How to Get Plastic Packaging Back in a Circular Economy
Elnur/Adobe Stock Mechanical recycling can only take us so far, so we must look at advanced recycling methods to meet environmental objectives. However, the road is rocky. We want packaging to protect, keep consumers safe, and make good use of material resources. We want to use barriers that reduce permeation of gases (carbon dioxide and oxygen) and moisture for products that are sensitive. We want to use colors and UV inhibitors the protect against the loss of vitamins and flavor. We might even want to brighten our package a bit. Then we want our packaging back. Rec...