Applications for the 2024 Sustainable Packaging Innovation Awards are now closed. Submit your solution through Walmart’s Circular Connector before March 1st for consideration for a 2025 award.
The award was created to showcase innovations that help to keep plastic packaging in the economy and out of the environment and enable progress towards the U.S. Pact’s four targets.
Winners of the 2023 U.S. Plastics Pact Sustainable Packaging Innovation Awards were announced by U.S. Plastics Pact Executive Director, Emily Tipaldo and Walmart Director of Sustainability, Ashley C. Hall during a keynote presentation at GreenBiz Group‘s Circularity23.
CONGRATULATIONS to the award’s inaugural winners:
– Recyclability: Ring Container Technologies’ BarrierGuard® OxygenSmart™
– Refill: Alternative Packaging Solutions’ twistMist™
– Compostability: Jac. Vandenberg, Inc.’s PackNatur® Cellulose Tube Netting
– Reuse: Pact Group Holdings Ltd Retail Accessories’ Reuse Solutions
Pictured from left to right:
- Back row: Cory VanLoocke (Ring), Brad Barron (APS), John Paap (Jac Vandenberg)
- Front row: Ashley C. Hall (Walmart), Nancy Justice (Pact Retail Accessories), Emily Tipaldo (U.S. Pact)
Winning packaging solutions are featured in Walmart’s Circular Connector.
Award Categories & Eligibility
Packaging Innovation Categories:
- Recyclability – meets design for recyclability in U.S. systems (i.e., meets the Association of Plastic Recyclers Preferred Design Guidelines, How2Recycle Guidelines, contains no problematic or unnecessary plastic packaging), supports the transition from non-recyclable to recyclable and/or meets Walmart’s Recycling Playbook Recyclable “Green” Pages(s).
- Reuse – where packaging is returned and reused for the same purpose it was originally sold, consistent with the definitions of ISO 18603:2013.
- Refill – where a package is refilled to dispense the originally intended product application, consistent with the definitions of ISO 18603:2013. This may be a branded product instead of a packaging solution and the product refill could be a concentrate or the original formulation of the product.
- Compostability – certified by the Biodegradable Products Institute or the Compost Manufacturing Alliance for industrial compostable packaging or the TÜV AUSTRIA or AS 5810 for home compostable packaging and contains no problematic or unnecessary plastic packaging.
Eligibility
- Open to businesses of all sizes
- Open to primary, secondary, and tertiary packaging solutions of all substrates
- Must service the U.S. market
Award Benefits
Winners Will Receive:
- Manufacturing trial discussions with potential to pilot with Walmart
- Four 30-minute mentoring sessions with Walmart Private Brand Packaging Teams
- Promotion through U.S. Plastics Pact channels, including highlights at sustainability conferences
- Technology showcase with procurement and technical staff from U.S. Plastics Pact Activators spanning across the plastics value chain
- All-access pass and travel stipend to GreenBiz Group’s Circularity23
- Chance to be featured on Cory Connors’ Sustainable Packaging Podcast
APPLY NOW
2023 Sustainable Packaging Innovation Awards Honorable Mentions
- Honorable Mentions:
- Compostability: Smile Compostable Solutions: Home Compostable Coffee Pods
- Recyclability: The Paper People: Paperlock™ and Papyros Packaging: Papyrofoam™
- Reuse: Reusables.com: Take Out Containers
- Refill: Nude Foods Market: Zero Waste Grocers
Contact takeaction@usplasticspact.org if you have questions about the U.S. Pact’s Sustainable Packaging Innovation Awards.