Sonoco To Increase Use Of Post-Consumer Resins In Packaging

Sonoco, Hartsville, SC, announced the expansion of its environmental and social stewardship initiatives to include commitments to achieve greater packaging sustainability and recycling. 

Specifically, Sonoco set out key commitments for more sustainable use and increased recyclability of packaging by 2025, including:

• Sonoco will increase the equivalent by weight, the amount it recycles, or causes to be recycled, from 75 percent to 85 percent, relative to the volume of packaging it places into to the global market place.
• Sonoco is committed to increasing the use of post-consumer recycled resins in its plastic packaging from 19 percent to 25 percent.
• Sonoco will ensure that approximately 75 percent of its rigid plastic packaging can carry the relevant on-package recyclable claim.

In addition, Sonoco will not use resin additives that purport to degrade in landfills or waterways by simply breaking up into smaller pieces. The company will ensure all of its production facilities using plastic pellets have systems to prevent discharges into the environment.

These new time-based commitments, along with an update of the Company's ongoing efforts to improve environmental, governance and social measure, are highlighted in its 2017-18 Corporate Responsibility Report, entitled Better Packaging, Better Life - for a Better World.