BillerudKorsnäs (Sweden), a sustainability leader in the global packaging industry and provider of packaging solutions, is encouraging action against ocean litter in a series of just-announced U.S. events, in theme with this year's World Oceans Day. The Swedish company has outlined an ambitious mission to challenge conventional packaging and bring more sustainable practices to the industry.

"Between the growing chorus from consumers to address single-use packaging waste to reports from ocean researchers on declining ocean health, the problem of ocean litter has reached critical awareness," said Peter Malmqvist, BillerudKorsnäs marketing director, Americas. "What we need now is collaboration for sustainable development."

BillerudKorsnäs will bring together business leaders and consumers in a series of U.S. events as part of its mission to challenge conventional packaging, as well as its partnership with Tara Expeditions Foundation, a floating research institute studying the ecological crisis in the oceans on a globe-traversing schooner.

Events and meeting places for a sustainable future include:

• Challenge 2018, Portland (July 8-9): BillerudKorsnäs partners with the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI) to host public tours of Tara Expeditions' vessel
• Business and community leaders convene to explore how science and sustainability can improve environmental conditions through innovation in packaging
• Challenge 2018, New York (September 19-21): BillerudKorsnäs and Tara Expeditions Foundation sail to the East Coast to host a series of tours and talks on packaging sustainability, consumer preferences and brand loyalty
• Challenge 2018, Boston (September 26-28): BillerudKorsnäs, in cooperation with the Sustainable Packaging Coalition and Tara Expeditions Foundation, host industry education and networking events in conjunction with SPC Advance (members-only event).

In addition, the events will address findings from a global panel of more than 3,000 consumers in 16 megacities on consumer attitudes toward sustainability, which found ocean litter among the top three concerns. The survey also found that consumers are willing to change their behavior in order to create a more sustainable future in their cities.

"Together with researchers, the business community and politicians, we can achieve more sustainable development," said Malmqvist. 

BillerudKorsnäs also has a program to help global brand owners gain control of their Asia-Pacific packaging needs while achieving significant operational and environmental savings.

"For instance, brands can realize up to 40% savings in freight shipping costs by minimizing air – unnecessary space – in corrugated containers," notes Tor Lundqvist, Head of Americas, Corrugated Solutions. "This makes for a smarter supply chain and is one piece to the sustainable packaging puzzle."

BillerudKorsnäs' climate goals have been approved by the Science Based Targets initiative, which was initiated by the UN, WWF and the World Resources Institute, to assist the world's companies adopt climate targets in accordance with the United Nations' Paris Agreement.

Earlier this year, BillerudKorsnäs, in collaboration with LafargeHolcim, also introduced the D-Sack, a dissolvable sack for cement and other construction materials. Similar to detergent pods tossed into washing machines, this innovative paper sack gets tossed into cement mixers with its content and dissolves during the mixing process, thus minimizing cement waste, eliminating packaging waste and ensuring a cleaner, safer and healthier workplace. 

The D-Sack demonstrates how challenging conventional packaging can positively reduce litter and support a more sustainable future.