In line with its Impact 2025 sustainability strategy, Berry Global has introduced a variety of sustainability initiatives into its agricultural business to reduce the environmental impact of its products and operations. These are focusing on four key areas – improved recyclability, reduced carbon footprint, reduced fodder losses and the incorporation of recycled content.
The company’s latest Film&Film (F&F) systems, where baler film is used to bind a bale before it is wrapped, not only deliver improved silage quality but allow easy recycling. This is because the baler and stretchfilm are made from the same material, meaning net and stretchfilm no longer need to be separated. In addition, F&F bales provide greater overall protection to minimise unnecessary fodder loss and waste.
Berry also offers Clingseal, a thin and flexible vacuum sheet beneath silage sheets that creates a close-fitting barrier to significantly reduce top and shoulder losses from aerobic spoilage.
Another sustainability initiative has seen Berry agriculture make significant strides in the downgauging of its films, some of which now use almost 20% less film to wrap a bale. As well as reducing the amount of material required to manufacture the film, the greater reel length that often comes with downgauged films enables the production of extra bales per reels. This can reduce the amounts of cores and packaging required, particularly for large volume users, and reduces transport requirements which can result in lower emissions.
In addition, Berry is leading the drive to incorporate recycled material into its agricultural stretchfilms. These feature Sustane®, a range of premium sustainable polymers made from recycled plastic that is unique to Berry. Sustane® is produced from post-consumer packaging and promises the highest levels of technical performance, consistency, traceability and quality. As films with recycled content can also be recycled, these provide a fully circular solution.
“Our Impact 2025 strategy underlines the vital importance of sustainability throughout Berry’s operations,” commented Bart Geeraert of Berry agriculture.
“For the agriculture sector, we will continue to develop sustainable solutions that balance the need for care of the environment with ensuring they deliver effective protection that avoids crop spoilage and delivers the highest yields.”
Learn more about our range of agricultural film and crop protection products, discover further information about Berry's other sustainability initiatives and environmental strategy.