Collaboration brings food-grade PCR resin to food, flexible-packaging markets

Charter Next Generation (CNG) and Revolution Sustainable Solutions, LLC (Revolution) are collaborating to drive market adoption of commercially available, post-consumer recycled (PCR), linear low-density polyethylene (PCR-LLDPE) resin for food and flexible-packaging applications. This marks a significant milestone for brands in search of solutions to incorporate post-consumer recycled content in food contact packaging.

 As the need for sustainable consumer packaging grows worldwide, the two eco-conscious manufacturers share a vision to help brands achieve corporate global commitments and meet legislative mandates requiring post-consumer content.  

 Being members of the U.S. Plastics Pact, a solutions-driven consortium launched as part of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s global Plastics Pact network, Revolution and CNG’s offering fills a need for businesses that package, produce or sell food products to include PCR content in their flexible-film food packaging looking to reach the target goal of 30% recycled content by 2025.

 CNG will offer Revolution’s Encore® food-grade PCR-LLDPE resin for application in its film products, which include standup pouches, pre-made bags, and rollstock applications for both vertical form fill and seal (VFFS) and horizontal form fill and seal (HFFS) packaging. When produced with Revolution’s high-quality certified PCR resin, CNG films offer 40% or more recycled content, without sacrificing performance. 

 Revolution introduced Encore® food-grade PCR-LLDPE to the market in 2022 after receiving a Letter of No Objection (LNO) in December 2021 from the US FDA. The LNO allowed for Revolution’s proprietary recycling method to produce PCR-LLDPE for flexible films in food contact at content levels up to 100% for all food packaging types under nearly all Conditions of Use (B through H) as defined by the FDA. This performance allows packaging manufacturers to use PCR in application from boiling water sterilized and high temperature filled to refrigerator and freezer storage.