This tour will begin with a light breakfast at the Ocean Spray office, followed by an informative presentation where you will get to learn about OSC’s sustainability strategy and initiatives. Then, a bus will transport attendees to tour a local bog, where you will get to meet an Ocean Spray Grower-Owner and experience the beautiful harvest! Transportation will be provided.
Tour Registrations are non-transferable and non-refundable.
Monday, September 25
7:45 am - 12:00 pm (EDT)
Tour
EREMA Tech Center
Offsite Tour Location
At the EREMA Tech Center in Ipswich multiple machines are available for customers to test a wide variety of plastic materials for recycling. During the tour for SPC Advance attendees, we will be running post-consumer plastic material and demonstrate how the process works and the kind of quality of processed pellets are achievable. Visitors will get a hands-on experience from the start of the process with a plastic bale, through processing and quality assessment and assurance. Transportation will be provided.
Tour Registrations are non-transferable and non-refundable.
Monday, September 25
8:20 am - 11:40 am (EDT)
Tour
FULL - Keurig Dr Pepper HQ R&D Tour and Coffee Tasting
Offsite Tour Location
THIS TOUR IS FULL This visit will include both a tour, tasting and brief overview of sustainability at Keurig Dr Pepper. The tour portion of the visit will include the R&D facility, which will highlight coffee and appliance prototyping and testing. Then, there will be a curated coffee tasting to allow guests to experience a variety of coffee flavors that Keurig’s Green Mountain Coffee Roasters brand offers, as well as a deep dive with members of our product development team and a sensory scientist into the importance of packaging to preserve and ensure the taste and quality of coffee. We will also feature the opportunity to experience the latest innovations in the home brewing space, and give a brief overview of KDP’s sustainability initiatives. Transportation will be provided.
Tour Registrations are non-transferable and non-refundable.
Monday, September 25
8:30 am - 11:30 am (EDT)
Tour
Black Earth Compost
Offsite Tour Location
Come see the new compost facility being built by Black Earth Compost! Black Earth breaks down food scraps, leaves and compostable packaging, collected from residents, schools, supermarkets, colleges, and more, all across Eastern MA and RI. Since their start in 2011, Black Earth has steadily grown to become the leading full service compost company in New England. They are also the only vertically integrated company that composts the material too, returning it to customers and selling it in garden centers across Massachusetts and Southern New Hampshire. Black Earth only accepts compostable packaging by BPI, CMA or TUV, and has also done annual testing on PFAS. They are actively looking for distribution partners to supply our customers with certified, PFAS free compostable packaging. Transportation will be provided.
Tour Registrations are non-transferable and non-refundable.
Monday, September 25
8:40 am - 12:20 pm (EDT)
Tour
FULL - Waste Management Billerica MRF
Offsite Tour Location
THIS TOUR IS FULL The WM Billerica MRF is a 280k SF recycling facility serving Northeastern Massachusetts and Southern NH. The facility processes over 100k tons of Residential and Commercial recyclables each year. Questions about what is recyclable in the curbside bin, or whether recycling is real, or where it all goes? Look no further than WM’s Billerica Recycling Facility. Visitors will have the opportunity to see how mixed recyclables are sorted and baled for sale into the commodities markets, where they will be turned into new products. Transportation will be provided.
Tour Registrations are non-transferable and non-refundable.
Monday, September 25
8:45 am - 11:40 am (EDT)
Tour
Breakfast and Boston Duck Tour Experience presented by Sappi
Offsite Tour Location
Sappi is a global renewable resource company that converts wood fiber into environmentally sustainable packaging and papers used as alternatives to single-use plastics and other fossil-based, nonrenewable materials. SPC Advance attendees will get a chance to learn about Sappi’s sustainability commitments and alignment with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, their approved Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) to reduce emissions, and how they are tracking to their goals.
Following breakfast, guests can experience an 'introDUCKtion to Boston' by hopping aboard a Boston Duck Tour. 'Enjoy a fully narrated and guided, historic tour of Boston in a 'DUCK', a W.W.II style amphibious landing vehicle that travels on land and water... You’ll cruise by all the places that make Boston the birthplace of freedom and a city of firsts, from the golden domed state House to the Boston Common, the historic North End to fashionable Newbury Street, Quincy Market to the Prudential Tower, and more. Just when you think you’ve seen it all, it’s time for a Big Splash as your ConDUCKtor drives the DUCK right into the Charles River for a breathtaking view of the Boston and Cambridge skylines.'
Transportation will be provided.
Tour Registrations are non-transferable and non-refundable.
Sponsored by Sappi
Sponsored by
Monday, September 25
8:50 am - 11:00 am (EDT)
Tour
Fenway Park Tour
Offsite Tour Location
Since 1912, fans have flocked to Fenway Park to watch the home team play in the heart of Boston. It is referred to as, "America's Most Beloved Ballpark" by Major League Baseball and sports enthusiasts. Home to Red Sox Legends, Williams, Yaz, Fisk, Rice, and Pedro to name a few. Take in the magnificent view atop the fabled Green Monster, standing 37 feet 2 inches high, overlooking left field. Let our experienced tour guides lead you through the hallowed walls and legendary moments of historic Fenway Park. Join us not only to see this iconic century-old baseball stadium in the flesh, but also to hear about its history, closed-loop systems and sustainability efforts implemented throughout the park.
Monday, September 25
9:00 am - 5:00 pm (EDT)
Exhibit Hall
Exhibit Hall Open
Ensemble EFG
Monday, September 25
9:00 am - 9:30 am (EDT)
Presentation
Maximum Circularity for PET Packaging and Textiles: What is possible and what will it take?
Ensemble D
PET / polyester is used everywhere – from bottles and food packaging to clothes and healthcare products. Mechanical recycling of PET bottles is often highlighted as a success story and example for circular packaging systems. And yet, most PET / polyester (including food trays and textiles) ends up in landfill, incinerators or litter after one short use. Systemiq has built a digital simulation of the PET/polyester system. With input from industry, policy-makers and civil society they have mapped what a future system scenarios could look like, combining all circular economy approaches including reuse, mechanical and chemical recycling. In this session Systemiq will present the results of this analysis and propose priority actions to achieve an ambitious and achievable path towards circularity.
Moderator
Adam Gendell
The Recycling Partnership
Speaker
Robert Wilson
Systemiq
Monday, September 25
9:00 am - 9:30 am (EDT)
Presentation
Compostable Pods Going Mainstream: How Brands are Driving Compostable Materials to Scale
Contemporary
Over the last year, newly proposed packaging regulations in Europe specify compostability for single serve beverage formats and these changes are expected to accelerate the adoption of compostable materials in the North America market. Additionally, coffee capsule recycling challenges remain with both infrastructure and recently published consumer preferences driving large coffee brands to increasingly move to compostable formats. In this session we will discuss the fast evolving drivers in this market and how specific brands actively adopting compostable formats at large scale are driving material producers and the value chain to innovate in response.
Sponsored by Kaneka Green Planet
Speaker
John Roumanis
Mother Parkers Tea & Coffee
Moderator
Marina Solis
GreenBlue
Speaker
Steve Davies
NatureWorks
Sponsored by
Monday, September 25
9:00 am - 9:45 am (EDT)
Presentation
Landscape of 2023 EPR Legislation State by State
Ensemble ABC
What did lawmakers bring to the legislature this year? What legislation had movement, what didn’t go anywhere, and what passed? Join this talk to hear an overview of EPR for packaging legislation that was introduced in 2023 and how things played out in statehouses across the country.
Moderator
Nina Goodrich
GreenBlue
Speaker
Resa Dimino
Signalfire Group
Monday, September 25
9:00 am - 9:45 am (EDT)
Panel
How Food Service and Retailers are Tackling Massachusetts’ Organics Diversion Law
Marquee
Massachusetts’s organics diversion law has recently expanded to require more businesses to divert their organic waste from landfills. As a result, both small and large generators of food waste and other compostable materials like retailers and food service businesses are looking for ways to meet their waste goals and lower costs. In this session, you’ll learn how haulers and retailers in the area are partnering to create food waste collection programs that divert packaging and meet waste diversion goals.
Sponsored by CJ Biomaterials
Moderator
Alexander Truelove
Biodegradable Products Institute (BPI)
Speaker
John Fischer
MassDEP
Speaker
Lorenzo Macaluso
Center for EcoTechnology
Sponsored by
Monday, September 25
9:05 am - 11:45 am (EDT)
Tour
Rose Kennedy Greenway Conservancy Walking Tour
Offsite Tour Location
Explore The Greenway with a walking tour of this contemporary public park in the heart of Boston! Learn about the history of The Greenway, our ecological approach to horticulture, and sustainability and climate resilience efforts while walking through a beautiful urban park! Transportation will be provided.
Tour Registrations are non-transferable and non-refundable.
Monday, September 25
9:30 am - 10:10 am (EDT)
Panel
Designing and Developing Sustainable Healthcare Packaging
Contemporary
Healthcare packaging has a set of special considerations including the need for sterilized products, specialized waste streams, regulatory requirements regarding product and packaging system inputs. There are however, a series of initiatives involving packaging design, reassessing material selection, the opportunity to reduce packaging complexity and increase recyclability. In this session we will hear from key stakeholders working in the space and their perspectives on tackling sustainability in a complex environment.
Sponsored by Plastic Ingenuity
Moderator
Paul Nowak
GreenBlue
Speaker
Zach Muscato
Plastic Ingenuity
Speaker
Peylina Chu
Healthcare Plastics Recycling Council
Speaker
Matt Thorsen
CVS Health
Sponsored by
Monday, September 25
9:30 am - 10:15 am (EDT)
Panel
Circular Packaging Case Studies from Leading Retailers
Ensemble D
In this panel we’ll hear how leading retailers in two very different markets were able to partner with their respective value chains to create an economical and scalable circular packaging platform. Through successful pilots, each demonstrated they could divert their own waste, recycle it, and attribute it to new packaging products. Ahold Delhaize USA, the parent company for the largest grocery retail group on the East Coast, and Best Buy, a leading consumer electronics retailer, along with representatives from ExxonMobil will discuss best practices learned from their circularity model. Gain insight into the underlying recycling technologies utilized, the role mass balance plays, how the economics stack up, and how the circularity story resonates with their stakeholders.
Sponsored by Polyplastics
Moderator
Dan Healey
SEE
Speaker
Kurt Kurzawa
Best Buy
Speaker
Mike Roxas
Peapod Digital Labs, a company of Ahold Delhaize USA
Speaker
Amy Laird
ExxonMobil
Sponsored by
Monday, September 25
9:30 am - 12:00 pm (EDT)
Tour
Wellesley Recycling and Disposal Facility
Offsite Tour Location
Wellesley Recycling and Disposal Facility is a source separated facility that helps to give items a second life and keep them out of landfill. Now prohibited from trash disposal, nearly 100% of textiles, mattresses, old T-shirts and socks, footwear, curtains, sheets and stuffed animals donated to Wellesley RDF are reused or recycled. Join us on our trip to the Town of Wellesley and see this operation with over 30 sorts for yourself! Transportation will be provided.
Tour Registrations are non-transferable and non-refundable.
Monday, September 25
9:40 am - 11:50 am (EDT)
Tour
Harvard SEC Tour Experience
Offsite Tour Location
Completed in Fall 2020, Harvard’s Science and Engineering Complex (SEC) is one of the healthiest and most energy-efficient laboratory buildings globally. The SEC is a major step for Harvard toward reaching their goal of being fossil fuel-free by 2050, and is certified by two international sustainable building programs. This tour is a scripted, theatrical experience led by both a current student, who will be able to touch on their personal experiences in the SEC, as well as a representative from Harvard's Office of Sustainability. Throughout the tour, the guides will discuss the history, culture, and sustainability initiatives of the SEC. Some of the places the tour will explore include the Engineering and Applied Science Labs, Library & Study Space, Main Atrium, Makerspace Labs, Engineering Yard, and Active Learning Labs. Transportation will be provided to and from the tour location.
Tour Registrations are non-transferable and non-refundable.
Monday, September 25
9:45 am - 10:30 am (EDT)
Panel
Applying University Public Policy Thinking to Address Global Environmental Challenges
Ensemble ABC
In this session, New England based universities’ key stakeholders will share the work they are doing to spearhead new thinking on environmental public policy, through research, think tanks, and industry and government facing work with the objective of addressing complex, global issues. The panel will also share their thinking about how the packaging industry and sustainability professionals can find avenues of innovative thinking and approach to proactive policy participation.
Speaker
Edwin Ward
Boston College Law School
Moderator
Nina Goodrich
GreenBlue
Speaker
Dr. Janelle Knox-Hayes
MIT
Monday, September 25
10:00 am - 10:30 am (EDT)
Presentation
Academic Collaborations to Drive Compostable Packaging R&D
Marquee
With compostable packaging poised to grow 17% annually between 2020 and 2027, the need to reduce the gap between lab scale research and live waste streams has also increased. Sonoco FRESH’s advances from launching in 2019 as a platform to address sustainable solutions across the food value chain through partnerships with industry, to its newest initiative to advance compostable packaging R&D have quickly gained momentum. Discover how the vision for Clemson’s campus-wide state-of-the-art Organics Recycling Center incorporates the newly established Sustainable Packaging faculty position and Sustainable Packaging R&D Lab to advance translational research in compostable and biodegradable concepts.
Sponsored by Danimer Scientific
Moderator
Marina Solis
GreenBlue
Speaker
Dr. James Sternberg
Clemson University
Speaker
Anne Q Barr
Clemson University
Sponsored by
Monday, September 25
10:10 am - 10:30 am (EDT)
Presentation
Ask Rey
Contemporary
In this presentation, attendees will get a chance to hear directly from the sustainable consumer of the future and the results from Sterling’s panel of sustainably conscious consumers on the questions SPC Advance attendees submitted prior to the event.
Moderator
Paul Nowak
GreenBlue
Speaker
Mike Bainbridge
Sterling
Monday, September 25
10:30 am - 11:00 am (EDT)
Networking Break
Networking Break with the Exhibitors
Ensemble EFG
Sponsored by PepsiCo
Sponsored by
Monday, September 25
11:00 am - 11:30 am (EDT)
Presentation
A New Carbon Economy: Innovating to a Post Pollution Future
Marquee
We currently recycle metals, plastics and paper - so why not recycle carbon? There is an abundance of carbon locked in wastes from agriculture, forest, unsorted, unrecyclable municipal wastes and in gaseous byproducts of certain manufacturing processes. Biotechnology enables us to convert carbon pollution into everyday products. Through partnerships with consumer-facing companies such as Unilever, L’Oréal, lululemon, and the Mibelle Group, LanzaTech has demonstrated the opportunity to use ethanol as a platform “CarbonSmart” intermediate in the production of goods including fragrances, cleaning products, plastics for packaging, and fibers for clothing. By recycling carbon into ethanol rather than starting with virgin fossil fuels, the production of everyday products can benefit from a lower carbon footprint.
