Design Roundup: Dissolving Chocolate Trays, Windshield Recycling

Paperboard composite containers made by Sonoco, Cardia Bioplastics to complete first production of plastic bags made with carbon dioxide emissions

U.K. retailer Marks & Spencer is wrapping up its line of Swiss chocolates in bioplastic trays that can dissolve in water. The company is using Plantic trays made with corn starch from non-genetically modified sources and boxes made of cardboard certified by the Forest Stewardship Council. The trays can break down in home compost settings or when put under water. The retailer tested the trays in 2007 with its Swiss chocolate assortment and decided to roll them out to the entire range of Swiss chocolates based on positive customer feedback.

JN Phillips Auto Glass started a windshield recycling program, dubbed GreenShield, with plans to recycle all of the windshields that it replaces, which would keep 5 million pounds of glass and plastic out of landfills each year. The program came out of two years of research into how to make such an effort happen. JN Phillips locations, found throughout New England, will send windshields to a recycling partner that will separate the glass from plastic, each of which can be used again in new functions.

Tea and coffee maker Mother Parkers is converting the metal coffee cans for its Brown Gold, Martinson and private label brands to paperboard composite containers made by Sonoco. The switch reduces packaging weight by 27 percent, energy use by 34 percent and greenhouse gas emissions by 20 percent. The paperboard can is made with 100 percent recycled paperboard with a moisture and odor barrier, and a metal bottom.

Cardia Bioplastics completed its first production run of plastic bags made with carbon dioxide emissions and starch. To make the bags, emissions are captured and transformed into a polypropylene carbonate polymer and blended with starch. The Melbourne-based company is now looking for international commercial partners they could source CO2 emissions from.

Source

Greenbiz.com, 2010-11-05.

Supplier

Cardia Bioplastics
Marks and Spencer Group plc
Sonoco

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