SPC Advance 2020

Sustainable Resilience in a Time of Change

Through insightful presentations, panels, virtual tours, lunch and learns, workshops, and more, over 1300 attendees joined in the first completely virtual SPC fall members event this past September 29-30 to be inspired, learn and come together to address the bold changes needed in sustainable packaging in its role within climate change and how the current crisis has made these issues more urgent.

Tour + Presentation | An Inside Look at Sims Municipal Recycling
This live, remote presentation, hosted by the Recycling Education Center of Sims Municipal Recycling, will include photos, videos and graphics describing the recycling process in New York City and beyond. Additionally, it will showcase operations at Sims Municipal Recycling, the largest Materials Recovery Facility in the country where each day 1,000 tons of New York City’s residential recycling is received, sorted and prepared for sale. A Q and A section will also be offered.

Tour + Presentation | HolyGrail 2.0 Revolutionizing Sorting and Recycling by Intelligent Packaging Containing Digital Watermarks
The HolyGrail 2.0 will be presented and discussed throughout the lenses of different value chain stakeholders. As this will be a virtual event, a video compilation from previous Open Houses will be shared to showcase the equipment. An update and next steps will be provided by the Platform EU Association leading HolyGrail 2.0 (AIM, The European Brands Association as being the initiative facilitator) and P&G.

Tour | Papermaking 101
Take a tour of an actual paper mill and learn how sustainable, fiber-based packaging is produced from tree to roll!

Tour | Forest Tour by Georgia Pacific
Welcome to the GP virtual forest tour! Join us for this 360° experience to learn more about the forests that provide the wood-based products we all depend on. The forest is a dynamic, ever changing, resource and during this experience you will be able to see first-hand the steps we are taking to help maintain healthy forests now and into the future. We look forward to taking a virtual walk in the forest and showing you around.

Tour | How is a Film Made?
From carryout bags to trash can liners to construction film, Revolution’s focus is using as much post-consumer resin in all the plastic film products they make. Take a tour and learn more about what goes in to making those products and how sustainability is a key part of the future.

Tour + Presentation | Cedar Grove Composting
Join us for a Virtual Tour and Presentation of Cedar Grove’s Everett Facility, one of the largest commercial composting facilities in the country. Processing collected organic materials from Snohomish, King and Pierce counties, Cedar Grove’s two facilities process more than 350,000 tons annually, creating OMRI-certified, organic compost that is available in bulk and bags at Cedar Grove locations, Home Depot, Lowes, Fred Meyer and independent retailers across the Puget Sound region. As a pioneer in the collection and processing of compostable packaging, Cedar Grove will provide a glimpse into industry best practices and why information and innovation matters.

Tour | Plastics Materials Recycling with EREMA
Join EREMA North America on a virtual tour of their Tech Center focused on plastic materials recycling, how the process works, and the high quality processed pellets can achieve. Through this virtual tour, attendees will learn more about the process a plastic bale undergoes, through processing, quality assessment, and assurance. The second part of the session will include a presentation focused on the challenges and opportunities of post-consumer recycling, the state of the art in technology, and how to turn recyclable materials into valuable products again.

Tour | Haney, The Packaging Microfactory
Haney invites you to experience a virtual tour of their Packaging Microfactory located in Cincinnati, Ohio. See firsthand, how Haney has condensed the packaging supply chain into their one hundred thousand plus square foot facility to streamline the design, development, and deployment of new packaging formats. Hear from clients and partners alike, how in combination, The Packaging Microfactory and their VIA ReSolve Sustainable Packaging Program enables brands to realize their sustainable package goals, and launch new products to market swiftly and confidently.

Tour | SPACE10
SPACE10 is the research and design innovation lab focused on solutions to some of the major societal changes expected to affect people and our planet in the years to come. The tour will showcase some of their projects, more information here. SPACE10 is proudly supported by and entirely dedicated to IKEA — working as an independent research and design lab. We bring new perspectives and design new solutions that enable IKEA to live up to their original promise of creating a better everyday life for the many people.

Tour | How is a Film Recycled?
Ever wonder how plastic film is recycled? Revolution has been recycling and collecting it for over 20 years. Spend some time with us learning how they have done it and what is next for film recycling.

Tour + Q&A | Sustainable Strategy & The Packaging Ecosystem
The global pandemic, shifting attitudes toward social justice and environmental catastrophes have us all seeking ways to do more good. Quad takes you on a behind-the-scenes virtual tour of its packaging ecosystem, where key facets of the marketing leader’s end-to-end packaging solution come together. Learn how strategy, design, creative, premedia, print and other packaging components work seamlessly with multichannel campaigns that tells a larger brand story — a story about how you prioritize the greater good of environment, community and public health.

Tour | Waste Management’s New MRF in Salt Lake City, Utah
Situated in the heart of Salt Lake City’s industrial district is Waste Management’s new Material Recovery Facility (MRF). Completed in June of this year, this MRF is a shining example of a state-of-the-art operation designed to address the future needs of one of the fastest growing metropolitan areas in the country. This MRF – which utilizes 50,000 square-foot of space, features more than 2.5 miles of high-speed conveyor belts and boasts the latest equipment technology – can sort 35 tons of material per hour and sort 280 tons during a single work-shift. WM will host a virtual tour of the facility guided by one of the company’s industry expert. Additionally, a candid presentation will offer insightful commentary on overcoming the challenges facing the recycling industry. Time will be allotted for Q&As. Expect this tour to offer a true sense of the scope of this single-stream operation and impart a deeper understanding of the advanced technology being employed to effectively sort materials and remove contaminates. Starting with a time-lapse video of the MRF’s construction, then moving into a walk-through of the facility, the tour will include up-close looks at the fiber screens and optical sorters and conclude near the towering bales of processed materials ready to be shipped out for reuse.

Tour + Q&A | Nexus Fuel Facility
Nexus is a molecular recycling company that has developed a commercial-scale process (Nexus Technology) for converting waste plastics into feedstocks for plastics production and fuels, which can be further refined into a full range of products. Nexus uses its proprietary Nexus Technology to convert difficult-to-recycle waste plastics into feedstocks and fuels that are converted back into virgin plastics (fully circular).