Moderator
Tom Pollock
GreenBlue
Speaker
Laurel Harmon
LanzaTech
Monday, September 25
11:00 am - 11:30 am (EDT)
Presentation
Understanding Maine’s Stewardship Program for Packaging
Ensemble ABC
Maine passed the nation’s first law extending producer responsibility for packaging to the waste management sector. As of the end of Spring 2023, four states have since enacted similar legislation and others are poised to do so. Maine’s Stewardship Program for Packaging makes producers financially responsible for the cost of waste management of packaging material through a fee system based on the amount and characteristics of each producer’s packaging material. Fees will support municipalities in fulfilling their responsibility to provide waste management for packaging material and otherwise promote a circular economy for packaging material. Representatives from Maine’s Department of Environmental Protection will outline Maine’s Stewardship Program for Packaging, with an emphasis on the role of producers and compliance in conjunction with laws in other jurisdictions.
Moderator
Michelle Carvell
Lorax EPI
Speaker
Elena Bertocci
Maine Department of Environmental Protection
Speaker
Jessica Nadeau
Maine Department of Environmental Protection
Monday, September 25
11:00 am - 11:45 am (EDT)
Panel
The Role of Specialty Recycling Programs as a solution to Hard-to-Recycle Packaging
Ensemble D
Specialty pickup services are innovative services, working to increase what’s possible to recover in curbside collection in an effort to satisfy the demand from consumers to divert more waste. These emerging services pick up items such as plastic film, clamshell containers, polystyrene foam, batteries, light bulbs and textiles from participating members’ homes and transport them to partners who reuse or recycle the materials. In this session we will hear from emerging companies and programs on their experience so far, and where they see this type of recycling programs going in the future.
Moderator
Adam Gendell
The Recycling Partnership
Speaker
Abbie Webb
Casella Waste Systems, Inc.
Speaker
Gerrine Pan
Ridwell
Monday, September 25
11:00 am - 11:45 am (EDT)
Presentation
We can’t recycle our way out of climate change…so let’s broaden our messaging and on-pack claims
Contemporary
According to Shelton Group’s latest global Eco Pulse® data, 78% of people in the 12 countries surveyed believe that climate change is occurring and caused by man, and 86% believe that greenhouse gas emissions are causing climate change. Who do people hold accountable for solving the problem? Big companies. 77% of people around the world (and 66% of America’s population) hold companies strongly-very strongly responsible for changing their practices to positively impact the environment. Yet when we ask what messages resonate with consumers and will drive purchase intent, the answers are all around recycling and recyclable products, even though belief that recycling actually works is at an all time low. So consumers are essentially saying they want both: tell me how your company is solving for climate AND give me a reason to believe your recycling claims. It’s time to expand the script and appeal to the emerging concerns of climate and its impacts while also telling a believable recycling and recyclability story and motivating people to keep recycling. Suzanne Shelton, CEO of Shelton Group, will dive into these latest insights and share recommendations for successfully expanding your story.
Sponsored by Inno-Pak
Moderator
Karen Hagerman
GreenBlue
Speaker
Suzanne Shelton
Shelton Group, an ERM Group Company
Sponsored by
Monday, September 25
11:30 am - 12:00 pm (EDT)
Presentation
Oregon’s Recycling Modernization Act and Implications for Packaging: an Implementation Update
Ensemble ABC
Oregon’s Plastic Pollution and Recycling Modernization Act will institute EPR for packaging, printed and writing paper, and food serviceware in the state from July 2025 onward. Besides EPR, the Act encompasses policies intended to modernize the state’s recycling system, address plastic pollution, and reduce the environmental impacts of covered products. This presentation will provide an update on implementation progress and hone in on elements of the Act poised to be meaningful with particular respect to packaging.
Moderator
Michelle Carvell
Lorax EPI
Speaker
Nicole Portley
Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ)
Monday, September 25
12:00 pm - 1:30 pm (EDT)
Lunch
Lunch will be served for all SPC Advance attendees
Ensemble Prefunction
Lunch will be served for all SPC Advance attendees
Sponsored by Tetra Pak
Sponsored by
Monday, September 25
1:45 pm - 2:45 pm (EDT)
Keynote
Main Stage
Main Stage Session - Day 1 Part 1
Ensemble ABCD
1:45- 2:15 pm Opening Remarks
Paul Nowak, Executive Director, GreenBlue
2:15- 2:45 pm Opening Keynote | Future Worlds: Scaling Innovation to Make the World Work for 100% of Humanity
Recent space missions to Jupiter and Mars, the discovery of thousands of exoplanets, and orbital missions to monitor Spaceship Earth will be highlighted. Humanity will become interplanetary, and is on a journey to Mars. We will return human explorers to the moon this decade and onward to Mars in the 2030s. At the MIT Media Lab we are testing advanced technologies for the next giant leaps of exploration.
However, Mars is not ‘Plan B’. Spaceship Earth, our pale blue dot, is the most magnificent planet to inhabit. Earth is speaking to us – are we listening? The past decades reveal the hottest recorded temperatures on Earth since we began measuring global climate 140 years ago. Hundreds of gigatons of ice have been lost in Greenland and Antarctica, and levels of trapped greenhouse gas have reached over 420 parts per million of carbon dioxide. Earth’s vital signs tell a story of a planet in trouble, threatening sea-level rise, ocean acidity and plastic pollution might have disastrous implications for the health of communities worldwide. Actions and solutions to help regenerate to Earth’s oceans, land and air are highlighted in this talk. The collective actions already underway shine a light on a healthier future between humanity and our home planet.
Dr. Newman will discuss research addressing questions such as: How can we reduce harm to our planet and the future prospects of life on Earth? How can we turn the tide to regenerate Earth’s systems while enabling societies to flourish? The urgent challenge is to supply affordable energy, food, and security for sustained life on Earth—for all living beings—by inventing transformative technologies and adapting human behavior at an unprecedented scale at this critical time in history. At the MIT Media Lab, we uniquely combine interdisciplinary expertise—from oceans to space, genetics to cities—and develop artificial intelligence, machine learning, supercomputer visualizations, and powerful experiences to change human behavior. We’ll create transformative technologies, experiences, and systems that address the dual challenge of climate change and energy. The goal is for society to work for 100% of humanity and for all living beings, so they can thrive—here on Earth and in worlds beyond.
Moderator: Paul Nowak, Executive Director, GreenBlue
Speaker: Dr. Dava Newman, Director, MIT Media Lab and Apollo Professor of Astronautics
In this fireside chat, John Fischer from MassDEP will share his organization’s work to advance waste reduction, recycling, composting and the latest learnings from the Massachusetts’ Solid Waste Master Plan and the implementation of the waste and organic food waste bans across the state. Moderator: Paul Nowak, Executive Director, GreenBlue
Speaker: John Fischer, Deputy Division Director for Solid Waste, Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP)
3:35 pm - 3:50 pm TED Talk | Building Food Recovery Infrastructure Through Powerful Partnerships Ashley Stanley and her team at Lovin' Spoonfuls food rescue have been at the forefront of working with food retailers, nonprofits, community groups, elected officials, and more to expand food recovery efforts across Massachusetts. With much of Lovin' Spoonfuls' organizational and operational growth taking place since the onset of the pandemic, leveraging key partnerships has enabled Spoonfuls (New England's largest food rescue) to meet a heightened demand for food while mitigating the effects of wasted food on people and the planet. Speaker: Ashley Stanley, Executive Director, Lovin’ Spoonfuls
3:50 pm - 4:05 pm TED Talk | Waste Makes Haste: How Addressing Waste is Accelerating the Good Business In 2019 U.S. businesses generated approximately 50 million tons of surplus food – the equivalent of 80 billion meals, representing a $244 billion loss across the food service, retail, manufacturing, and farm sectors (ReFED). Massachusetts has been at the forefront of effective wasted food policy and strategy. For over a decade, the Center for EcoTechnology (CET) has delivered the RecyclingWorks MA program, a comprehensive commercial recycling assistance program funded by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection. Lorenzo Macaluso, Chief Growth Officer of CET, will discuss the environmental, economic, and community impacts of reducing our waste, told through the success stories of Massachusetts businesses. Speaker: Lorenzo Macaluso, Chief Growth Officer, Center for EcoTechnology
4:05 pm - 4:20 pm TED Talk | Introducing Innovation: Why We All Need to Track Surplus Food You can’t manage what you don’t measure, and when you’re not measuring, your foodservice organization is likely wasting more than it should be. Historically, waste tracking has been labor intensive and unenforced, leaving a big question mark around not just losses, but true customer preference and organizational profitability. New technological developments, like Phood Solutions, are changing that for the better. In this session, Phood’s VP of Partnerships, Karen Franczyk, will talk about how human-centered technology is driving impact beyond the bottom line with some of the nation’s leading grocers and other prepared food operations. She’ll also look at how best to approach the issue of surplus food in any organization in the most strategic, and mutually beneficial way possible. Speaker: Karen Franczyk, VP Partnerships, Phood
4:20 pm - 4:35 pm TED Talk | #ClothesArentTrash Dan Green, co-founder and CEO of Helpsy, traded in his Wall Street career to work in the rag industry when he and two lifelong friends started the company. Dan will talk about what inspired him to start Helpsy, shed light on the giant problem that is textile waste and what we can do to prevent over 85% of clothing from ending up in the trash. This includes everything from the ins and outs of how Helpsy collects and sorts used clothing, what really happens to used clothing once it's collected, what brands and municipalities can do to help prevent textile waste and share insights on recent mechanical and chemical recycling developments. Speaker: Dan Green, Co-founder and CEO, Helpsy
4:35 pm - 4:40 pm Closing Remarks for the Day
Paul Nowak, Executive Director, GreenBlue
Sponsored by Dow
Moderator
Paul Nowak
GreenBlue
Speaker
John Fischer
MassDEP
Speaker
Ashley Stanley
Lovin' Spoonfuls
Speaker
Lorenzo Macaluso
Center for EcoTechnology
Speaker
Karen Franczyk
Phood
Speaker
Dan Green
Helpsy
Sponsored by
Tuesday, September 26
Tuesday, September 26
7:30 am - 4:30 pm (EDT)
Registration
Registration and Check-In Open
Ensemble Prefunction
Tuesday, September 26
8:00 am - 5:00 pm (EDT)
Exhibit Hall
Exhibit Hall Open
Ensemble EFG
Tuesday, September 26
8:00 am - 9:00 am (EDT)
Breakfast
Breakfast
Ensemble EFG
Sponsored by Clearwater Paper
Sponsored by
Tuesday, September 26
9:00 am - 9:45 am (EDT)
Presentation
How to prepare for compliance to newly passed bills
Ensemble ABC
Extended Producer Responsibility for packaging and paper products is well underway in multiple states in the US so far, but with a unique program in each state the patchwork of legislation can be difficult to keep up with, let alone comply with. In this session, we will lay out the implementation idiosyncrasies and delve into the details on timelines, action items for producers, and where there might be some similarities between all of these laws.
Sponsored by Clysar, LLC
Moderator
Michelle Carvell
Lorax EPI
Speaker
Scott Cassel
Product Stewardship Institute
Sponsored by
Tuesday, September 26
9:00 am - 9:30 am (EDT)
Presentation
Pathways to Mono-material Flexible Packaging: Key considerations when looking to convert your plastic packaging portfolios
Contemporary
A global shift is underway as producers, brand owners, and manufacturers look to convert their flexible plastic packaging away from complex multi-materials toward more mono-material polyethylene and polypropylene structures in order to encourage greater recyclability. These efforts align with The Consumer Goods Forum's Golden Design Rules (GDRs) for Plastics Packaging, as well as guidance published by the Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR). Learn about the challenges, opportunities, potential trade-offs, and other important considerations for moving to mono-material flexible packaging solutions based on the Canada Plastic Pact’s recently published Pathways to Mono-material Flexible Packaging Guidance document.
Moderator
Elizabeth Ritch
GreenBlue
Speaker
Paul Shorthouse
Canada Plastics Pact
Tuesday, September 26
9:00 am - 9:45 am (EDT)
Panel
What’s Next for Reusable Packaging Programs at QSRs
Marquee
How can quickserve restaurant (QSR) locations build successful reusable packaging programs while also balancing the reverse logistics, costs, and dine-in versus take-out needs of customers? Reusable packaging in QSR settings requires collaboration with reverse logistics partners and programmatic support to make reuse a highly-convenient option for customers. This session’s panelists will share best practices for restaurants that are looking to expand beyond reusable cup and container pilots and deploy a more standardized approach to reusable packaging.
Moderator
Olga Kachook
GreenBlue
Speaker
Alison Rogers Cove
Usefull
Speaker
Ellie Moss
Perpetual
Speaker
Lindsey Hoell
Dispatch Goods
Tuesday, September 26
9:00 am - 9:45 am (EDT)
Presentation
Advancing Circularity Through Recycling Innovation
Ensemble D
Brands are making voluntary sustainability pledges to increase the use of recycled plastic in consumer packaging, and a growing number of states are requiring the use of recycled content in single-use plastic containers. Despite this increasing demand, the supply of high-quality recycled resins for use by packaging manufacturers falls short. That’s why Republic Services developed its Polymer Center, the nation’s first integrated plastics recycling facility. The Polymer Center is designed to help bridge the gap between curbside collections and manufacturers’ needs, providing a reliable supply of domestically sourced recycled plastics for use in food-grade and other consumer packaging. At full capacity, each Republic Services Polymer Center is expected to produce more than 100 million pounds per year of recycled plastic products, including 100% post-consumer PET flake delivered to the food-grade marketplace to enable bottle-to-bottle circularity.
Moderator
Tom Pollock
GreenBlue
Speaker
Joe Riconosciuto
Republic Services
Tuesday, September 26
9:30 am - 10:15 am (EDT)
Panel
Design and Performance Innovation in Recyclable Flexible Packaging
Contemporary
In this session we will showcase success stories in design and performance innovation of recycle-ready, and recyclable flexible packaging, including monomaterials, as well as barrier properties improvements.
Sponsored by Peel Plastics Products Ltd
Speaker
Michelle Sauder
Dow
Moderator
Kaleigh Reno
GreenBlue
Speaker
Nathan Klettlinger
ProAmpac
Speaker
Timothy Kneale
Polyplastics USA
Speaker
Daniel Cluskey
Printpack
Sponsored by
Tuesday, September 26
9:45 am - 10:10 am (EDT)
Presentation
Meet the PRO: What’s Next for EPR Implementation?
Ensemble ABC
Join Circular Action Alliance, the Producer Responsibility Organization (PRO) recently selected to administer Colorado’s Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) law, for an overview of the organization and next steps toward program implementation in Colorado, California, Oregon and Maine. A representative for CAA will share CAA’s vision for supporting producer compliance with packaging EPR laws across multiple states and working collaboratively with recycling system stakeholders to achieve the objectives of the law and create a circular economy for paper and packaging.
