Evansville, Ind.-based Berry Global Group Inc. released its 2024 sustainability report, which highlighted its growing demand for post-consumer resin (PCR) and how it surpassed an emissions reduction target of 25 percent by 2025 two years ahead of schedule.
"Our European flexibles division increased the use of PCR 36 percent year over year," Robert Flores, senior vice president of sustainability at Berry, told Plastics News in an interview. "We've seen a lot of increase from both the mechanical recycling standpoint [and] advanced or chemical recycling."
The company increased its purchases of post-consumer resin from 3.6 to 5.1 percent of its total purchase volume. The company redesigned a silicone Kraft Heinz ketchup dispensing closure to make a monomaterial recyclable polypropylene product. It also increased its bioplastics purchases from 0.6 to 1.5 percent of its total purchase volume.
Berry prefers materials "like biopolypropylene and biopolyethylene … things that would not disturb the recycling stream," Flores said. "[We] use what we call second-generation bioplastics that are from waste or residues. These are increasingly being refined into petrochemical feedstocks, both for the use of plastics as well as for sustainable aviation fuel."
"We've also seen growth in reusable packaging, he said, "[and] strong demand in food service applications."
Berry also increased its renewable energy usage by 31 percent year-over-year, eliminating 58,089 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions.
"As a manufacturing company, energy is one of our major expenses," Flores said. "Anytime we can reduce energy, it's good for both the bottom line and in the environment."
It partnered with customers "to use renewable energy in production, reducing both Berry's Scope 2 and customers' Scope 3 emissions," the release said.
"We're now at a 28.3 percent reduction in Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions compared to our 2019 baseline, and then we're still on track to achieve the 25 percent reduction in scope three by the end of 2025," Flores added. "We're focusing on eliminating 75 million kilowatt hours of electricity from our operations per year."
"As we look to 2025 and beyond, we invite our stakeholders to join us in this journey as we work to create a world of innovative packaging solutions that make life better for the people and the planet while driving business success," Flores said in the release.
"We're harnessing plastic's benefits while accelerating the transition to a circular, net-zero economy," Kevin Kwilinski, CEO of Berry Global said in a March 18 news release. "This alignment makes sustainability both a moral imperative and a key business driver for Berry."
Berry Global Group Inc. has 34,000 employees across more than 200 locations in North and South America, Europe. Asia and Africa.