Celebrate Zero Waste Week: How Sabert is Leading the Charge in Sustainable Operations

As Zero Waste Week wraps up, we wanted to spotlight Sabert's commitment to sustainability and waste reduction. From integrating post-industrial waste back into our manufacturing lines to segregating waste streams by type, we're dedicated to reducing our environmental footprint. Our approach begins at the drawing board, with a "smart from the start" design philosophy that prioritizes end-of-life sustainability for our products, considering key metrics to lower greenhouse gas emissions and waste. And with initiatives like Nuvida, which diverts waste from landfills, we're not just dreaming of a sustainable future—we're actively creating it.

Here's a closer look at our commitment to Zero Waste.

Reduce: Optimizing for Efficiency

As our first line of defense, our facilities avoid waste generation by optimizing operating conditions to reduce line scraps and employing best practices to ensure finished goods meet specifications. To further reinforce our commitment to building a zero waste culture, our resin facilities have signed the Operation Clean Sweep pledge to eliminate resin loss to the environment.

Reuse: Post-Industrial Waste Integration

Integrating post-industrial waste into our manufacturing processes is central to Sabert's zero waste mission. By reclaiming waste generated during production, we not only reduce the volume of waste sent to landfills but also enhance our resource efficiency. This approach involves reprocessing materials that would otherwise be discarded, transforming them back into valuable inputs for new products.

Recycle: Waste Diversion from Landfills

Our disciplined stage-gate process ensures waste is managed at every step, leading to smarter resource use. Our waste streams are segregated by waste type at all plants to prevent contamination thereby improving reuse and recyclability of waste streams. To further support our efforts, Nuvida, our fully owned recycling facility in New Jersey, produces high quality resin from post-consumer waste that can be used for food packaging and other applications. In 2023, we continued to recycle hard-to-recycle post-consumer waste like plastic bottle caps, and we implemented new technologies to recycle post-consumer plastic bottle labels. Since 2019, over 27,700 MT of PCR waste has been recycled at Nuvida.

Reinvent: Smart Design for Sustainability

Our approach begins with our "smart from the start" design philosophy, which prioritizes sustainability throughout the entire product lifecycle, from conception to disposal. This holistic view allows us to create packaging solutions that are functional, attractive, and environmentally responsible. By focusing on recyclability and compostability, we create packaging that is easier to process at the end of its life. Additionally, our innovation pipeline keeps us at the forefront of sustainable design, with 75% of our new product launches meeting strict sustainability criteria.

Download our 2023 Sustainability Report to learn more about our efforts.