Sustainability Watch

• In 2008, Kraft Foods started partnering with TerraCycle, a company that "upcycles" material that otherwise would have gone to a landfill. TerraCycle reuses packaging to make new, useful products. Today, Kraft Foods sponsors more than 30,000 collection points in the U.S.

Colbert Packaging Receives Certifications

ELKHART, Ind.—Colbert Packaging Corp. has received both Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) and Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) Chain of Custody Certifications. These certifications encompass Colbert operations in Lake Forest, Ill. and Elkhart, Ind., certifying three facilities for meeting tracking requirements that ensure the paperboard used in these facilities comes from well-managed forests. The certifications are key components of Colbert's sustainability goals.

"Our sustainability initiatives are rooted in our timeless commitment to social, environmental, and fiscal responsibility, and provide a solid framework for employing good business practices in the quest for a greener world," says Nancy Colbert MacDougall, chairman of Colbert Packaging. "These certifications are a natural extension of our company-wide sustainability initiatives."

"The SFI and FSC Chain of Custody Certifications further our commitment to meeting manufacturers' and retailers' demand for sustainability, while ensuring the reduction of non-renewable resources in our manufacturing operations," adds company president, Jim Hamilton.

Raflatac Achieves ISO Certification

MILLS RIVER, N.C.—UPM Raflatac has received ISO Environmental Management System certification for its labelstock factory in Dixon, Ill. This certification represents a significant step toward achieving one of the company's major goals for its labelstock and RFID facilities worldwide: developing Environmental Management Systems (EMS) that operate in accordance with an internationally recognized standard.

"Environmental sustainability is one of UPM Raflatac's core values," says Laura Cummings, sustainability and environmental manager. "Our customers know that we are fully engaged in environmental sustainability efforts and that they can depend on us as a working partner and collaborator in protecting our environment, sharing our knowledge and experience, and meeting the needs of end-users and consumers."

WS Packaging, Ecology Coatings Announce Commercialization Agreement

AUBURN HILLS, Mich.—Ecology Coatings, a developer of nanotechnology-enabled, UV-curable advanced coatings, announced that it has entered into a commercialization agreement with WS Packaging Group. Under the terms of the agreement, WS Packaging will purchase Ecology's EcoQuik™ coatings for labels and packaging products manufactured by the company.

"We are pleased to be working with WS Packaging, a leading provider of innovative label and packaging solutions to Fortune 500 brands," says Ecology Coatings CEO, Bob Crockett. "We have been working with the WS Packaging management team for the past several months and find them to be tech savvy early adopters, customer driven, and environmentally sensitive. We are confident that our EcoQuik™ coating technology will provide them a competitive advantage through cost efficiencies and improved product sustainability."

The label and printed products North American markets, estimated at approximately $20 billion, have ongoing requirements for cost-effective coating products that provide improved water and chemical resistance, increased productivity, and the ability to address environmental issues. pP

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