ReMA Leads Packaging Discussions and More at Inaugural Future of Fiber Forum

With the leadership of the Paper Division and PSI Chapter, ReMA hosted a successful inaugural Future of Fiber Forum event on Tuesday, January 27. The event brought together stakeholders from brands, packaging companies, MRFs, mills, and more to discuss the key issues facing the residential fiber recycling system. Attendees included representatives from Coca-Cola, Danone, Novolex, Toppan Packaging, Domtar, TetraPak, Toyota, WM, Casella, Rumpke, Circular Services, Smurfit Westrock, Ahlstrom, Pratt Recycling, and many others.

In 2023, ReMA launched a new resource to help reduce confusion on the part of brands, packaging and product manufacturers, and designers, regarding the ease that fiber-based packaging that can or cannot flow through the current U.S. residential recycling infrastructure, given pressure points in the current recycling system. The Fiber Recycling Readiness Tool is a research-based online resource that assesses the compatibility of typical consumer fiber-based packaging that people use every day with the current U.S. residential recycling system.

"Fiber-based packaging has become a dynamic environment over the last few years," said Natalie Messer Betts, ReMA's Vice President of Sustainability and Materials Systems. "We were looking to update the Fiber Recycling Readiness Tool this year to reflect what has changed in fiber packaging recycling, and. the idea came about to hold a virtual event that brought together stakeholders across the supply chain."

The three-hour virtual event showcased ReMA's continued leadership on residential packaging recycling as these issues receive increasing attention from stakeholders and policymakers. Attendees discussed and reviewed some of the issues that ReMA's fiber tool examines including design, sortation, sources of contamination, end markets, size of packaging and format, among others.

"This event was an opportunity for the upstream and downstream of the supply chain to better understand each other," Betts said. "Brands and packaging designers shared what they were seeing upstream and what they're hearing from their consumers, while recyclers, brokers, and mills discussed what they're seeing as they try to process the materials. Everyone is working to navigate this new landscape."

The insights from the event will support the upcoming update to the ReMA Fiber Recycling Readiness Tool. ReMA is evaluating proposals from consultants to conduct a MRF study that will also inform the Tool update.

"As the fiber packaging space evolves it's important for ReMA to remain at the forefront of these conversations and work to develop dialogue with the stakeholders across the supply chain," Betts added. "It's how we ensure that our voice is heard and credible."

For more information, contact Natalie Messer Betts at [email protected].