Dart Container Corp., Mason, Michigan, has announced it will be the title sponsor on all Keep America Beautiful (KAB), Stamford, Connecticut, national plogging initiatives, including KAB’s “Trash Dash.”

Plogging, the act of picking up litter while jogging, debuted in Sweden in 2016 and was adopted by KAB because it incorporates reducing litter, improving recycling and beautifying communities, the nonprofit says in a news release.

Dart will be providing litter pickers to all ploggers who either register for a KAB “Trash Dash” or volunteer with a KAB affiliate to advance the plogging movement throughout the country. In addition, Dart will fund targeted grants to support local plogging initiatives. Dart will support all national Keep America Beautiful "Trash Dash" events as title sponsor.

“We have been a Keep America Beautiful supporter for many years, and we're pleased to pioneer this innovative program as part of our enhanced sustainability platform,” says Dart CEO Jim Lammers. “Spreading plogging across America fits perfectly with our sustainability pillars of innovate, inspire and invest. We’re addressing big issues in our industry, from certifying the origins of raw materials to expanding recycling infrastructures, and partnering with Keep America Beautiful helps Dart tackle the significant problem of littered waste in our country."

The inaugural KAB “Trash Dash” took place Sept. 15 in Norwalk, Connecticut, in advance of World Cleanup Day and the International Coastal Cleanup Sept. 21, all designed to prevent litter from entering waterways.

Henkel receives Dow Packaging Innovation Award

Henkel Corp., Bridgewater, New Jersey, is a Diamond finalist in the 2019 Packaging Innovation Awards by Dow for its EPIX technology sustainable packaging solution. EPIX enhancing paper products expands paper functionality and improves performance while maintaining the sustainability and recyclability of the package, the company says in a news release.

“This year, Dow received a record-breaking number of submissions for innovative, forward-thinking packaging designs from around the world,” says Diego Donoso, business president for Dow Packaging & Specialty Plastics. “I’m continually impressed by the world-class innovations that we see year after year.”

The Packaging Innovation Awards consist of three levels--Silver, Gold and Diamond. Selection is based on excellence in technological advancement, responsible packaging and enhanced user experience. All entries are reviewed and judged by an independent panel of international judges throughout the packaging value chain.

The demand for more sustainable alternatives necessitated development of technologies that enhanced paper product functionality. As a result, Henkel embarked on a program to create functional, sustainable solutions for paper, including thermal resistance, impact resistance and barrier properties. The key technological advance involves functionalities that are easily separated from the paper during the repulping process, providing for the recovery and reuse of the fiber, and aligning with Henkel’s comprehensive commitment to a circular economy for plastic and sustainable packaging. With the rise in e-commerce packaging, EPIX technology delivers an option for brands and consumers. Amazon is currently deploying the EPIX sustainable packaging technology in selected markets, the company says.

“Using padded mailers, we ship 77 percent less packaging material and ship 33 percent less empty air to our customers,” says Justine Mahler, senior manager of customer packaging experience at Amazon. “We wanted to take these waste reduction properties and combine them with the curbside recyclability our boxes enjoy. This was achieved by partnering with Henkel, creating our new curbside recyclable paper padded mailer.”

The package created with EPIX technology received the “widely recycled” classification and carries the How2Recycle label.

“At Henkel, we understand the changing market dynamics and consumers’ desire for more sustainable products,” says Gary Rzonca, vice president of paper packaging business at Henkel Corp.

McDonald’s pilots ‘plastic-free’ restaurant

In anticipation of the European Union’s 2021 ban on single-use plastics, McDonald’s opened a pilot “plastic-fee” restaurant in Berlin for 10 days.

McDonald’s branded the sustainable store as “Better McDonald’s Store” and used to pilot to “facilitate an open discussion about what works and what doesn’t” and to gather feedback from customers and stakeholders, according to the company.

“We don’t have perfect solutions yet,” says Diana Wicht, sustainability department head for McDonald’s Germany.

McDonald’s has launched sustainable initiatives at stores in Germany, including the reusable cup program and cup deposit system, which serves in-house hot drinks in glass mugs. McDonald’s Canada also switched to napkins made from 100 percent recycled fiber.

The Better McDonald’s Store has opened in two additional locations in Ontario and British Columbia, the company says.