Sponsored by Lorax EPI
Moderator
Nina Goodrich
GreenBlue
Speaker
Olivia Barker
Circular Action Alliance
Sponsored by
Tuesday, September 26
9:45 am - 10:30 am (EDT)
Panel
Using Reverse Vending Machines to Power Your Brand’s Reuse Program
Marquee
Vending machines and reverse vending machines, common across Europe and available in US states running deposit return programs for beverage containers, are a promising tool for collecting not just for recyclable, but also reusable, packaging. The vending machines can be a compelling way to manage a number of logistics for reusable systems, including everything from collection, returning deposits, and even cleaning. In this session, reverse vending machine providers, innovators, and CPG brands will share their learnings and the opportunities they see for using reverse vending machines to power tomorrow’s reusable packaging programs.
Sponsored by Orora Packaging Solutions
Speaker
Mike Noel
TOMRA
Moderator
Olga Kachook
GreenBlue
Speaker
Manuela Zoninsein
Kadeya
Sponsored by
Tuesday, September 26
9:45 am - 10:30 am (EDT)
Panel
Applying Technology Developments for Increased Recovery and Better Data at the MRF Level
Ensemble D
A vast flow of materials goes through Material Recovery Facilities every day, valuable materials with a great potential to see a second/third/fourth life if recovered efficiently. The advancement of technologies to better process these materials has moved forward significantly and technologies such as robotics, machine learning, AI now have a place and potential on recycling infrastructure. In this session we will hear from key innovators working in the space, and how the role of data and technology can further advance reprocessing and ultimately, recycled content goals.
Sponsored by Recycled Paperboard Alliance (RPA)
Moderator
Jon Smieja
GreenBiz
Speaker
JD (Jagadeesh) Ambati
EverestLabs
Speaker
Rebecca Hu
Glacier
Tuesday, September 26
10:10 am - 10:30 am (EDT)
Presentation
Reuse Policy: Momentum & Opportunities
Ensemble ABC
Sydney Harris, Policy Director at Upstream, will provide a snapshot of the current reuse policy landscape across the local, state, and federal levels with special emphasis on how reuse is playing into EPR and DRS legislation. Walk away with Upstream's policy principles for reuse/refill in EPR & DRS and a fresh take on policy to scale waste prevention through reuse.
Speaker
Sydney Harris
Upstream
Tuesday, September 26
10:30 am - 11:00 am (EDT)
Networking Break
Networking Break with the Exhibitors
Ensemble EFG
Sponsored by NatureWorks
Sponsored by
Tuesday, September 26
11:00 am - 11:45 am (EDT)
Presentation
States Leading the Drive for Safer Chemicals and Materials
Ensemble ABC
This year alone, over 30 states considered 260+ policies addressing toxic chemicals like PFAS as well as issues related to plastic pollution in an effort to advance safer alternatives and improve community health. This session will focus on the policy debates, the progress achieved and innovative new solutions on deck for future consideration in state policy forums around the country.
Moderator
Elizabeth Ritch
GreenBlue
Speaker
Cindy Luppi
Clean Water Action and Clean Water Fund
Tuesday, September 26
11:00 am - 11:30 am (EDT)
Presentation
Advancing residential recycling for hard-to-recycle plastic films through bold new collaboration
Ensemble D
WM and Dow launched a bold new collaboration to improve residential recycling for hard-to-recycle plastic films by allowing consumers in select markets to recycle these materials directly in their curbside recycling. According to The Recycling Partnership, currently, only 1.9% of U.S. households have access to curbside plastic film recycling, which is the plastic material with the lowest overall recycling rate. Once operating at full capacity, this program is expected to help WM divert more than 120,000 metric tons (MT) of plastics film from landfills annually. This effort combines WM’s broad reach as a comprehensive environmental solutions provider with Dow’s leadership in material science to build new infrastructure that is intended to help close existing recycling gaps, driving a more circular value chain in the U.S. for plastic materials.
Sponsored by Charter Next Generation
Moderator
Tom Pollock
GreenBlue
Speaker
Ganesh Nagarajan
Waste Management
Speaker
Adwoa Coleman
Dow
Tuesday, September 26
11:00 am - 11:30 am (EDT)
Presentation
Advancing Sustainability in a Changing World
Contemporary
Sustainability pressure is real. You’re feeling the pinch from all directions: legislative changes, retailer sentiment, and consumer demands. With increasing complexities, how can brands meet these challenges? We’ll talk about how to understand factors such as the regulatory environment, global sustainability groups, retailer strategies, and consumer attitudes are driving the packaging industry to take a more holistic view and innovate solutions that lower carbon footprint, while leveraging the Golden Design Rules. As brands face unprecedented sustainability pressures, they are being challenged to think in new ways and break out of operational silos. This session will include a converter’s perspective from Cheer Pack’s vice president of marketing on how to navigate the sustainability pathway and take a deep dive into innovative new packaging solutions for complex applications, like liquids and sauces. We’ll give facts through life cycle assessments where brands will see data-driven information to help evaluate if their current packaging is positioning their business for next-generation more sustainable efficiencies.
Moderator
Kaleigh Reno
GreenBlue
Speaker
John Wilson
Amcor Flexibles North America
Tuesday, September 26
11:00 am - 11:30 am (EDT)
Innovator Spotlight
Preventing Food Waste, Lowering Costs - The Latest Coatings and Sensors
Marquee
Packaging needs to do more to reduce food waste, one of the leading causes of methane-contributing climate change. Coatings and sensors are packaging-compatible tools that more brands and retailers are exploring as a way to eliminate food waste in distribution, retail, and consumers’ homes. Hear from innovators who are tackling food waste with the latest cost-effective technologies.
Moderator
Olga Kachook
GreenBlue
Speaker
Adam Behrens
Mori
Speaker
Yoav Levy
Evigence Sensors
Tuesday, September 26
12:00 pm - 1:30 pm (EDT)
Lunch
Lunch will be served for all SPC Advance attendees
Ensemble Prefunction
Lunch will be served for all SPC Advance Attendees
Sponsored by CVS Health
Sponsored by
Tuesday, September 26
1:30 pm - 3:00 pm (EDT)
Ted Talk
Main Stage
Fireside Chat
Main Stage Session - Day 2, Part 1
Ensemble ABCD
1:30 pm - 1:45 pm Opening Remarks for the day
Paul Nowak, Executive Director, GreenBlue
1:45 pm - 2:00 pm TED Talk | Turning to Reuse as the Default Strategy
It’s been several years since reuse made a splashy return to the packaging scene, and brands have primarily spent this time testing out refill and return concepts with small-scale pilots. While pilots are an effective way to test-drive concepts, they inevitably identify challenges with consumer adoption. Instead of pilots, what if brands considered reuse as their “default” strategy? We already have “reuse as the default” in certain contexts - at the dentist’s office, hotel bar, and sit-down restaurant. Using this concept in more of the right settings would drive program success, reduce consumer friction, eliminate logistical challenges, and lower costs.
Speaker: Olga Kachook, SPC Director, GreenBlue
2:00 pm - 2:20 pm Fireside Chat with Keurig Dr Pepper
Monique Oxender, Chief Sustainability Officer at Keurig Dr Pepper will discuss how the company engages in strategic collaborations to scale circular solutions for greater impact. She will talk about KDP's sustainable packaging journey and showcase how investments in infrastructure, consumer education, innovative packaging design and precompetitive collaborations are helping the company achieve its ambitious 2025 goals and effect industry-wide change. Moderator: Paul Nowak, Executive Director, GreenBlue
Speaker: Monique Oxender, Chief Sustainability Officer, Keurig Dr Pepper
2:20 pm - 2:40 pm Fireside Chat with Dispatch Goods
In this conversation, Lindsey Hoell of Dispatch Goods will share her company's journey as a leading reusable packaging service provider, including working with major food delivery and meal kit brands like Misfits Market, what they learned from the foodservice ware space, and her advice to brands looking to ramp up their reusable packaging programs. Moderator: Olga Kachook, SPC Director, GreenBlue
Speaker: Lindsey Hoell, CEO and Founder, Dispatch Goods
2:40 pm - 3:00 pm Fireside Chat with Sappi
In this fireside chat, we will learn about the work Beth Cormier is spearheading at Sappi North America, and their focus on wood fiber as a renewable resource, biomaterials creation and its intersection with packaging and specialty papers. Beth will share their commitment to the UN SDGs; the Science Based Targets Initiative and the role of industry collaboration with NGOs. Moderator: Tom Pollock, Director of Strategic Partnerships, GreenBlue
Speaker: Beth Cormier, VP R&D and Sustainability, Sappi North America
Sponsored by Trayak
Speaker
Paul Nowak
GreenBlue
Speaker
Olga Kachook
GreenBlue
Speaker
Monique Oxender
Keurig Dr Pepper
Speaker
Lindsey Hoell
Dispatch Goods
Speaker
Tom Pollock
GreenBlue
Speaker
Beth Cormier
Sappi North America
Sponsored by
Tuesday, September 26
3:00 pm - 3:30 pm (EDT)
Networking Break
Networking Break with the Exhibitors
Ensemble EFG
Sponsored by Asia Pulp & Paper (APP)
Sponsored by
Tuesday, September 26
3:30 pm - 4:30 pm (EDT)
Ted Talk
Main Stage
Main Stage - Day 2, Part 2
Ensemble ABCD
3:30 pm - 4:45 pm Collaboration TED Talks Moderator: Olga Kachook, Director SPC, GreenBlue
Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) is just one of many sustainability related legislative measures increasing globally. Companies are now being forced, through regulations like EPR and government taxation, to act on sustainability. But companies are struggling with where to start. A strong data foundation is the way to take action, quickly. In this presentation, Laura Foti, CO, Specright and Michelle Carvell, COO, Lorax EPI, will discuss the importance of using data and technology to streamline reporting, and ultimately drive innovation. Speakers: Laura Foti, CMO, Specright & Michelle Carvell, COO, Lorax EPI
3:45 pm - 4:00 pm TED Talk | Walking the Talk: Are you prioritizing action over communication?
Net-zero, decarbonization, circularity, almost every company present in this audience has sustainability goals. It’ s on your website, corporate communication and published in your CSR and ESG reports. In spite of this most surveys and market analysis shows that companies are not on track to meeting their sustainability goals. For the last decade, Prasanna has been helping many companies align process people and technology to operationalize their sustainability strategy. Hear from him the critical things necessary for success in meeting your sustainable packaging goals. Hear from their customer about how they are incorporating benchmarking & analytics to gain insight into their packaging portfolio. Hear what works and more importantly what doesn’t.
Speakers: Prasanna Katragadda, VP of Products, Trayak & Camille Herrera, Sustainability Manager, Driscoll’s of the Americas
4:00 pm - 4:15 pm TED Talk | Flexible Packaging Opportunities that Combine the Values of PLA and Amorphous PHA
A unique collaboration between NatureWorks and CJ Biomaterials has resulted in a variety of sustainable product offerings to the packaging industry. Through this collaboration, we are able to combine the high stiffness and strength of PLA with the toughness and ease of biodegradation of amorphous PHA. These unique blends present many opportunities for the flexible packaging industry that is looking for bio-based, fast composting (potentially home compostable) and easy-to-process transparent films. Performance attributes, value proposition and case studies for biaxially-oriented film, blown and cast films will be presented.
Speakers: Deepak Venkataraman, Applications Engineer, NatureWorks, LLC & Raj Krishnaswamy, Vice President - Polymers R&D, CJ Biomaterials
Toothpaste tubes, as a laminated structure, have generally not been recyclable. Over the past several years, various suppliers began to design recyclable tubes and the major toothpaste brands have committed to transition their portfolio to these recyclable tubes by 2025. The challenge now is how to get these tubes, designed for recycling, to be actually collected and recycled in the HDPE stream. We'd like to tell you about the partnership between Colgate-Palmolive and Haleon, and how together we've visioned a world where all tubes are recycled, and are working with a MRF in New Jersey to show how tubes can be successfully integrated into recycling stream. This session will highlight the successes and challenges with the re-design of a ubiquitous format to fit into an existing recycling stream, and close the loop.
Speakers: Anne Bedarf, Sr, Manager - Pkg & Plastics Sustainability, Colgate-Palmolive & Joe Muscat, Sustainability Director, Haleon (formerly GSK)
Sponsored by Trayak
Moderator
Olga Kachook
GreenBlue
Speaker
Michelle Carvell
Lorax EPI
Speaker
Camille Herrera
Driscoll’s of the Americas
Speaker
Deepak Venkataraman
NatureWorks
Speaker
Raj Krishnaswamy
CJ Biomaterials
Speaker
Anne Bedarf
Colgate-Palmolive
Speaker
Joe Muscat
Haleon
Speaker
Prasanna Katragadda
Trayak
Speaker
Laura Foti
Specright
Sponsored by
Tuesday, September 26
5:30 pm - 8:00 pm (EDT)
Evening Social
Lifted Pool Bar & Lounge Sponsored by Amcor
Lifted Pool Bar & Lounge - Omni Boston Hotel at The Seaport
Hosted by Amcor, SPC Advance’s Evening Social at the Lifted Pool Bar & Lounge at the Omni Boston Hotel at the Seaport will be held on the beautiful rooftop pool deck. Enjoy panoramic skyline views, delicious hors d'oeuvres and drinks whilst networking with your fellow attendees.
You must be RSVPd to attend this event. If the link to RSVP is full please email spcevents@greenblue.org to be added to the waitlist.
Sponsored by
Wednesday, September 27
Wednesday, September 27
8:00 am - 11:30 am (EDT)
Registration
Registration and Check-In Open
Ensemble Prefunction
Wednesday, September 27
8:00 am - 11:00 am (EDT)
Exhibit Hall
Exhibit Hall Open
Ensemble EFG
Wednesday, September 27
8:00 am - 9:00 am (EDT)
Breakfast
Breakfast
Ensemble EFG
Wednesday, September 27
9:00 am - 10:30 am (EDT)
Main Stage
Powerful Ideas Talks
Fireside Chat
Main Stage - Day 3, Part 1
Ensemble ABCD
9:00 am - 9:10 am Opening Remarks for the day Speaker: Paul Nowak, Executive Director, GreenBlue
9:10 am - 9:40 am Keynote | Biodiversity and sustainable fiber: Data, tools, and trends for responsible sourcing
Biodiversity loss is rapidly being recognized as a threat to long term economic stability, together with the twin challenge of climate change. Government regulators as well as ESG frameworks are calling for improved accounting of the impacts of corporate activities on biodiversity, and deeper scrutiny of the risks that biodiversity loss poses to private sector economic health.
