CEFLEX, a collaborative initiative uniting stakeholders across the flexible packaging value chain, has completed an extensive two-year recyclability testing program to drive sustainable transformation in packaging design. This initiative has produced robust data and actionable design guidance updates, propelling the industry toward a circular economy.
The comprehensive testing program focused on sorting and mechanical recycling of flexible packaging, with over 600 samples analyzed through methods such as Near-Infrared (NIR) sorting, eddy current and metal detection sorting, size and shape sorting, and advanced mechanical recyclability testing. By focusing on specific materials rather than individual packaging structures, the program delivered applicable insights to improve packaging design for enhanced recyclability.
Together with stakeholders across the value chain and partners, we set out to build transparent, comprehensive, and robust data on flexible packaging sorting and mechanical recycling. Why? So, designers, brands, and producers can accelerate more mechanically recyclable packaging designs with confidence,said Haulwen Nicholas, CEFLEX Design Testing Program Lead.
The testing initiative brought together independent laboratories, academic advisors, and subject matter experts to develop innovative methodologies for sortability and recyclability. These methodologies and the resulting data provide the foundation for updated design principles, reflected in CEFLEX’s ‘Designing for a Circular Economy’ (D4ACE) guidelines. By improving collection, sorting, and recycling rates, the updated guidelines aim to produce higher-quality recycled materials and expand their use in sustainable end markets.
This collaboration was key, as no single or small group of organizations could generate this scale of samples, data, and insights working alone. It would simply be too challenging, time-consuming, or costly. Everything we clarified or learned will be shared openly to benefit industry, standards, and legislation, added Nicholas.
The program also introduced pre-screening protocols to optimize its focus. This step allowed initial assessments of materials, determining which required full testing. This streamlined approach ensured efficiency while maintaining comprehensive coverage.
Another innovation was the adoption of an engineered base material approach for control testing. This material represents the common composition of waste flexible packaging streams (LLDPE, LDPE, HDPE), offering a more realistic and consistent baseline for recyclability analysis than traditional methods using virgin or post-consumer recyclate (PCR) samples.
Stakeholders across the value chain were critical to the program’s success. Their contributions extended beyond material supply to shaping testing parameters, participating in data reviews, and ensuring findings translated into actionable design updates. Support from UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) through the Smart Sustainable Plastic Packaging (SSPP) Challenge further enabled the program’s comprehensive scope.
The results of this initiative will be openly shared to drive industry advancements in standards and legislation. These insights are pivotal in increasing the collection, sorting, and recycling of flexible packaging materials, ensuring that higher-quality recycled materials can re-enter the economy and serve a broader range of sustainable applications.
As industries continue to prioritize sustainability, the CEFLEX program provides a clear pathway for innovation and investment in recycling systems and packaging design.
