WOOD DALE, Ill., December 6, 2022 /PRNewswire/ – D&W Fine Pack has announced the implementation of a multimillion-dollar investment in sustainability technology at its Fort Wayne, Indiana manufacturing facility.
This new extrusion technology, slated to debut in January, 2023, is the largest of its kind in the US and gives the company the capability to make food packaging products from 100% post-consumer recycled PET, incorporating a broader range of plastic flake and saving energy in manufacturing.
This process creates FDA food grade PET sheet from plastics that would have otherwise ended up in a landfill.
This technology has achieved a global scale of acceptance, with international certifications from FDA, EFSA, Anvisa, Invima and Senasa.
“We are excited to expand our capability to run up to 100% recycled material, with flexibility between post-consumer and post-industrial waste PET that conforms with FDA requirements,” said Gary Rehwinkel, CEO and President of D&W Fine Pack.
“The new infrastructure that we are implementing to support this initiative will allow us to streamline the process, become more efficient, and save energy. On average, the expectation is an energy savings of 29% versus conventional technology.”
PET, or Polyethylene terephthalate, is a clear, strong, lightweight plastic that is widely recycled.
EFSA is the The European Food Safety Authority, Anvisa is the Brazilian Health Regulatory Agency, Invima is the Colombia National Food and Drug Surveillance Institute and Senasa is The National Food Safety and Quality Service of Argentina.
For more information, visit dwfinepack.com
D&W Fine Pack LLC, headquartered in Wood Dale, Illinois is a leader in food packaging and foodservice disposables, providing a broad range of single-use containers, tableware, cutlery, straws and meal kits. As a committed leader in sustainable developments, D&W promotes eco-friendly packaging using renewable resources.
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CONTACT: Annie Ham, Director of Marketing
D&W Fine Pack LLC
1372 North Old Laurens Road
Fountain Inn, SC 29644
annie.ham@dwfp.com
(843) 409-7638
For Earth Day 2021, D&W Fine Pack® introduces Earth Smart™ compostable drinking straws. Earth Smart™ straws are the first to be made with Aventa™ Renew by Eastman, a newly developed material that is certified commercially compostable by the Biodegradable Products Institute (BPI).
The first plastic straws certified commercially compostable and biodegradable, to help divert plastics from landfills.
In addition to end-of-life benefits, Eastman Aventa™ Renew has 99+% sustainable content, composed of 57% bio-content including sustainably sourced* cellulosic (wood-pulp) material plus 43% certified** recycled content from hard-to-recycle plastic waste diverted from landfills, giving Earth Smart™ products a uniquely responsible beginning-of-life.
“Earth Smart™ straws look and perform like conventional plastic straws,” notes Fran Rizzo, Director of Marketing at D&W Fine Pack, “and they are the first straws that have commercially compostable and biodegradable certifications, while helping divert plastics out of landfills – all at the same time. An environmentally friendly choice with great performance.”
“Unlike conventional plastics, Aventa™ Renew materials are made with ingredients that biodegrade in compost, soil, water, and marine environments and are naturally consumed by microorganisms, leaving no remaining microplastics” said David Nelson, Director of Eastman’s Biodegradable Platform, adding “We are excited to work with D&W Fine Pack to deliver truly sustainable solutions for the foodservice market without compromising the consumer experience”.
Earth Smart™ clear straws are available in 7.75″ and 10.25″ long jumbo (.209″ diameter) sizes, for sodas, juices, milk, iced tea and similar cold drinks, and 8.5″ and 10.25″ long jumbo (.275″ diameter) sizes for thick drinks such as freezes and smoothies.
*Eastman holds the Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC®) Chain of Custody certification (license code FSC-C140711), representing the traceability of its wood-based raw materials.
**calculated using ISCC Plus (International Sustainability & Carbon Certification) mass-balance.