Dr. Hamilton’s talk will offer ideas on how to identify regions of high biodiversity value and discuss the datasets from global to local that support these assessments. In many regions, such as the U.S. southeast, forest thinning and clearing using best management practices can be consistent with conservation goals. Forest certification standards, such as SFI, also play an important role in responsible fiber sourcing that works to balance species and ecosystem health.
Moderator: Paul Nowak, Executive Director, GreenBlue Speaker: Dr. Healy Hamilton, Chief Scientist, Sustainable Forestry Initiative
Powerful Ideas Talks 9:40 am - 9:45 am The Road to Entirely Fossil-free Paperboard Production
Metsä Board has committed to transition entirely to fossil-free production by 2030. This plan, which has been validated by the Science Based Targets Initiative, supports the goal of limiting climate change to no more than 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, meeting the most ambitious objectives of the Paris Agreement. In this talk, I will discuss our roadmap to achieve zero carbon dioxide emissions. Focus will be on the initiatives being pursued (replacing fossil fuels with renewable energy, energy efficiency measures) and investments being made at our mills (new equipment and machinery), and what impacts they have on overall emissions reduction. The talk will highlight the importance of ambitious target setting and the imperativeness of adapting to a low-carbon future.
9:45 am - 9:50 am Positively Disrupting Carton Packaging
At Tetra Pak, we are on a journey to simplify material structures, using more fiber and less fossil-based plastic. In 2022, we started to test a new fiber-based barrier to replace the aluminum layer in aseptic cartons, in close collaboration with some of our customers. A first pilot batch of single serve packs featuring this industry-first material has been put on shelf for a commercial consumer test mid-last year, with further technology validation scheduled later in 2023.
Speaker: Davide Braghiroli, Packaging Solutions Director, Tetra Pak
9:50 am - 10:20 am Fireside Chat | New Technologies, New Infrastructure: Social and Environmental Justice Considerations
In this fireside chat, Veena Singla from NRDC and Melissa Miles from the New Jersey Environmental Justice Alliance will talk about how environmental nonprofits and community partners work together to navigate the social and environmental justice implications of developing new infrastructure for nascent technologies such as chemical recycling, and how these implications need to be taken into account when evaluating circularity and goals implementation.
Moderator: Dr. Jon Smieja, VP Circularity, GreenBiz Group
Speakers:
Dr. Veena Singla, Senior Scientist, Natural Resources Defense Council
Melissa Miles Executive Director, New Jersey Environmental Justice Alliance
Sponsored by Quad
Moderator
Paul Nowak
GreenBlue
Speaker
Melissa Miles
New Jersey Environmental Justice Alliance
Speaker
Jon Smieja
GreenBiz
Speaker
Dr. Healy Hamilton
Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI)
Speaker
Nathan Pajka
Metsä Board
Speaker
Davide Braghiroli
Tetra Pak
Speaker
Dr. Veena Singla
Natural Resources Defense Council
Sponsored by
Wednesday, September 27
10:30 am - 11:00 am (EDT)
Networking Break
Networking Break with the Exhibitors
Ensemble EFG
Sponsored by Sustana Fiber
Speaker
Abbie Webb
Casella Waste Systems, Inc.
Sponsored by
Wednesday, September 27
11:00 am - 12:00 pm (EDT)
Main Stage
Presentation
Powerful Ideas Talks
Main Stage - Day 3, Part 2
Ensemble ABCD
Powerful Ideas Talks
11:00 am - 11:05 am Reimagining CPG Packaging Design to Scale Reuse
CPG Packaging has been designed for 1 way shipments. Reuse economics represent a major barrier to scale when it comes to reverse logistics costs. Let’s rethink and reimagine how packaging design can solve this issue!
On a fully finished package, many things effect the recyclability or end of life outcomes - and each component matters. Determining what materials are best can often be an overwhelming task, but at scale - even seemingly small changes matter. I propose to walk through what making informed decisions looks like when it comes to choosing labeling materials (with LCA), and why it matters.
11:10 am - 11:15 am Expanding End Markets Through Collaboration
Key stakeholders working to solve end market acceptance of poly coated paper packaging created the Poly Coated Paper Alliance. Hear how collaboration through organized workstreams can solve a challenge and increase circularity for this type of packaging.
Speaker: Teo Medellin, Director, Packaging Sustainability - Procter & Gamble on behalf of the Poly Coated Paper Alliance (PCPA)
11:15 - 11:45am Presentation + Interview | An Ecosystem Level Approach to Circularity
As we strive to deploy scalable circular models, it is crucial to take an ecosystem level approach to unlock the potential economic and environmental benefits. In this session we will look at guiding principles for packaging design, stakeholder engagement and business model development that will create a thriving circular future.
Moderator: Paul Nowak, Executive Director, GreenBlue
Speaker: Andy Rose, Director of Sustainable Circularity, Indeed Innovation
11:45am - 12:00pm Closing Remarks
Paul Nowak, Executive Director, GreenBlue
Sponsored by Quad
Moderator
Paul Nowak
GreenBlue
Speaker
Chris Bradley
Orora Packaging Solutions
Speaker
Ashley Drew
UPM Raflatac
Speaker
Teo Medellin
Procter & Gamble
Speaker
Andy Rose
Indeed Innovation
Sponsored by
Tours
Tours
7:30 am - 12:30 pm (EDT)
Tour
Ocean Spray HQ and Bog Tour
Offsite Tour Location
This tour will begin with a light breakfast at the Ocean Spray office, followed by an informative presentation where you will get to learn about OSC’s sustainability strategy and initiatives. Then, a bus will transport attendees to tour a local bog, where you will get to meet an Ocean Spray Grower-Owner and experience the beautiful harvest! Transportation will be provided.
Tour Registrations are non-transferable and non-refundable.
Tours
7:45 am - 12:00 pm (EDT)
Tour
EREMA Tech Center
Offsite Tour Location
At the EREMA Tech Center in Ipswich multiple machines are available for customers to test a wide variety of plastic materials for recycling. During the tour for SPC Advance attendees, we will be running post-consumer plastic material and demonstrate how the process works and the kind of quality of processed pellets are achievable. Visitors will get a hands-on experience from the start of the process with a plastic bale, through processing and quality assessment and assurance. Transportation will be provided.
Tour Registrations are non-transferable and non-refundable.
Tours
8:20 am - 11:40 am (EDT)
Tour
FULL - Keurig Dr Pepper HQ R&D Tour and Coffee Tasting
Offsite Tour Location
THIS TOUR IS FULL This visit will include both a tour, tasting and brief overview of sustainability at Keurig Dr Pepper. The tour portion of the visit will include the R&D facility, which will highlight coffee and appliance prototyping and testing. Then, there will be a curated coffee tasting to allow guests to experience a variety of coffee flavors that Keurig’s Green Mountain Coffee Roasters brand offers, as well as a deep dive with members of our product development team and a sensory scientist into the importance of packaging to preserve and ensure the taste and quality of coffee. We will also feature the opportunity to experience the latest innovations in the home brewing space, and give a brief overview of KDP’s sustainability initiatives. Transportation will be provided.
Tour Registrations are non-transferable and non-refundable.
Tours
8:30 am - 11:30 am (EDT)
Tour
Black Earth Compost
Offsite Tour Location
Come see the new compost facility being built by Black Earth Compost! Black Earth breaks down food scraps, leaves and compostable packaging, collected from residents, schools, supermarkets, colleges, and more, all across Eastern MA and RI. Since their start in 2011, Black Earth has steadily grown to become the leading full service compost company in New England. They are also the only vertically integrated company that composts the material too, returning it to customers and selling it in garden centers across Massachusetts and Southern New Hampshire. Black Earth only accepts compostable packaging by BPI, CMA or TUV, and has also done annual testing on PFAS. They are actively looking for distribution partners to supply our customers with certified, PFAS free compostable packaging. Transportation will be provided.
Tour Registrations are non-transferable and non-refundable.
Tours
8:40 am - 12:20 pm (EDT)
Tour
FULL - Waste Management Billerica MRF
Offsite Tour Location
THIS TOUR IS FULL The WM Billerica MRF is a 280k SF recycling facility serving Northeastern Massachusetts and Southern NH. The facility processes over 100k tons of Residential and Commercial recyclables each year. Questions about what is recyclable in the curbside bin, or whether recycling is real, or where it all goes? Look no further than WM’s Billerica Recycling Facility. Visitors will have the opportunity to see how mixed recyclables are sorted and baled for sale into the commodities markets, where they will be turned into new products. Transportation will be provided.
Tour Registrations are non-transferable and non-refundable.
Tours
8:45 am - 11:40 am (EDT)
Tour
Breakfast and Boston Duck Tour Experience presented by Sappi
Offsite Tour Location
Sappi is a global renewable resource company that converts wood fiber into environmentally sustainable packaging and papers used as alternatives to single-use plastics and other fossil-based, nonrenewable materials. SPC Advance attendees will get a chance to learn about Sappi’s sustainability commitments and alignment with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, their approved Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) to reduce emissions, and how they are tracking to their goals.
Following breakfast, guests can experience an 'introDUCKtion to Boston' by hopping aboard a Boston Duck Tour. 'Enjoy a fully narrated and guided, historic tour of Boston in a 'DUCK', a W.W.II style amphibious landing vehicle that travels on land and water... You’ll cruise by all the places that make Boston the birthplace of freedom and a city of firsts, from the golden domed state House to the Boston Common, the historic North End to fashionable Newbury Street, Quincy Market to the Prudential Tower, and more. Just when you think you’ve seen it all, it’s time for a Big Splash as your ConDUCKtor drives the DUCK right into the Charles River for a breathtaking view of the Boston and Cambridge skylines.'
Transportation will be provided.
Tour Registrations are non-transferable and non-refundable.
Sponsored by Sappi
Sponsored by
Tours
8:50 am - 11:00 am (EDT)
Tour
Fenway Park Tour
Offsite Tour Location
Since 1912, fans have flocked to Fenway Park to watch the home team play in the heart of Boston. It is referred to as, "America's Most Beloved Ballpark" by Major League Baseball and sports enthusiasts. Home to Red Sox Legends, Williams, Yaz, Fisk, Rice, and Pedro to name a few. Take in the magnificent view atop the fabled Green Monster, standing 37 feet 2 inches high, overlooking left field. Let our experienced tour guides lead you through the hallowed walls and legendary moments of historic Fenway Park. Join us not only to see this iconic century-old baseball stadium in the flesh, but also to hear about its history, closed-loop systems and sustainability efforts implemented throughout the park.
Tours
9:05 am - 11:45 am (EDT)
Tour
Rose Kennedy Greenway Conservancy Walking Tour
Offsite Tour Location
Explore The Greenway with a walking tour of this contemporary public park in the heart of Boston! Learn about the history of The Greenway, our ecological approach to horticulture, and sustainability and climate resilience efforts while walking through a beautiful urban park! Transportation will be provided.
Tour Registrations are non-transferable and non-refundable.
Tours
9:30 am - 12:00 pm (EDT)
Tour
Wellesley Recycling and Disposal Facility
Offsite Tour Location
Wellesley Recycling and Disposal Facility is a source separated facility that helps to give items a second life and keep them out of landfill. Now prohibited from trash disposal, nearly 100% of textiles, mattresses, old T-shirts and socks, footwear, curtains, sheets and stuffed animals donated to Wellesley RDF are reused or recycled. Join us on our trip to the Town of Wellesley and see this operation with over 30 sorts for yourself! Transportation will be provided.
Tour Registrations are non-transferable and non-refundable.
Registration and Check-in is open from 7:00 am - 5:00 pm ET at the Registration Desk on Level 2
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7:30 am - 12:30 pm (EDT)
Offsite Tour Location
Ocean Spray HQ and Bog Tour
Tour
Monday, September 25
7:30 am - 12:30 pm (EDT)
Tour
Ocean Spray HQ and Bog Tour
Offsite Tour Location
This tour will begin with a light breakfast at the Ocean Spray office, followed by an informative presentation where you will get to learn about OSC’s sustainability strategy and initiatives. Then, a bus will transport attendees to tour a local bog, where you will get to meet an Ocean Spray Grower-Owner and experience the beautiful harvest! Transportation will be provided.
Tour Registrations are non-transferable and non-refundable.
7:45 am - 12:00 pm (EDT)
Offsite Tour Location
EREMA Tech Center
Tour
Monday, September 25
7:45 am - 12:00 pm (EDT)
Tour
EREMA Tech Center
Offsite Tour Location
At the EREMA Tech Center in Ipswich multiple machines are available for customers to test a wide variety of plastic materials for recycling. During the tour for SPC Advance attendees, we will be running post-consumer plastic material and demonstrate how the process works and the kind of quality of processed pellets are achievable. Visitors will get a hands-on experience from the start of the process with a plastic bale, through processing and quality assessment and assurance. Transportation will be provided.
Tour Registrations are non-transferable and non-refundable.
8:20 am - 11:40 am (EDT)
Offsite Tour Location
FULL - Keurig Dr Pepper HQ R&D Tour and Coffee Tasting
Tour
Monday, September 25
8:20 am - 11:40 am (EDT)
Tour
FULL - Keurig Dr Pepper HQ R&D Tour and Coffee Tasting
Offsite Tour Location
THIS TOUR IS FULL This visit will include both a tour, tasting and brief overview of sustainability at Keurig Dr Pepper. The tour portion of the visit will include the R&D facility, which will highlight coffee and appliance prototyping and testing. Then, there will be a curated coffee tasting to allow guests to experience a variety of coffee flavors that Keurig’s Green Mountain Coffee Roasters brand offers, as well as a deep dive with members of our product development team and a sensory scientist into the importance of packaging to preserve and ensure the taste and quality of coffee. We will also feature the opportunity to experience the latest innovations in the home brewing space, and give a brief overview of KDP’s sustainability initiatives. Transportation will be provided.
Tour Registrations are non-transferable and non-refundable.
8:30 am - 11:30 am (EDT)
Offsite Tour Location
Black Earth Compost
Tour
Monday, September 25
8:30 am - 11:30 am (EDT)
Tour
Black Earth Compost
Offsite Tour Location
Come see the new compost facility being built by Black Earth Compost! Black Earth breaks down food scraps, leaves and compostable packaging, collected from residents, schools, supermarkets, colleges, and more, all across Eastern MA and RI. Since their start in 2011, Black Earth has steadily grown to become the leading full service compost company in New England. They are also the only vertically integrated company that composts the material too, returning it to customers and selling it in garden centers across Massachusetts and Southern New Hampshire. Black Earth only accepts compostable packaging by BPI, CMA or TUV, and has also done annual testing on PFAS. They are actively looking for distribution partners to supply our customers with certified, PFAS free compostable packaging. Transportation will be provided.
Tour Registrations are non-transferable and non-refundable.
