Sealed Air, ExxonMobil, Ahold Delhaize USA partner on plastics recycling program

        Sealed Air, a packaging solutions company headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, ExxonMobil Corporation in Irving, Texas, and Ahold Delhaize in Salisbury, North Carolina, recently announced a collaboration on an advanced recycling program. The project recovers flexible plastics from the food supply chain and re-forms them into new, certified round, food-grade packaging.

        According to a joint press release, the program is expected to begin this summer and expand over time.

        "We are pleased to work with Sealed Air and Ahold Delhaize USA on this important project," said David Hergenrether, vice president of ExxonMobil Polyethylenes. “This relationship is an example of the value chain collaboration needed to achieve a more circular economy. We are pleased that certified circular plastics through our Exxtend advanced recycling technology will play an important role.”

        The group said a key challenge for the food industry is to drive a circular economy for plastics, using packaging materials with stringent hygiene and performance requirements for food protection and distribution. Recovering these important packaging materials requires innovative recycling solutions that go beyond traditional mechanical recycling.

        The collaboration between Solid Air, ExxonMobil and Ahold Delhaize USA will help increase the use of recycled content by validating the technical and economic feasibility of a certified circular system based on advanced recycling technologies and mass balance attribution. The flexible plastics will be designed for collection, recycling and reuse in new food packaging. The project will help keep used flexible plastics out of landfills, increase recycling of basic plastics, and ensure the safety and quality of packaged foods.

        "Sealed Air is leading the packaging industry, demonstrating how high-performance packaging materials can be designed to be transformed. Advanced recycling is key to collecting and remanufacturing these valuable materials," said Ted Doheny, president and CEO of Sealed Air. "Our collaboration with ExxonMobil opens new recycling possibilities, and by working with leading retail group Ahold Delhaize USA, we are paving the way for our industry to create a low-carbon circular economy while protecting perishable foods."