California PRO names former CalRecycle director as state lead

Rachel Wagoner, former director of CalRecycle, will become CAA’s executive director for the state, where she will help oversee the rollout of an EPR for packaging law.

By Maria Rachal • Dec. 5, 2024

Trump’s FDA poised to make mark on food packaging regulation

Crackdowns on food additives and changes to agency operations could be expected based on signals from the picks for HHS, observers suggested. In addition to chemical concerns, there are food labeling issues in play.

By Maria Rachal • Dec. 4, 2024

Global plastic pollution treaty talks fail in final meeting of 2024

Parties expressed disappointment and determination as they anticipate another international meeting in 2025. Negotiators considered potential tenets like capping plastic production and phasing out certain chemicals and products.

By Maria Rachal • Dec. 2, 2024

Who is Marty Makary, Trump’s pick to head the FDA?

If confirmed as commissioner, Makary would join the agency amidst a massive reorganization of its food division, which included bringing functions from the regulatory affairs and food safety offices into one program.

By Chris Casey • Nov. 25, 2024

Packaging converters, brands support EPR as global plastic pollution negotiations near finish line

“These outcomes will have significant downstream impacts on plastic packaging producers and brands,” potentially driving new regulations and investments, said U.S. Plastics Pact CEO Jonathan Quinn.

By Maria Rachal • Nov. 25, 2024

Packaging trade groups urge US House to pass recycling infrastructure, data bills

Industry groups and multiple individual packaging companies and CPGs are giving a final push to the bills as one of the lead co-sponsors, Delaware Sen. Tom Carper, prepares to retire. Both bills have already passed the Senate.

By Jacob Wallace • Nov. 20, 2024

Sourcing challenges, producer registration present some initial hurdles for recycled content laws

Washington state recently began enforcing certain recycled plastic requirements for brands’ containers. While many producers have cleared early thresholds, regulators say there’s more work to do.

By Maria Rachal • Nov. 18, 2024

Packaging materials, waste groups react to Trump tapping Zeldin to lead EPA

While in Congress, former Rep. Lee Zeldin voted in support of some PFAS regulations but largely voted against other environmental bills. ACC, AF&PA, former EPA staff and other groups weighed in on this week’s pick.

By Megan Quinn , Maria Rachal • Nov. 15, 2024

The dual case for reusable transport packaging

Adopting reusables across the supply chain presents not just sustainability benefits, but also cost savings, according to speakers at Pack Expo International.

By Katie Pyzyk • Nov. 14, 2024

3 insights for navigating the ‘messy middle’ of labeling policy

During an Ameripen event, representatives of SmartLabel, How2Recycle and BPI Certification discussed where legislation could offer clarity as brands consider on-pack labeling amid evolving state and federal guidance.

By Maria Rachal • Nov. 13, 2024

Stories from Pack Expo International 2024

At the largest Pack Expo event ever held, Packaging Dive connected with manufacturers, brands and trade groups for insight on the latest industry trends.

By Packaging Dive Staff • Updated Nov. 14, 2024

How supplier collaboration, investing in data can help brands’ EPR transition

At Pack Expo International, key voices involved in EPR scale-up, representing Ameripen, Circular Action Alliance and major brands, sought to educate big crowds about what brands need to know and how suppliers can help.

By Maria Rachal • Updated Nov. 7, 2024

Sonoco’s acquisition of Eviosys under review in UK

U.K. regulators are expected to report back by Dec. 19 on a deal that Sonoco has projected will close in the fourth quarter. Separately, the European Commission recently approved the acquisition.

By Maria Rachal • Oct. 25, 2024

Biden-Harris administration opens tariff exclusion process for some manufacturers

The deadline to submit exclusion requests to the USTR is March 31, 2025.

By Kate Magill • Oct. 24, 2024

Election 2024: The outlook for packaging and manufacturing policy

Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump differ on environmental regulations, manufacturing, energy and ESG policies. What could a Trump or Harris presidency mean for the packaging industry?

By Maria Rachal , Katie Pyzyk , Cole Rosengren • Oct. 23, 2024

Washington state fines 35 companies violating recycled plastic law

Clorox, Ocean Spray and Albertsons are among the companies facing the highest penalties. Under the law, plastic beverage containers had to use at least 15% recycled content in 2023 and plastic trash bags had to contain 10%.

By Maria Rachal • Oct. 7, 2024

Paying their fair share: CAA and states detail approach to EPR enforcement

The new CEO of Circular Action Alliance and state producer responsibility leads shared how they’ll collaborate on compliance and enforcement. A Colorado deadline this week brought a surge of producer registrations.

By Maria Rachal • Oct. 3, 2024

Hush-hush: Is greenwashing pushback prompting pivot to ‘greenhushing’?

Companies must focus on data to back their sustainability claims instead of resorting to silence, or exaggerations, said sources from groups such as the U.S. Plastics Pact, Glass Packaging Institute and McCormick & Co.

By Katie Pyzyk • Oct. 3, 2024

BPI Summit highlights ongoing compostable packaging debate ahead of USDA decision

World Centric, the California Compost Coalition, Athens Services, Dirt Hugger, A1 Organics, Moonshot Compost and others weighed in with their thoughts about this growing category of packaging.

By Mary Catherine O'Connor • Oct. 2, 2024

Packaging trade shows to watch in 2025

Mark your calendar: These U.S. conferences and events will cover timely trends in sustainable packaging design, recycling technologies, regional market trends, substrate evolutions, automation and more.

By Packaging Dive Staff • Updated Jan. 3, 2025

California Gov. Newsom signs food date label law, updates PCR reporting rules

This marks the first state law requiring products to include standardized “best by” and “use by” language in an effort to reduce food waste. Newsom also acted on two microplastics-related bills.

By Cole Rosengren • Sept. 30, 2024

What’s next for product certification amid concerns about PFAS and toxics in plastic

Lagging regulation and a potential “toxic treadmill” with recycled content are viewed as just some of today’s pressing challenges. Clean Production Action Executive Director Mark Rossi reflects on two decades of change in the field.

By Cole Rosengren • Sept. 30, 2024

Dan Felton to leave Ameripen, become Flexible Packaging Association’s CEO

Felton will continue to advocate on behalf of packaging stakeholders, having worked through what he called “seismic shifts to the industry in terms of new laws and regulations” since 2020.

By Maria Rachal • Sept. 24, 2024

Lawsuits from California AG and others take aim at ExxonMobil’s chemical recycling claims

Coordinated lawsuits target the company’s role in pollution and describe the limitations of mechanical and advanced recycling to manage waste. Packaging companies have partnered with ExxonMobil to source recycled plastics.

By Maria Rachal • Sept. 24, 2024

California closes reusable plastic carryout bag loophole

Gov. Gavin Newsom signed SB 1053, a law that will eliminate plastic bags as an option at store checkouts. Retailers will still be allowed to sell certain recycled paper bags.

By Maria Rachal • Sept. 23, 2024