Ahold Delhaize USA looks to turn grocery plastic into new packaging

Ahold Delhaize USA, in collaboration with ExxonMobil, Cyclyx International and Sealed Air, took part in a successful demo where plastic waste was collected from grocery stores, diverting it from landfills, ExxonMobil announced in a statement on Thursday.

Food Lion, a leading Ahold Delhaize USA banner, supported the initial pilot, collecting plastic waste for recycling at select store locations.

ExxonMobil's Exxtend technology for advanced recycling breaks the plastic waste into its molecular building blocks and attributes the certified-circular share via mass balance accounting, the plastic waste was converted to new food-grade packaging.

Following a viable test, the process is now being evaluated for scale, ExxonMobil said in a statement.

"This project helps demonstrate how Exxtend technology can widen the range of plastic materials that can be recycled while delivering certified-circular polymers with the critical performance attributes of virgin plastic," said Dan Moore, VP of Polyethylene at ExxonMobil, in a statement. "Advanced recycling is making the impossible possible and is an important enabler to support a circular economy."

Ahold Delhaize USA echoed positive feedback regarding the results of the initial pilot.

"Across Ahold Delhaize USA companies, we have ambitious goals around recyclable and reusable packaging," said Adam Springer, manager of product and sustainability at Ahold Delhaize USA. "Based on the initial pilot, we're optimistic about being able to leverage this process at additional scale and look forward to exploring it further as part of this collaboration."

Brittni Furrow, VP of health and sustainability for Ahold Delhaize USA, told WGB last year following the announcement of the multi-industry engagement that this partnership has the potential to radically change the way retailers and manufacturers leverage food-grade recycled plastics.

“This is a partnership that we are excited about because our company has been committed to helping to solve the plastic conundrum for a while,” Furrow said. “We have ambitious goals around recyclability and recycled content and reusable packaging.”