Flexography’s Sustainable Circular Future: Plates & Packaging
Flexography is the predominant printing technology for the packaging industry and will continue to be, with the innovations made to reduce changeover times and strong economics. One major challenge currently facing the flexographic industry is two-fold: the ability to both recycle plates and printed packaging materials. A transformation is needed to deal with hard-to-recycle multi-layer products and packages.
The creation of a circular pathway for these materials—and all waste—is possible. The Consortium for Waste Circularity (CWC) was formed by industry visionaries based on regenerative gasification technology, a proven and science-based solution. The future is for the industry to align and bring forward such a solution that will end landfills/incineration, end greenhouse gas (GHG) from waste and create eco-methanol as recycled content. We need to get ahead of government regulations such as extended producer responsibility (EPR) as a tax that will not solve the problems, but instead burden the industry.
Join Dr. Welt and Mike as they clarify the problem, share a solution and recommend what the flexographic industry can do.
About Our Presenters
Dr. Bruce Welt, University of Florida
Dr. Bruce Welt is a professor of packaging engineering at the University of Florida. As a chemical engineer with advanced degrees in food science and agricultural & biological engineering, Dr. Welt has expertise in polymer science, food process engineering and packaging. Dr. Welt’s laboratory has made significant contributions in areas of gas permeability test development, supply chain traceability and circular economy sustainability.
Before arriving at the University of Florida, Dr. Welt worked for GE Plastics, Nestlé and co-founded Kariba Farms Inc, a specialty food company. Dr. Welt is a sought-after guest speaker at industry events for his broad knowledge of Regenerative Robust Gasification as a solution to solve the comprehensive issue of waste circularity.
Mike Ferrari, Consortium for Waste Circularity
Mike Ferrari is president of the Consortium for Waste Circularity (CWC), a nonprofit focusing on science-based solutions to return waste into an endless loop of circularity. The Consortium, created by packaging visionaries, is focused on aligning the industry on a long-term goal of transforming municipal solid waste into “eco-methanol” to create an endless loop of circularity, and ending the practice of landfills and incineration.
Mike started his career at The Procter & Gamble Co and completed a successful 32-year career as a global R&D associate director. He delivered initiatives to the marketplace for some of the world’s leading billion dollar brands, including 6.5 years as an international manager living in Germany. Mike has held numerous board positions including at FTA. He is a guest lecture professor at the University of Florida to the Packaging Engineering Program teaching “Consumer-Driven Innovation Methodology.”