8:40 am - 12:20 pm (EDT)
Offsite Tour Location
FULL - Waste Management Billerica MRF
Tour
Monday, September 25
8:40 am - 12:20 pm (EDT)
Tour
FULL - Waste Management Billerica MRF
Offsite Tour Location
THIS TOUR IS FULL The WM Billerica MRF is a 280k SF recycling facility serving Northeastern Massachusetts and Southern NH. The facility processes over 100k tons of Residential and Commercial recyclables each year. Questions about what is recyclable in the curbside bin, or whether recycling is real, or where it all goes? Look no further than WM’s Billerica Recycling Facility. Visitors will have the opportunity to see how mixed recyclables are sorted and baled for sale into the commodities markets, where they will be turned into new products. Transportation will be provided.
Tour Registrations are non-transferable and non-refundable.
8:45 am - 11:40 am (EDT)
Offsite Tour Location
Breakfast and Boston Duck Tour Experience presented by Sappi
Tour
Monday, September 25
8:45 am - 11:40 am (EDT)
Tour
Breakfast and Boston Duck Tour Experience presented by Sappi
Offsite Tour Location
Sappi is a global renewable resource company that converts wood fiber into environmentally sustainable packaging and papers used as alternatives to single-use plastics and other fossil-based, nonrenewable materials. SPC Advance attendees will get a chance to learn about Sappi’s sustainability commitments and alignment with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, their approved Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) to reduce emissions, and how they are tracking to their goals.
Following breakfast, guests can experience an 'introDUCKtion to Boston' by hopping aboard a Boston Duck Tour. 'Enjoy a fully narrated and guided, historic tour of Boston in a 'DUCK', a W.W.II style amphibious landing vehicle that travels on land and water... You’ll cruise by all the places that make Boston the birthplace of freedom and a city of firsts, from the golden domed state House to the Boston Common, the historic North End to fashionable Newbury Street, Quincy Market to the Prudential Tower, and more. Just when you think you’ve seen it all, it’s time for a Big Splash as your ConDUCKtor drives the DUCK right into the Charles River for a breathtaking view of the Boston and Cambridge skylines.'
Transportation will be provided.
Tour Registrations are non-transferable and non-refundable.
Sponsored by Sappi
Sponsored by
8:50 am - 11:00 am (EDT)
Offsite Tour Location
Fenway Park Tour
Tour
Monday, September 25
8:50 am - 11:00 am (EDT)
Tour
Fenway Park Tour
Offsite Tour Location
Since 1912, fans have flocked to Fenway Park to watch the home team play in the heart of Boston. It is referred to as, "America's Most Beloved Ballpark" by Major League Baseball and sports enthusiasts. Home to Red Sox Legends, Williams, Yaz, Fisk, Rice, and Pedro to name a few. Take in the magnificent view atop the fabled Green Monster, standing 37 feet 2 inches high, overlooking left field. Let our experienced tour guides lead you through the hallowed walls and legendary moments of historic Fenway Park. Join us not only to see this iconic century-old baseball stadium in the flesh, but also to hear about its history, closed-loop systems and sustainability efforts implemented throughout the park.
9:00 am - 9:30 am (EDT)
Ensemble D
Maximum Circularity for PET Packaging and Textiles: What is possible and what will it take?
Presentation
Monday, September 25
9:00 am - 9:30 am (EDT)
Presentation
Maximum Circularity for PET Packaging and Textiles: What is possible and what will it take?
Ensemble D
PET / polyester is used everywhere – from bottles and food packaging to clothes and healthcare products. Mechanical recycling of PET bottles is often highlighted as a success story and example for circular packaging systems. And yet, most PET / polyester (including food trays and textiles) ends up in landfill, incinerators or litter after one short use. Systemiq has built a digital simulation of the PET/polyester system. With input from industry, policy-makers and civil society they have mapped what a future system scenarios could look like, combining all circular economy approaches including reuse, mechanical and chemical recycling. In this session Systemiq will present the results of this analysis and propose priority actions to achieve an ambitious and achievable path towards circularity.
Moderator
Adam Gendell
The Recycling Partnership
Speaker
Robert Wilson
Systemiq
9:00 am - 9:30 am (EDT)
Contemporary
Compostable Pods Going Mainstream: How Brands are Driving Compostable Materials to Scale
Presentation
Monday, September 25
9:00 am - 9:30 am (EDT)
Presentation
Compostable Pods Going Mainstream: How Brands are Driving Compostable Materials to Scale
Contemporary
Over the last year, newly proposed packaging regulations in Europe specify compostability for single serve beverage formats and these changes are expected to accelerate the adoption of compostable materials in the North America market. Additionally, coffee capsule recycling challenges remain with both infrastructure and recently published consumer preferences driving large coffee brands to increasingly move to compostable formats. In this session we will discuss the fast evolving drivers in this market and how specific brands actively adopting compostable formats at large scale are driving material producers and the value chain to innovate in response.
Sponsored by Kaneka Green Planet
Speaker
John Roumanis
Mother Parkers Tea & Coffee
Moderator
Marina Solis
GreenBlue
Speaker
Steve Davies
NatureWorks
Sponsored by
9:00 am - 9:45 am (EDT)
Ensemble ABC
Landscape of 2023 EPR Legislation State by State
Presentation
Monday, September 25
9:00 am - 9:45 am (EDT)
Presentation
Landscape of 2023 EPR Legislation State by State
Ensemble ABC
What did lawmakers bring to the legislature this year? What legislation had movement, what didn’t go anywhere, and what passed? Join this talk to hear an overview of EPR for packaging legislation that was introduced in 2023 and how things played out in statehouses across the country.
Moderator
Nina Goodrich
GreenBlue
Speaker
Resa Dimino
Signalfire Group
9:00 am - 9:45 am (EDT)
Marquee
How Food Service and Retailers are Tackling Massachusetts’ Organics Diversion Law
Panel
Monday, September 25
9:00 am - 9:45 am (EDT)
Panel
How Food Service and Retailers are Tackling Massachusetts’ Organics Diversion Law
Marquee
Massachusetts’s organics diversion law has recently expanded to require more businesses to divert their organic waste from landfills. As a result, both small and large generators of food waste and other compostable materials like retailers and food service businesses are looking for ways to meet their waste goals and lower costs. In this session, you’ll learn how haulers and retailers in the area are partnering to create food waste collection programs that divert packaging and meet waste diversion goals.
Sponsored by CJ Biomaterials
Moderator
Alexander Truelove
Biodegradable Products Institute (BPI)
Speaker
John Fischer
MassDEP
Speaker
Lorenzo Macaluso
Center for EcoTechnology
Sponsored by
9:05 am - 11:45 am (EDT)
Offsite Tour Location
Rose Kennedy Greenway Conservancy Walking Tour
Tour
Monday, September 25
9:05 am - 11:45 am (EDT)
Tour
Rose Kennedy Greenway Conservancy Walking Tour
Offsite Tour Location
Explore The Greenway with a walking tour of this contemporary public park in the heart of Boston! Learn about the history of The Greenway, our ecological approach to horticulture, and sustainability and climate resilience efforts while walking through a beautiful urban park! Transportation will be provided.
Tour Registrations are non-transferable and non-refundable.
9:30 am - 10:10 am (EDT)
Contemporary
Designing and Developing Sustainable Healthcare Packaging
Panel
Monday, September 25
9:30 am - 10:10 am (EDT)
Panel
Designing and Developing Sustainable Healthcare Packaging
Contemporary
Healthcare packaging has a set of special considerations including the need for sterilized products, specialized waste streams, regulatory requirements regarding product and packaging system inputs. There are however, a series of initiatives involving packaging design, reassessing material selection, the opportunity to reduce packaging complexity and increase recyclability. In this session we will hear from key stakeholders working in the space and their perspectives on tackling sustainability in a complex environment.
Sponsored by Plastic Ingenuity
Moderator
Paul Nowak
GreenBlue
Speaker
Zach Muscato
Plastic Ingenuity
Speaker
Peylina Chu
Healthcare Plastics Recycling Council
Speaker
Matt Thorsen
CVS Health
Sponsored by
9:30 am - 10:15 am (EDT)
Ensemble D
Circular Packaging Case Studies from Leading Retailers
Panel
Monday, September 25
9:30 am - 10:15 am (EDT)
Panel
Circular Packaging Case Studies from Leading Retailers
Ensemble D
In this panel we’ll hear how leading retailers in two very different markets were able to partner with their respective value chains to create an economical and scalable circular packaging platform. Through successful pilots, each demonstrated they could divert their own waste, recycle it, and attribute it to new packaging products. Ahold Delhaize USA, the parent company for the largest grocery retail group on the East Coast, and Best Buy, a leading consumer electronics retailer, along with representatives from ExxonMobil will discuss best practices learned from their circularity model. Gain insight into the underlying recycling technologies utilized, the role mass balance plays, how the economics stack up, and how the circularity story resonates with their stakeholders.
Sponsored by Polyplastics
Moderator
Dan Healey
SEE
Speaker
Kurt Kurzawa
Best Buy
Speaker
Mike Roxas
Peapod Digital Labs, a company of Ahold Delhaize USA
Speaker
Amy Laird
ExxonMobil
Sponsored by
9:30 am - 12:00 pm (EDT)
Offsite Tour Location
Wellesley Recycling and Disposal Facility
Tour
Monday, September 25
9:30 am - 12:00 pm (EDT)
Tour
Wellesley Recycling and Disposal Facility
Offsite Tour Location
Wellesley Recycling and Disposal Facility is a source separated facility that helps to give items a second life and keep them out of landfill. Now prohibited from trash disposal, nearly 100% of textiles, mattresses, old T-shirts and socks, footwear, curtains, sheets and stuffed animals donated to Wellesley RDF are reused or recycled. Join us on our trip to the Town of Wellesley and see this operation with over 30 sorts for yourself! Transportation will be provided.
Tour Registrations are non-transferable and non-refundable.
9:45 am - 10:30 am (EDT)
Ensemble ABC
Applying University Public Policy Thinking to Address Global Environmental Challenges
Panel
Monday, September 25
9:45 am - 10:30 am (EDT)
Panel
Applying University Public Policy Thinking to Address Global Environmental Challenges
Ensemble ABC
In this session, New England based universities’ key stakeholders will share the work they are doing to spearhead new thinking on environmental public policy, through research, think tanks, and industry and government facing work with the objective of addressing complex, global issues. The panel will also share their thinking about how the packaging industry and sustainability professionals can find avenues of innovative thinking and approach to proactive policy participation.
Speaker
Edwin Ward
Boston College Law School
Moderator
Nina Goodrich
GreenBlue
Speaker
Dr. Janelle Knox-Hayes
MIT
10:00 am - 10:30 am (EDT)
Marquee
Academic Collaborations to Drive Compostable Packaging R&D
Presentation
Monday, September 25
10:00 am - 10:30 am (EDT)
Presentation
Academic Collaborations to Drive Compostable Packaging R&D
Marquee
With compostable packaging poised to grow 17% annually between 2020 and 2027, the need to reduce the gap between lab scale research and live waste streams has also increased. Sonoco FRESH’s advances from launching in 2019 as a platform to address sustainable solutions across the food value chain through partnerships with industry, to its newest initiative to advance compostable packaging R&D have quickly gained momentum. Discover how the vision for Clemson’s campus-wide state-of-the-art Organics Recycling Center incorporates the newly established Sustainable Packaging faculty position and Sustainable Packaging R&D Lab to advance translational research in compostable and biodegradable concepts.
Sponsored by Danimer Scientific
Moderator
Marina Solis
GreenBlue
Speaker
Dr. James Sternberg
Clemson University
Speaker
Anne Q Barr
Clemson University
Sponsored by
10:10 am - 10:30 am (EDT)
Contemporary
Ask Rey
Presentation
Monday, September 25
10:10 am - 10:30 am (EDT)
Presentation
Ask Rey
Contemporary
In this presentation, attendees will get a chance to hear directly from the sustainable consumer of the future and the results from Sterling’s panel of sustainably conscious consumers on the questions SPC Advance attendees submitted prior to the event.
Moderator
Paul Nowak
GreenBlue
Speaker
Mike Bainbridge
Sterling
10:30 am - 11:00 am (EDT)
Ensemble EFG
Networking Break with the Exhibitors
Networking Break
Monday, September 25
10:30 am - 11:00 am (EDT)
Networking Break
Networking Break with the Exhibitors
Ensemble EFG
Sponsored by PepsiCo
Sponsored by
11:00 am - 11:30 am (EDT)
Marquee
A New Carbon Economy: Innovating to a Post Pollution Future
Presentation
Monday, September 25
11:00 am - 11:30 am (EDT)
Presentation
A New Carbon Economy: Innovating to a Post Pollution Future
Marquee
We currently recycle metals, plastics and paper - so why not recycle carbon? There is an abundance of carbon locked in wastes from agriculture, forest, unsorted, unrecyclable municipal wastes and in gaseous byproducts of certain manufacturing processes. Biotechnology enables us to convert carbon pollution into everyday products. Through partnerships with consumer-facing companies such as Unilever, L’Oréal, lululemon, and the Mibelle Group, LanzaTech has demonstrated the opportunity to use ethanol as a platform “CarbonSmart” intermediate in the production of goods including fragrances, cleaning products, plastics for packaging, and fibers for clothing. By recycling carbon into ethanol rather than starting with virgin fossil fuels, the production of everyday products can benefit from a lower carbon footprint.
Moderator
Tom Pollock
GreenBlue
Speaker
Laurel Harmon
LanzaTech
11:00 am - 11:30 am (EDT)
Ensemble ABC
Understanding Maine’s Stewardship Program for Packaging
Presentation
Monday, September 25
11:00 am - 11:30 am (EDT)
Presentation
Understanding Maine’s Stewardship Program for Packaging
Ensemble ABC
Maine passed the nation’s first law extending producer responsibility for packaging to the waste management sector. As of the end of Spring 2023, four states have since enacted similar legislation and others are poised to do so. Maine’s Stewardship Program for Packaging makes producers financially responsible for the cost of waste management of packaging material through a fee system based on the amount and characteristics of each producer’s packaging material. Fees will support municipalities in fulfilling their responsibility to provide waste management for packaging material and otherwise promote a circular economy for packaging material. Representatives from Maine’s Department of Environmental Protection will outline Maine’s Stewardship Program for Packaging, with an emphasis on the role of producers and compliance in conjunction with laws in other jurisdictions.
Moderator
Michelle Carvell
Lorax EPI
Speaker
Elena Bertocci
Maine Department of Environmental Protection
Speaker
Jessica Nadeau
Maine Department of Environmental Protection
11:00 am - 11:45 am (EDT)
Ensemble D
The Role of Specialty Recycling Programs as a solution to Hard-to-Recycle Packaging
Panel
Monday, September 25
11:00 am - 11:45 am (EDT)
Panel
The Role of Specialty Recycling Programs as a solution to Hard-to-Recycle Packaging
Ensemble D
Specialty pickup services are innovative services, working to increase what’s possible to recover in curbside collection in an effort to satisfy the demand from consumers to divert more waste. These emerging services pick up items such as plastic film, clamshell containers, polystyrene foam, batteries, light bulbs and textiles from participating members’ homes and transport them to partners who reuse or recycle the materials. In this session we will hear from emerging companies and programs on their experience so far, and where they see this type of recycling programs going in the future.
