaging wherever possible, especially where solutions like ours are already available.
Our most recent eco-advancement, the Tetra Brik® Aseptic 1000 Edge with Bio-based LightCap™ 30 is one example innovation within the framework of the “restore” and regenerate” practices of a circular economy. Our new package is manufactured using a bio-based plastic film and cap made from polymers derived from sugar cane. Combined with the paperboard, this lifts the share of materials from renewable sources in the package to above 80%. When renewable materials are used in packaging, companies create a more reliable, predictable and resilient supply of raw materials. This in turn allows companies to invest in long-term growth, ensuring their enterprises prosper.
How companies embrace the circular economy will be a defining factor in how new, innovative and practical sustainable packaging solutions are advanced and how the food and beverage sector can help create long-term shared value for businesses and society.
Click here to read the full report: A Circular Vision for Sustainable Growth: How Companies are Building a New 21st Century Economy.
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