The new consortium aims to identify the best ways to enhance the recovery of compostable food packaging and drive toward circular outcomes
Industry partners launch Composting Consortium. (Credit: monicore from Pixabay)
Closed Loop Partners, through its Centre for the Circular Economy, has teamed up with PepsiCo and the NextGen Consortium to launch the ‘Composting Consortium’.
The new consortium aims to identify the best ways to enhance the recovery of compostable food packaging and drive toward circular outcomes.
NextGen Consortium comprises Starbucks, McDonald’s and other foodservice brands.
PepsiCo and the NextGen Consortium are joined by supporting partners Colgate-Palmolive, The Kraft Heinz Company, Mars, Incorporated, and Target Corporation, as well as industry partners the Biodegradable Products Institute and the U.S. Plastics Pact.
The Centre for the Circular Economy at Closed Loop Partners managing director Kate Daly said: “With current market forces and environmental challenges driving the growth of compostable packaging, there has never been a more critical time to collectively advance labelling, testing and infrastructure investments related to the recovery of compostable food packaging and food scraps.
“We’re excited to work together with leading brands and retailers, including PepsiCo and the partners of the NextGen Consortium, as well as the entire composting value chain, from global brands to composters and packaging manufacturers, to accelerate much-needed solutions.”
The new consortium will work across multiple workstreams to identify best practices for labelling and collection of compostable packaging.
Also, it aims to build an investment roadmap for expanding composting infrastructure to recover compostable packaging and food scraps.
Compost Manufacturing Alliance (CMA), Foodservice Packaging Institute (FPI), Google, ReFED, the Sustainable Packaging Coalition (SPC), TIPA Corp, University College London and World Wildlife Fund (WWF) comprise the advisory partners for the consortium.
PepsiCo global sustainable packaging and sustainability strategy VP Burgess Davis said: “Knowing how important packaging is, to protect the safety, quality and freshness of our products, extend their shelf life and limit food waste, we understand how critical it is to advance holistic solutions that prevent packaging from becoming waste.
“Building on our initiatives to improve the circularity of compostable packaging, we are thrilled to work toward this goal as a Founding Partner of the Composting Consortium.
“This unprecedented collaboration with the NextGen Consortium and leading foodservice and consumer goods brands can forge a clear path forward for compostable packaging, strengthening it as a viable alternative to plastics and preventing it from going to waste.”