Moderator
Adam Gendell
The Recycling Partnership
Speaker
Abbie Webb
Casella Waste Systems, Inc.
Speaker
Gerrine Pan
Ridwell
11:00 am - 11:45 am (EDT)
Contemporary
We can’t recycle our way out of climate change…so let’s broaden our messaging and on-pack claims
Presentation
Monday, September 25
11:00 am - 11:45 am (EDT)
Presentation
We can’t recycle our way out of climate change…so let’s broaden our messaging and on-pack claims
Contemporary
According to Shelton Group’s latest global Eco Pulse® data, 78% of people in the 12 countries surveyed believe that climate change is occurring and caused by man, and 86% believe that greenhouse gas emissions are causing climate change. Who do people hold accountable for solving the problem? Big companies. 77% of people around the world (and 66% of America’s population) hold companies strongly-very strongly responsible for changing their practices to positively impact the environment. Yet when we ask what messages resonate with consumers and will drive purchase intent, the answers are all around recycling and recyclable products, even though belief that recycling actually works is at an all time low. So consumers are essentially saying they want both: tell me how your company is solving for climate AND give me a reason to believe your recycling claims. It’s time to expand the script and appeal to the emerging concerns of climate and its impacts while also telling a believable recycling and recyclability story and motivating people to keep recycling. Suzanne Shelton, CEO of Shelton Group, will dive into these latest insights and share recommendations for successfully expanding your story.
Sponsored by Inno-Pak
Moderator
Karen Hagerman
GreenBlue
Speaker
Suzanne Shelton
Shelton Group, an ERM Group Company
Sponsored by
11:30 am - 12:00 pm (EDT)
Ensemble ABC
Oregon’s Recycling Modernization Act and Implications for Packaging: an Implementation Update
Presentation
Monday, September 25
11:30 am - 12:00 pm (EDT)
Presentation
Oregon’s Recycling Modernization Act and Implications for Packaging: an Implementation Update
Ensemble ABC
Oregon’s Plastic Pollution and Recycling Modernization Act will institute EPR for packaging, printed and writing paper, and food serviceware in the state from July 2025 onward. Besides EPR, the Act encompasses policies intended to modernize the state’s recycling system, address plastic pollution, and reduce the environmental impacts of covered products. This presentation will provide an update on implementation progress and hone in on elements of the Act poised to be meaningful with particular respect to packaging.
Moderator
Michelle Carvell
Lorax EPI
Speaker
Nicole Portley
Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ)
12:00 pm - 1:30 pm (EDT)
Ensemble Prefunction
Lunch will be served for all SPC Advance attendees
Lunch
Monday, September 25
12:00 pm - 1:30 pm (EDT)
Lunch
Lunch will be served for all SPC Advance attendees
Ensemble Prefunction
Lunch will be served for all SPC Advance attendees
Sponsored by Tetra Pak
Sponsored by
1:45 pm - 2:45 pm (EDT)
Ensemble ABCD
Main Stage Session - Day 1 Part 1
Keynote
Main Stage
Monday, September 25
1:45 pm - 2:45 pm (EDT)
Keynote
Main Stage
Main Stage Session - Day 1 Part 1
Ensemble ABCD
1:45- 2:15 pm Opening Remarks
Paul Nowak, Executive Director, GreenBlue
2:15- 2:45 pm Opening Keynote | Future Worlds: Scaling Innovation to Make the World Work for 100% of Humanity
Recent space missions to Jupiter and Mars, the discovery of thousands of exoplanets, and orbital missions to monitor Spaceship Earth will be highlighted. Humanity will become interplanetary, and is on a journey to Mars. We will return human explorers to the moon this decade and onward to Mars in the 2030s. At the MIT Media Lab we are testing advanced technologies for the next giant leaps of exploration.
However, Mars is not ‘Plan B’. Spaceship Earth, our pale blue dot, is the most magnificent planet to inhabit. Earth is speaking to us – are we listening? The past decades reveal the hottest recorded temperatures on Earth since we began measuring global climate 140 years ago. Hundreds of gigatons of ice have been lost in Greenland and Antarctica, and levels of trapped greenhouse gas have reached over 420 parts per million of carbon dioxide. Earth’s vital signs tell a story of a planet in trouble, threatening sea-level rise, ocean acidity and plastic pollution might have disastrous implications for the health of communities worldwide. Actions and solutions to help regenerate to Earth’s oceans, land and air are highlighted in this talk. The collective actions already underway shine a light on a healthier future between humanity and our home planet.
Dr. Newman will discuss research addressing questions such as: How can we reduce harm to our planet and the future prospects of life on Earth? How can we turn the tide to regenerate Earth’s systems while enabling societies to flourish? The urgent challenge is to supply affordable energy, food, and security for sustained life on Earth—for all living beings—by inventing transformative technologies and adapting human behavior at an unprecedented scale at this critical time in history. At the MIT Media Lab, we uniquely combine interdisciplinary expertise—from oceans to space, genetics to cities—and develop artificial intelligence, machine learning, supercomputer visualizations, and powerful experiences to change human behavior. We’ll create transformative technologies, experiences, and systems that address the dual challenge of climate change and energy. The goal is for society to work for 100% of humanity and for all living beings, so they can thrive—here on Earth and in worlds beyond.
Moderator: Paul Nowak, Executive Director, GreenBlue
Speaker: Dr. Dava Newman, Director, MIT Media Lab and Apollo Professor of Astronautics
In this fireside chat, John Fischer from MassDEP will share his organization’s work to advance waste reduction, recycling, composting and the latest learnings from the Massachusetts’ Solid Waste Master Plan and the implementation of the waste and organic food waste bans across the state. Moderator: Paul Nowak, Executive Director, GreenBlue
Speaker: John Fischer, Deputy Division Director for Solid Waste, Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP)
3:35 pm - 3:50 pm TED Talk | Building Food Recovery Infrastructure Through Powerful Partnerships Ashley Stanley and her team at Lovin' Spoonfuls food rescue have been at the forefront of working with food retailers, nonprofits, community groups, elected officials, and more to expand food recovery efforts across Massachusetts. With much of Lovin' Spoonfuls' organizational and operational growth taking place since the onset of the pandemic, leveraging key partnerships has enabled Spoonfuls (New England's largest food rescue) to meet a heightened demand for food while mitigating the effects of wasted food on people and the planet. Speaker: Ashley Stanley, Executive Director, Lovin’ Spoonfuls
3:50 pm - 4:05 pm TED Talk | Waste Makes Haste: How Addressing Waste is Accelerating the Good Business In 2019 U.S. businesses generated approximately 50 million tons of surplus food – the equivalent of 80 billion meals, representing a $244 billion loss across the food service, retail, manufacturing, and farm sectors (ReFED). Massachusetts has been at the forefront of effective wasted food policy and strategy. For over a decade, the Center for EcoTechnology (CET) has delivered the RecyclingWorks MA program, a comprehensive commercial recycling assistance program funded by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection. Lorenzo Macaluso, Chief Growth Officer of CET, will discuss the environmental, economic, and community impacts of reducing our waste, told through the success stories of Massachusetts businesses. Speaker: Lorenzo Macaluso, Chief Growth Officer, Center for EcoTechnology
4:05 pm - 4:20 pm TED Talk | Introducing Innovation: Why We All Need to Track Surplus Food You can’t manage what you don’t measure, and when you’re not measuring, your foodservice organization is likely wasting more than it should be. Historically, waste tracking has been labor intensive and unenforced, leaving a big question mark around not just losses, but true customer preference and organizational profitability. New technological developments, like Phood Solutions, are changing that for the better. In this session, Phood’s VP of Partnerships, Karen Franczyk, will talk about how human-centered technology is driving impact beyond the bottom line with some of the nation’s leading grocers and other prepared food operations. She’ll also look at how best to approach the issue of surplus food in any organization in the most strategic, and mutually beneficial way possible. Speaker: Karen Franczyk, VP Partnerships, Phood
4:20 pm - 4:35 pm TED Talk | #ClothesArentTrash Dan Green, co-founder and CEO of Helpsy, traded in his Wall Street career to work in the rag industry when he and two lifelong friends started the company. Dan will talk about what inspired him to start Helpsy, shed light on the giant problem that is textile waste and what we can do to prevent over 85% of clothing from ending up in the trash. This includes everything from the ins and outs of how Helpsy collects and sorts used clothing, what really happens to used clothing once it's collected, what brands and municipalities can do to help prevent textile waste and share insights on recent mechanical and chemical recycling developments. Speaker: Dan Green, Co-founder and CEO, Helpsy
4:35 pm - 4:40 pm Closing Remarks for the Day
Paul Nowak, Executive Director, GreenBlue
Sponsored by Dow
Moderator
Paul Nowak
GreenBlue
Speaker
John Fischer
MassDEP
Speaker
Ashley Stanley
Lovin' Spoonfuls
Speaker
Lorenzo Macaluso
Center for EcoTechnology
Speaker
Karen Franczyk
Phood
Speaker
Dan Green
Helpsy
Sponsored by
8:00 am - 9:00 am (EDT)
Ensemble EFG
Breakfast
Breakfast
Tuesday, September 26
8:00 am - 9:00 am (EDT)
Breakfast
Breakfast
Ensemble EFG
Sponsored by Clearwater Paper
Sponsored by
9:00 am - 9:45 am (EDT)
Ensemble ABC
How to prepare for compliance to newly passed bills
Presentation
Tuesday, September 26
9:00 am - 9:45 am (EDT)
Presentation
How to prepare for compliance to newly passed bills
Ensemble ABC
Extended Producer Responsibility for packaging and paper products is well underway in multiple states in the US so far, but with a unique program in each state the patchwork of legislation can be difficult to keep up with, let alone comply with. In this session, we will lay out the implementation idiosyncrasies and delve into the details on timelines, action items for producers, and where there might be some similarities between all of these laws.
Sponsored by Clysar, LLC
Moderator
Michelle Carvell
Lorax EPI
Speaker
Scott Cassel
Product Stewardship Institute
Sponsored by
9:00 am - 9:30 am (EDT)
Contemporary
Pathways to Mono-material Flexible Packaging: Key considerations when looking to convert your plastic packaging portfolios
Presentation
Tuesday, September 26
9:00 am - 9:30 am (EDT)
Presentation
Pathways to Mono-material Flexible Packaging: Key considerations when looking to convert your plastic packaging portfolios
Contemporary
A global shift is underway as producers, brand owners, and manufacturers look to convert their flexible plastic packaging away from complex multi-materials toward more mono-material polyethylene and polypropylene structures in order to encourage greater recyclability. These efforts align with The Consumer Goods Forum's Golden Design Rules (GDRs) for Plastics Packaging, as well as guidance published by the Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR). Learn about the challenges, opportunities, potential trade-offs, and other important considerations for moving to mono-material flexible packaging solutions based on the Canada Plastic Pact’s recently published Pathways to Mono-material Flexible Packaging Guidance document.
Moderator
Elizabeth Ritch
GreenBlue
Speaker
Paul Shorthouse
Canada Plastics Pact
9:00 am - 9:45 am (EDT)
Marquee
What’s Next for Reusable Packaging Programs at QSRs
Panel
Tuesday, September 26
9:00 am - 9:45 am (EDT)
Panel
What’s Next for Reusable Packaging Programs at QSRs
Marquee
How can quickserve restaurant (QSR) locations build successful reusable packaging programs while also balancing the reverse logistics, costs, and dine-in versus take-out needs of customers? Reusable packaging in QSR settings requires collaboration with reverse logistics partners and programmatic support to make reuse a highly-convenient option for customers. This session’s panelists will share best practices for restaurants that are looking to expand beyond reusable cup and container pilots and deploy a more standardized approach to reusable packaging.
Moderator
Olga Kachook
GreenBlue
Alison is an experienced management consultant, she also had a fellowship at the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). She is an avid lover of the outdoors and is an experienced sailor who also enjoys biking and hiking. " data-photo-url="https://d5ln38p3754yc.cloudfront.net/presenters/32205871/original/1686231548-5b6ae694c63b18c0.png?1686231548">
Speaker
Alison Rogers Cove
Usefull
Speaker
Ellie Moss
Perpetual
Speaker
Lindsey Hoell
Dispatch Goods
9:00 am - 9:45 am (EDT)
Ensemble D
Advancing Circularity Through Recycling Innovation
Presentation
Tuesday, September 26
9:00 am - 9:45 am (EDT)
Presentation
Advancing Circularity Through Recycling Innovation
Ensemble D
Brands are making voluntary sustainability pledges to increase the use of recycled plastic in consumer packaging, and a growing number of states are requiring the use of recycled content in single-use plastic containers. Despite this increasing demand, the supply of high-quality recycled resins for use by packaging manufacturers falls short. That’s why Republic Services developed its Polymer Center, the nation’s first integrated plastics recycling facility. The Polymer Center is designed to help bridge the gap between curbside collections and manufacturers’ needs, providing a reliable supply of domestically sourced recycled plastics for use in food-grade and other consumer packaging. At full capacity, each Republic Services Polymer Center is expected to produce more than 100 million pounds per year of recycled plastic products, including 100% post-consumer PET flake delivered to the food-grade marketplace to enable bottle-to-bottle circularity.
Moderator
Tom Pollock
GreenBlue
Speaker
Joe Riconosciuto
Republic Services
9:30 am - 10:15 am (EDT)
Contemporary
Design and Performance Innovation in Recyclable Flexible Packaging
Panel
Tuesday, September 26
9:30 am - 10:15 am (EDT)
Panel
Design and Performance Innovation in Recyclable Flexible Packaging
Contemporary
In this session we will showcase success stories in design and performance innovation of recycle-ready, and recyclable flexible packaging, including monomaterials, as well as barrier properties improvements.
Sponsored by Peel Plastics Products Ltd
Speaker
Michelle Sauder
Dow
Moderator
Kaleigh Reno
GreenBlue
Speaker
Nathan Klettlinger
ProAmpac
Speaker
Timothy Kneale
Polyplastics USA
Speaker
Daniel Cluskey
Printpack
Sponsored by
9:45 am - 10:10 am (EDT)
Ensemble ABC
Meet the PRO: What’s Next for EPR Implementation?
Presentation
Tuesday, September 26
9:45 am - 10:10 am (EDT)
Presentation
Meet the PRO: What’s Next for EPR Implementation?
Ensemble ABC
Join Circular Action Alliance, the Producer Responsibility Organization (PRO) recently selected to administer Colorado’s Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) law, for an overview of the organization and next steps toward program implementation in Colorado, California, Oregon and Maine. A representative for CAA will share CAA’s vision for supporting producer compliance with packaging EPR laws across multiple states and working collaboratively with recycling system stakeholders to achieve the objectives of the law and create a circular economy for paper and packaging.
