Dan Felton, president and CEO of the Flexible Packaging Association (FPA), was one of several experts to testify Wednesday before a U.S. House subcommittee on recycling innovations and economic growth.
“Flexible packaging is one of the most sustainable packaging types: It reduces water and energy consumption, improves product-to-package ratio, enhances transportation efficiency, minimizes food waste, and reduces greenhouse gas emissions,” Felton said during a hearing held by the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Environment.
Felton also noted that full circularity options for flexible packaging are more limited than other packaging options that have been in the market longer and have mature recycling systems in place.
“FPA is deeply committed to solving packaging waste issues and increasing the recyclability and recycling of flexible packaging,” Felton testified. “We are collaborating with manufacturers, brand owners, recyclers, retailers, waste management companies, and other organizations to continue making strides toward total packaging recovery.”
He encouraged subcommittee members to back various innovation initiatives that could also create economic growth. FPA has supported the Recycling Infrastructure and Accessibility Act and Recycling and Composting Accountability Act currently under consideration in Congress. The trade organization also supports advanced recycling technologies; the use of recycled content in flexible packaging; and a federal law for the labeling of packaging for compostability, recyclability, and reusability.
Click here for the full hearing that ran for more than two hours and here for Felton’s full written testimony.