Organic Girl Three Heart Romaine Stand-up Pouch Using PCR (Post-Consumer Recycled Resin)

Manufacturer: Emerald Packaging, Inc., empack.com

Description: Emerald’s new PCR initiative replaces non-recyclable PET with 100% PE using Post-Consumer Recycled (PCR) resin. This enables brands to meet demands by retailers for recyclable packages, though this one has the added appeal of using PCR. Successfully loading about 60% into the core layer, PCR resin corresponds to 30% of the overall polyethylene make up. When these PCR resins are reused and transformed into new products, fossil fuels are not required, which has exponential environmental implications. According to data from EPA, recycled plastics have far less environmental impact than their virgin counterparts. One of the drawbacks of using recycled resin is its tendency to cause occasional gels in the material. A proprietary formulation was developed, to minimize the formation of gels during the extrusion process, resulting in a film that had the desired amount of gloss and stiffness when compared to the non-recyclable PET it is replacing.