Sponsored by Lorax EPI
Moderator
Nina Goodrich
GreenBlue
Speaker
Olivia Barker
Circular Action Alliance
Sponsored by
9:45 am - 10:30 am (EDT)
Marquee
Using Reverse Vending Machines to Power Your Brand’s Reuse Program
Panel
Tuesday, September 26
9:45 am - 10:30 am (EDT)
Panel
Using Reverse Vending Machines to Power Your Brand’s Reuse Program
Marquee
Vending machines and reverse vending machines, common across Europe and available in US states running deposit return programs for beverage containers, are a promising tool for collecting not just for recyclable, but also reusable, packaging. The vending machines can be a compelling way to manage a number of logistics for reusable systems, including everything from collection, returning deposits, and even cleaning. In this session, reverse vending machine providers, innovators, and CPG brands will share their learnings and the opportunities they see for using reverse vending machines to power tomorrow’s reusable packaging programs.
Sponsored by Orora Packaging Solutions
Speaker
Mike Noel
TOMRA
Moderator
Olga Kachook
GreenBlue
Speaker
Manuela Zoninsein
Kadeya
Sponsored by
9:45 am - 10:30 am (EDT)
Ensemble D
Applying Technology Developments for Increased Recovery and Better Data at the MRF Level
Panel
Tuesday, September 26
9:45 am - 10:30 am (EDT)
Panel
Applying Technology Developments for Increased Recovery and Better Data at the MRF Level
Ensemble D
A vast flow of materials goes through Material Recovery Facilities every day, valuable materials with a great potential to see a second/third/fourth life if recovered efficiently. The advancement of technologies to better process these materials has moved forward significantly and technologies such as robotics, machine learning, AI now have a place and potential on recycling infrastructure. In this session we will hear from key innovators working in the space, and how the role of data and technology can further advance reprocessing and ultimately, recycled content goals.
Sponsored by Recycled Paperboard Alliance (RPA)
Moderator
Jon Smieja
GreenBiz
Speaker
JD (Jagadeesh) Ambati
EverestLabs
Speaker
Rebecca Hu
Glacier
10:10 am - 10:30 am (EDT)
Ensemble ABC
Reuse Policy: Momentum & Opportunities
Presentation
Tuesday, September 26
10:10 am - 10:30 am (EDT)
Presentation
Reuse Policy: Momentum & Opportunities
Ensemble ABC
Sydney Harris, Policy Director at Upstream, will provide a snapshot of the current reuse policy landscape across the local, state, and federal levels with special emphasis on how reuse is playing into EPR and DRS legislation. Walk away with Upstream's policy principles for reuse/refill in EPR & DRS and a fresh take on policy to scale waste prevention through reuse.
Speaker
Sydney Harris
Upstream
10:30 am - 11:00 am (EDT)
Ensemble EFG
Networking Break with the Exhibitors
Networking Break
Tuesday, September 26
10:30 am - 11:00 am (EDT)
Networking Break
Networking Break with the Exhibitors
Ensemble EFG
Sponsored by NatureWorks
Sponsored by
11:00 am - 11:45 am (EDT)
Ensemble ABC
States Leading the Drive for Safer Chemicals and Materials
Presentation
Tuesday, September 26
11:00 am - 11:45 am (EDT)
Presentation
States Leading the Drive for Safer Chemicals and Materials
Ensemble ABC
This year alone, over 30 states considered 260+ policies addressing toxic chemicals like PFAS as well as issues related to plastic pollution in an effort to advance safer alternatives and improve community health. This session will focus on the policy debates, the progress achieved and innovative new solutions on deck for future consideration in state policy forums around the country.
Moderator
Elizabeth Ritch
GreenBlue
Speaker
Cindy Luppi
Clean Water Action and Clean Water Fund
11:00 am - 11:30 am (EDT)
Ensemble D
Advancing residential recycling for hard-to-recycle plastic films through bold new collaboration
Presentation
Tuesday, September 26
11:00 am - 11:30 am (EDT)
Presentation
Advancing residential recycling for hard-to-recycle plastic films through bold new collaboration
Ensemble D
WM and Dow launched a bold new collaboration to improve residential recycling for hard-to-recycle plastic films by allowing consumers in select markets to recycle these materials directly in their curbside recycling. According to The Recycling Partnership, currently, only 1.9% of U.S. households have access to curbside plastic film recycling, which is the plastic material with the lowest overall recycling rate. Once operating at full capacity, this program is expected to help WM divert more than 120,000 metric tons (MT) of plastics film from landfills annually. This effort combines WM’s broad reach as a comprehensive environmental solutions provider with Dow’s leadership in material science to build new infrastructure that is intended to help close existing recycling gaps, driving a more circular value chain in the U.S. for plastic materials.
Sponsored by Charter Next Generation
Moderator
Tom Pollock
GreenBlue
Speaker
Ganesh Nagarajan
Waste Management
Speaker
Adwoa Coleman
Dow
11:00 am - 11:30 am (EDT)
Contemporary
Advancing Sustainability in a Changing World
Presentation
Tuesday, September 26
11:00 am - 11:30 am (EDT)
Presentation
Advancing Sustainability in a Changing World
Contemporary
Sustainability pressure is real. You’re feeling the pinch from all directions: legislative changes, retailer sentiment, and consumer demands. With increasing complexities, how can brands meet these challenges? We’ll talk about how to understand factors such as the regulatory environment, global sustainability groups, retailer strategies, and consumer attitudes are driving the packaging industry to take a more holistic view and innovate solutions that lower carbon footprint, while leveraging the Golden Design Rules. As brands face unprecedented sustainability pressures, they are being challenged to think in new ways and break out of operational silos. This session will include a converter’s perspective from Cheer Pack’s vice president of marketing on how to navigate the sustainability pathway and take a deep dive into innovative new packaging solutions for complex applications, like liquids and sauces. We’ll give facts through life cycle assessments where brands will see data-driven information to help evaluate if their current packaging is positioning their business for next-generation more sustainable efficiencies.
Moderator
Kaleigh Reno
GreenBlue
Speaker
John Wilson
Amcor Flexibles North America
11:00 am - 11:30 am (EDT)
Marquee
Preventing Food Waste, Lowering Costs - The Latest Coatings and Sensors
Innovator Spotlight
Tuesday, September 26
11:00 am - 11:30 am (EDT)
Innovator Spotlight
Preventing Food Waste, Lowering Costs - The Latest Coatings and Sensors
Marquee
Packaging needs to do more to reduce food waste, one of the leading causes of methane-contributing climate change. Coatings and sensors are packaging-compatible tools that more brands and retailers are exploring as a way to eliminate food waste in distribution, retail, and consumers’ homes. Hear from innovators who are tackling food waste with the latest cost-effective technologies.
Moderator
Olga Kachook
GreenBlue
Speaker
Adam Behrens
Mori
Speaker
Yoav Levy
Evigence Sensors
12:00 pm - 1:30 pm (EDT)
Ensemble Prefunction
Lunch will be served for all SPC Advance attendees
Lunch
Tuesday, September 26
12:00 pm - 1:30 pm (EDT)
Lunch
Lunch will be served for all SPC Advance attendees
Ensemble Prefunction
Lunch will be served for all SPC Advance Attendees
Sponsored by CVS Health
Sponsored by
1:30 pm - 3:00 pm (EDT)
Ensemble ABCD
Main Stage Session - Day 2, Part 1
Ted Talk
Main Stage
Fireside Chat
Tuesday, September 26
1:30 pm - 3:00 pm (EDT)
Ted Talk
Main Stage
Fireside Chat
Main Stage Session - Day 2, Part 1
Ensemble ABCD
1:30 pm - 1:45 pm Opening Remarks for the day
Paul Nowak, Executive Director, GreenBlue
1:45 pm - 2:00 pm TED Talk | Turning to Reuse as the Default Strategy
It’s been several years since reuse made a splashy return to the packaging scene, and brands have primarily spent this time testing out refill and return concepts with small-scale pilots. While pilots are an effective way to test-drive concepts, they inevitably identify challenges with consumer adoption. Instead of pilots, what if brands considered reuse as their “default” strategy? We already have “reuse as the default” in certain contexts - at the dentist’s office, hotel bar, and sit-down restaurant. Using this concept in more of the right settings would drive program success, reduce consumer friction, eliminate logistical challenges, and lower costs.
Speaker: Olga Kachook, SPC Director, GreenBlue
2:00 pm - 2:20 pm Fireside Chat with Keurig Dr Pepper
Monique Oxender, Chief Sustainability Officer at Keurig Dr Pepper will discuss how the company engages in strategic collaborations to scale circular solutions for greater impact. She will talk about KDP's sustainable packaging journey and showcase how investments in infrastructure, consumer education, innovative packaging design and precompetitive collaborations are helping the company achieve its ambitious 2025 goals and effect industry-wide change. Moderator: Paul Nowak, Executive Director, GreenBlue
Speaker: Monique Oxender, Chief Sustainability Officer, Keurig Dr Pepper
2:20 pm - 2:40 pm Fireside Chat with Dispatch Goods
In this conversation, Lindsey Hoell of Dispatch Goods will share her company's journey as a leading reusable packaging service provider, including working with major food delivery and meal kit brands like Misfits Market, what they learned from the foodservice ware space, and her advice to brands looking to ramp up their reusable packaging programs. Moderator: Olga Kachook, SPC Director, GreenBlue
Speaker: Lindsey Hoell, CEO and Founder, Dispatch Goods
2:40 pm - 3:00 pm Fireside Chat with Sappi
In this fireside chat, we will learn about the work Beth Cormier is spearheading at Sappi North America, and their focus on wood fiber as a renewable resource, biomaterials creation and its intersection with packaging and specialty papers. Beth will share their commitment to the UN SDGs; the Science Based Targets Initiative and the role of industry collaboration with NGOs. Moderator: Tom Pollock, Director of Strategic Partnerships, GreenBlue
Speaker: Beth Cormier, VP R&D and Sustainability, Sappi North America
Sponsored by Trayak
Speaker
Paul Nowak
GreenBlue
Speaker
Olga Kachook
GreenBlue
Speaker
Monique Oxender
Keurig Dr Pepper
Speaker
Lindsey Hoell
Dispatch Goods
Speaker
Tom Pollock
GreenBlue
Speaker
Beth Cormier
Sappi North America
Sponsored by
3:00 pm - 3:30 pm (EDT)
Ensemble EFG
Networking Break with the Exhibitors
Networking Break
Tuesday, September 26
3:00 pm - 3:30 pm (EDT)
Networking Break
Networking Break with the Exhibitors
Ensemble EFG
Sponsored by Asia Pulp & Paper (APP)
Sponsored by
3:30 pm - 4:30 pm (EDT)
Ensemble ABCD
Main Stage - Day 2, Part 2
Ted Talk
Main Stage
Tuesday, September 26
3:30 pm - 4:30 pm (EDT)
Ted Talk
Main Stage
Main Stage - Day 2, Part 2
Ensemble ABCD
3:30 pm - 4:45 pm Collaboration TED Talks Moderator: Olga Kachook, Director SPC, GreenBlue
Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) is just one of many sustainability related legislative measures increasing globally. Companies are now being forced, through regulations like EPR and government taxation, to act on sustainability. But companies are struggling with where to start. A strong data foundation is the way to take action, quickly. In this presentation, Laura Foti, CO, Specright and Michelle Carvell, COO, Lorax EPI, will discuss the importance of using data and technology to streamline reporting, and ultimately drive innovation. Speakers: Laura Foti, CMO, Specright & Michelle Carvell, COO, Lorax EPI
3:45 pm - 4:00 pm TED Talk | Walking the Talk: Are you prioritizing action over communication?
Net-zero, decarbonization, circularity, almost every company present in this audience has sustainability goals. It’ s on your website, corporate communication and published in your CSR and ESG reports. In spite of this most surveys and market analysis shows that companies are not on track to meeting their sustainability goals. For the last decade, Prasanna has been helping many companies align process people and technology to operationalize their sustainability strategy. Hear from him the critical things necessary for success in meeting your sustainable packaging goals. Hear from their customer about how they are incorporating benchmarking & analytics to gain insight into their packaging portfolio. Hear what works and more importantly what doesn’t.
Speakers: Prasanna Katragadda, VP of Products, Trayak & Camille Herrera, Sustainability Manager, Driscoll’s of the Americas
4:00 pm - 4:15 pm TED Talk | Flexible Packaging Opportunities that Combine the Values of PLA and Amorphous PHA
A unique collaboration between NatureWorks and CJ Biomaterials has resulted in a variety of sustainable product offerings to the packaging industry. Through this collaboration, we are able to combine the high stiffness and strength of PLA with the toughness and ease of biodegradation of amorphous PHA. These unique blends present many opportunities for the flexible packaging industry that is looking for bio-based, fast composting (potentially home compostable) and easy-to-process transparent films. Performance attributes, value proposition and case studies for biaxially-oriented film, blown and cast films will be presented.
Speakers: Deepak Venkataraman, Applications Engineer, NatureWorks, LLC & Raj Krishnaswamy, Vice President - Polymers R&D, CJ Biomaterials
Toothpaste tubes, as a laminated structure, have generally not been recyclable. Over the past several years, various suppliers began to design recyclable tubes and the major toothpaste brands have committed to transition their portfolio to these recyclable tubes by 2025. The challenge now is how to get these tubes, designed for recycling, to be actually collected and recycled in the HDPE stream. We'd like to tell you about the partnership between Colgate-Palmolive and Haleon, and how together we've visioned a world where all tubes are recycled, and are working with a MRF in New Jersey to show how tubes can be successfully integrated into recycling stream. This session will highlight the successes and challenges with the re-design of a ubiquitous format to fit into an existing recycling stream, and close the loop.
Speakers: Anne Bedarf, Sr, Manager - Pkg & Plastics Sustainability, Colgate-Palmolive & Joe Muscat, Sustainability Director, Haleon (formerly GSK)
Sponsored by Trayak
Moderator
Olga Kachook
GreenBlue
Speaker
Michelle Carvell
Lorax EPI
Speaker
Camille Herrera
Driscoll’s of the Americas
Speaker
Deepak Venkataraman
NatureWorks
Speaker
Raj Krishnaswamy
CJ Biomaterials
Speaker
Anne Bedarf
Colgate-Palmolive
Speaker
Joe Muscat
Haleon
Speaker
Prasanna Katragadda
Trayak
Speaker
Laura Foti
Specright
Sponsored by
reserve your spot now
You must be RSVPd to attend this event. If the link to RSVP is full please email spcevents@greenblue.org to be added to the waitlist." data-start-num="86" data-end-num="96" data-date-id="d0366a3dd1a9">
5:30 pm - 8:00 pm (EDT)
Lifted Pool Bar & Lounge - Omni Boston Hotel at The Seaport
Lifted Pool Bar & Lounge Sponsored by Amcor
Evening Social
Tuesday, September 26
5:30 pm - 8:00 pm (EDT)
Evening Social
Lifted Pool Bar & Lounge Sponsored by Amcor
Lifted Pool Bar & Lounge - Omni Boston Hotel at The Seaport
Hosted by Amcor, SPC Advance’s Evening Social at the Lifted Pool Bar & Lounge at the Omni Boston Hotel at the Seaport will be held on the beautiful rooftop pool deck. Enjoy panoramic skyline views, delicious hors d'oeuvres and drinks whilst networking with your fellow attendees.
