Children’s and baby care product company Munchkin will begin using plastics that can not only be recycled but also be naturally broken down if thrown away.
Munchkin will develop products with Smart Plastic Technologies to produce the materials. They will use Smart Plastic’s Eclipse technology that is designed to help polyolefins like polyethylene and polypropylene completely bio-assimilate at the end of its use and can facilitate complete biodegradation of plastic.
Munchkin says considering 91% of plastic isn’t recycled the goal of the development is to consider the complete use of a product from its production through disposal. The company says its products will still be recyclable but if they end up in landfills or waterways they can fully break down, resulting in zero microplastics.
The development will also consider circular manufacturing in producing the materials, the companies say.
Use of sustainable materials and packaging is playing a large role in the efficiency goals of companies. In 2019, toy maker Mattel made a similar commitment to using all recycled, recyclable or bio-based plastic materials in all its materials and packaging by 2030.
The agreement is part of Munchkin’s sustainability goals that include reducing the materials in packaging by 40% by 2025 and to increase the amount of recycled content in the plastics and films it uses by 50% by 2025.
The company is also part of Walmart’s Project Gigaton, which aims to reduce 1 billion metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions from the value chain by 2030. Munchkin says it already has met or surpassed its goals as part of the program and will hit them all by 2025.
The company is also part of the United Nations Global Compact and along with Smart Plastic strives to reach the UN’s sustainable development goals.
Smart Plastic says all of its technologies are designed to alter the nature of plastic, and their products are completely recyclable and FDA approved. Smart Plastic says its sustainable polymer additives can be used in a variety of packaging, single-use plastics and food service items.