SEE, formerly Sealed Air, and ExxonMobil are collaborating on a first-of-its-kind advanced recycling initiative for food-grade plastics in Australia.
SEE Australia will offer its Cryovac brand pre-formed food packaging trays containing resins leveraging ExxonMobil’s Exxtend technology for advanced recycling and mass balance attribution.
The collaboration aims to divert approximately 900 tonnes of plastic waste annually from landfill or incineration.
“This partnership opens up new possibilities in recycling high-performance materials,” said Alessandra Faccin, president of SEE Asia Pacific.
“For SEE, it puts us closer to achieving our 2025 sustainability and materials pledge. Collaboration with our partners is key to drive the adoption of a circular business model, and this is exactly what we’re doing with ExxonMobil.”
As one of the first such initiatives for fresh red meat trays in Australia, the collaboration addresses the critical challenge in driving a circular economy for food-grade plastics that have strict hygiene and performance requirements for food protection and distribution.
The collaboration between SEE and ExxonMobil will help to advance the sustainable design of Cryovac brand food packaging trays beyond recyclability by helping to improve plastics circularity.
In this project, SEE Australia will start introducing the circular trays to the Australian market with the intention to move its entire Australian-made tray portfolio to the new solution over time.
The resins and tray manufacturing are certified to the International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC) PLUS standard, and the circular trays are kerbside recyclable within Australia.
“We are delighted to work with SEE on this important project, and excited that our ISCC PLUS certified-circular plastics leveraging Exxtend technology and mass balance attribution will play an important role in helping to address a challenge facing the food industry,” said Kwee-Lin Chan, GM Asia Pacific – Advanced Recycling and Sustainability, ExxonMobil.
“This partnership marks an important for certified-circular resins to be used to produce tray packaging solutions for retail. It’s a significant extension of our collaboration with SEE, and helps demonstrate the importance of value chain collaboration to support the circular plastic economy.”
The project will help support innovation to widen the range of plastics that can be recycled, while ensuring the safety and quality of packaged fresh foods.