You must be RSVPd to attend this event. If the link to RSVP is full please email spcevents@greenblue.org to be added to the waitlist.
Sponsored by
8:00 am - 9:00 am (EDT)
Ensemble EFG
Breakfast
Breakfast
Wednesday, September 27
8:00 am - 9:00 am (EDT)
Breakfast
Breakfast
Ensemble EFG
9:00 am - 10:30 am (EDT)
Ensemble ABCD
Main Stage - Day 3, Part 1
Main Stage
Powerful Ideas Talks
Fireside Chat
Wednesday, September 27
9:00 am - 10:30 am (EDT)
Main Stage
Powerful Ideas Talks
Fireside Chat
Main Stage - Day 3, Part 1
Ensemble ABCD
9:00 am - 9:10 am Opening Remarks for the day Speaker: Paul Nowak, Executive Director, GreenBlue
9:10 am - 9:40 am Keynote | Biodiversity and sustainable fiber: Data, tools, and trends for responsible sourcing
Biodiversity loss is rapidly being recognized as a threat to long term economic stability, together with the twin challenge of climate change. Government regulators as well as ESG frameworks are calling for improved accounting of the impacts of corporate activities on biodiversity, and deeper scrutiny of the risks that biodiversity loss poses to private sector economic health.
Dr. Hamilton’s talk will offer ideas on how to identify regions of high biodiversity value and discuss the datasets from global to local that support these assessments. In many regions, such as the U.S. southeast, forest thinning and clearing using best management practices can be consistent with conservation goals. Forest certification standards, such as SFI, also play an important role in responsible fiber sourcing that works to balance species and ecosystem health.
Moderator: Paul Nowak, Executive Director, GreenBlue Speaker: Dr. Healy Hamilton, Chief Scientist, Sustainable Forestry Initiative
Powerful Ideas Talks 9:40 am - 9:45 am The Road to Entirely Fossil-free Paperboard Production
Metsä Board has committed to transition entirely to fossil-free production by 2030. This plan, which has been validated by the Science Based Targets Initiative, supports the goal of limiting climate change to no more than 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, meeting the most ambitious objectives of the Paris Agreement. In this talk, I will discuss our roadmap to achieve zero carbon dioxide emissions. Focus will be on the initiatives being pursued (replacing fossil fuels with renewable energy, energy efficiency measures) and investments being made at our mills (new equipment and machinery), and what impacts they have on overall emissions reduction. The talk will highlight the importance of ambitious target setting and the imperativeness of adapting to a low-carbon future.
9:45 am - 9:50 am Positively Disrupting Carton Packaging
At Tetra Pak, we are on a journey to simplify material structures, using more fiber and less fossil-based plastic. In 2022, we started to test a new fiber-based barrier to replace the aluminum layer in aseptic cartons, in close collaboration with some of our customers. A first pilot batch of single serve packs featuring this industry-first material has been put on shelf for a commercial consumer test mid-last year, with further technology validation scheduled later in 2023.
Speaker: Davide Braghiroli, Packaging Solutions Director, Tetra Pak
9:50 am - 10:20 am Fireside Chat | New Technologies, New Infrastructure: Social and Environmental Justice Considerations
In this fireside chat, Veena Singla from NRDC and Melissa Miles from the New Jersey Environmental Justice Alliance will talk about how environmental nonprofits and community partners work together to navigate the social and environmental justice implications of developing new infrastructure for nascent technologies such as chemical recycling, and how these implications need to be taken into account when evaluating circularity and goals implementation.
Moderator: Dr. Jon Smieja, VP Circularity, GreenBiz Group
Speakers:
Dr. Veena Singla, Senior Scientist, Natural Resources Defense Council
Melissa Miles Executive Director, New Jersey Environmental Justice Alliance
Sponsored by Quad
Moderator
Paul Nowak
GreenBlue
Speaker
Melissa Miles
New Jersey Environmental Justice Alliance
Speaker
Jon Smieja
GreenBiz
Speaker
Dr. Healy Hamilton
Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI)
Speaker
Nathan Pajka
Metsä Board
Speaker
Davide Braghiroli
Tetra Pak
Speaker
Dr. Veena Singla
Natural Resources Defense Council
Sponsored by
10:30 am - 11:00 am (EDT)
Ensemble EFG
Networking Break with the Exhibitors
Networking Break
Wednesday, September 27
10:30 am - 11:00 am (EDT)
Networking Break
Networking Break with the Exhibitors
Ensemble EFG
Sponsored by Sustana Fiber
Speaker
Abbie Webb
Casella Waste Systems, Inc.
Sponsored by
11:00 am - 12:00 pm (EDT)
Ensemble ABCD
Main Stage - Day 3, Part 2
Main Stage
Presentation
Powerful Ideas Talks
Wednesday, September 27
11:00 am - 12:00 pm (EDT)
Main Stage
Presentation
Powerful Ideas Talks
Main Stage - Day 3, Part 2
Ensemble ABCD
Powerful Ideas Talks
11:00 am - 11:05 am Reimagining CPG Packaging Design to Scale Reuse
CPG Packaging has been designed for 1 way shipments. Reuse economics represent a major barrier to scale when it comes to reverse logistics costs. Let’s rethink and reimagine how packaging design can solve this issue!
On a fully finished package, many things effect the recyclability or end of life outcomes - and each component matters. Determining what materials are best can often be an overwhelming task, but at scale - even seemingly small changes matter. I propose to walk through what making informed decisions looks like when it comes to choosing labeling materials (with LCA), and why it matters.
11:10 am - 11:15 am Expanding End Markets Through Collaboration
Key stakeholders working to solve end market acceptance of poly coated paper packaging created the Poly Coated Paper Alliance. Hear how collaboration through organized workstreams can solve a challenge and increase circularity for this type of packaging.
Speaker: Teo Medellin, Director, Packaging Sustainability - Procter & Gamble on behalf of the Poly Coated Paper Alliance (PCPA)
11:15 - 11:45am Presentation + Interview | An Ecosystem Level Approach to Circularity
As we strive to deploy scalable circular models, it is crucial to take an ecosystem level approach to unlock the potential economic and environmental benefits. In this session we will look at guiding principles for packaging design, stakeholder engagement and business model development that will create a thriving circular future.
Moderator: Paul Nowak, Executive Director, GreenBlue
Speaker: Andy Rose, Director of Sustainable Circularity, Indeed Innovation
11:45am - 12:00pm Closing Remarks
Paul Nowak, Executive Director, GreenBlue
Sponsored by Quad
Moderator
Paul Nowak
GreenBlue
Speaker
Chris Bradley
Orora Packaging Solutions
Speaker
Ashley Drew
UPM Raflatac
Speaker
Teo Medellin
Procter & Gamble
Speaker
Andy Rose
Indeed Innovation
Sponsored by
7:30 am - 12:30 pm (EDT)
Offsite Tour Location
Ocean Spray HQ and Bog Tour
Tour
Tours
7:30 am - 12:30 pm (EDT)
Tour
Ocean Spray HQ and Bog Tour
Offsite Tour Location
This tour will begin with a light breakfast at the Ocean Spray office, followed by an informative presentation where you will get to learn about OSC’s sustainability strategy and initiatives. Then, a bus will transport attendees to tour a local bog, where you will get to meet an Ocean Spray Grower-Owner and experience the beautiful harvest! Transportation will be provided.
Tour Registrations are non-transferable and non-refundable.
7:45 am - 12:00 pm (EDT)
Offsite Tour Location
EREMA Tech Center
Tour
Tours
7:45 am - 12:00 pm (EDT)
Tour
EREMA Tech Center
Offsite Tour Location
At the EREMA Tech Center in Ipswich multiple machines are available for customers to test a wide variety of plastic materials for recycling. During the tour for SPC Advance attendees, we will be running post-consumer plastic material and demonstrate how the process works and the kind of quality of processed pellets are achievable. Visitors will get a hands-on experience from the start of the process with a plastic bale, through processing and quality assessment and assurance. Transportation will be provided.
Tour Registrations are non-transferable and non-refundable.
8:20 am - 11:40 am (EDT)
Offsite Tour Location
FULL - Keurig Dr Pepper HQ R&D Tour and Coffee Tasting
Tour
Tours
8:20 am - 11:40 am (EDT)
Tour
FULL - Keurig Dr Pepper HQ R&D Tour and Coffee Tasting
Offsite Tour Location
THIS TOUR IS FULL This visit will include both a tour, tasting and brief overview of sustainability at Keurig Dr Pepper. The tour portion of the visit will include the R&D facility, which will highlight coffee and appliance prototyping and testing. Then, there will be a curated coffee tasting to allow guests to experience a variety of coffee flavors that Keurig’s Green Mountain Coffee Roasters brand offers, as well as a deep dive with members of our product development team and a sensory scientist into the importance of packaging to preserve and ensure the taste and quality of coffee. We will also feature the opportunity to experience the latest innovations in the home brewing space, and give a brief overview of KDP’s sustainability initiatives. Transportation will be provided.
Tour Registrations are non-transferable and non-refundable.
8:30 am - 11:30 am (EDT)
Offsite Tour Location
Black Earth Compost
Tour
Tours
8:30 am - 11:30 am (EDT)
Tour
Black Earth Compost
Offsite Tour Location
Come see the new compost facility being built by Black Earth Compost! Black Earth breaks down food scraps, leaves and compostable packaging, collected from residents, schools, supermarkets, colleges, and more, all across Eastern MA and RI. Since their start in 2011, Black Earth has steadily grown to become the leading full service compost company in New England. They are also the only vertically integrated company that composts the material too, returning it to customers and selling it in garden centers across Massachusetts and Southern New Hampshire. Black Earth only accepts compostable packaging by BPI, CMA or TUV, and has also done annual testing on PFAS. They are actively looking for distribution partners to supply our customers with certified, PFAS free compostable packaging. Transportation will be provided.
Tour Registrations are non-transferable and non-refundable.
8:40 am - 12:20 pm (EDT)
Offsite Tour Location
FULL - Waste Management Billerica MRF
Tour
Tours
8:40 am - 12:20 pm (EDT)
Tour
FULL - Waste Management Billerica MRF
Offsite Tour Location
THIS TOUR IS FULL The WM Billerica MRF is a 280k SF recycling facility serving Northeastern Massachusetts and Southern NH. The facility processes over 100k tons of Residential and Commercial recyclables each year. Questions about what is recyclable in the curbside bin, or whether recycling is real, or where it all goes? Look no further than WM’s Billerica Recycling Facility. Visitors will have the opportunity to see how mixed recyclables are sorted and baled for sale into the commodities markets, where they will be turned into new products. Transportation will be provided.
Tour Registrations are non-transferable and non-refundable.
8:45 am - 11:40 am (EDT)
Offsite Tour Location
Breakfast and Boston Duck Tour Experience presented by Sappi
Tour
Tours
8:45 am - 11:40 am (EDT)
Tour
Breakfast and Boston Duck Tour Experience presented by Sappi
Offsite Tour Location
Sappi is a global renewable resource company that converts wood fiber into environmentally sustainable packaging and papers used as alternatives to single-use plastics and other fossil-based, nonrenewable materials. SPC Advance attendees will get a chance to learn about Sappi’s sustainability commitments and alignment with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, their approved Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) to reduce emissions, and how they are tracking to their goals.
Following breakfast, guests can experience an 'introDUCKtion to Boston' by hopping aboard a Boston Duck Tour. 'Enjoy a fully narrated and guided, historic tour of Boston in a 'DUCK', a W.W.II style amphibious landing vehicle that travels on land and water... You’ll cruise by all the places that make Boston the birthplace of freedom and a city of firsts, from the golden domed state House to the Boston Common, the historic North End to fashionable Newbury Street, Quincy Market to the Prudential Tower, and more. Just when you think you’ve seen it all, it’s time for a Big Splash as your ConDUCKtor drives the DUCK right into the Charles River for a breathtaking view of the Boston and Cambridge skylines.'
Transportation will be provided.
Tour Registrations are non-transferable and non-refundable.
Sponsored by Sappi
Sponsored by
8:50 am - 11:00 am (EDT)
Offsite Tour Location
Fenway Park Tour
Tour
Tours
8:50 am - 11:00 am (EDT)
Tour
Fenway Park Tour
Offsite Tour Location
Since 1912, fans have flocked to Fenway Park to watch the home team play in the heart of Boston. It is referred to as, "America's Most Beloved Ballpark" by Major League Baseball and sports enthusiasts. Home to Red Sox Legends, Williams, Yaz, Fisk, Rice, and Pedro to name a few. Take in the magnificent view atop the fabled Green Monster, standing 37 feet 2 inches high, overlooking left field. Let our experienced tour guides lead you through the hallowed walls and legendary moments of historic Fenway Park. Join us not only to see this iconic century-old baseball stadium in the flesh, but also to hear about its history, closed-loop systems and sustainability efforts implemented throughout the park.
9:05 am - 11:45 am (EDT)
Offsite Tour Location
Rose Kennedy Greenway Conservancy Walking Tour
Tour
Tours
9:05 am - 11:45 am (EDT)
Tour
Rose Kennedy Greenway Conservancy Walking Tour
Offsite Tour Location
Explore The Greenway with a walking tour of this contemporary public park in the heart of Boston! Learn about the history of The Greenway, our ecological approach to horticulture, and sustainability and climate resilience efforts while walking through a beautiful urban park! Transportation will be provided.
Tour Registrations are non-transferable and non-refundable.
9:30 am - 12:00 pm (EDT)
Offsite Tour Location
Wellesley Recycling and Disposal Facility
Tour
Tours
9:30 am - 12:00 pm (EDT)
Tour
Wellesley Recycling and Disposal Facility
Offsite Tour Location
Wellesley Recycling and Disposal Facility is a source separated facility that helps to give items a second life and keep them out of landfill. Now prohibited from trash disposal, nearly 100% of textiles, mattresses, old T-shirts and socks, footwear, curtains, sheets and stuffed animals donated to Wellesley RDF are reused or recycled. Join us on our trip to the Town of Wellesley and see this operation with over 30 sorts for yourself! Transportation will be provided.
Tour Registrations are non-transferable and non-refundable.
