Telles™, the joint venture between Metabolix, Inc. (NASDAQ: MBLX) and Archer Daniels Midland Company, today announced that Ball Innovations, a business unit of Ball Horticultural Company, received a 2010 Greener Package Award for its SoilWrap® plantable container made with Mirel™ bioplastic. In addition, both Mirel and SoilWrap are listed on the USDA Biopreferred program, which designates biobased products that are preferred for purchase by Federal agencies and their contractors.
Made with Mirel, SoilWrap is a biobased, plantable, biodegradable alternative to petroleum-based plastic plant pots. In addition to eliminating waste, internal and commercial grower trials have shown that the superior drainage and gas exchange permitted by the bottomless SoilWrap design allows many species of plants to grow more quickly than in conventional pots. Mirel also provides a more durable container than other natural fiber pots and its physical properties allow it to be easily printed with brand messaging and UPC barcodes for attractive on-shelf appearance.
The second annual Greener Package Awards were sponsored by Summit Publishing’s GreenerPackage.com. The program aims to recognize the consumer packaged goods companies, suppliers and individuals that have helped move the packaging community toward greater sustainability throughout the year.
“SoilWrap is a prime example of a product that not only leverages Mirel’s ability to biodegrade in soil and also provides added convenience and value to the consumer,” said Robert Engle, Telles general manager. “We are thrilled to be recognized with our partner Ball for developing innovative packaging that meets a significant need in the horticulture market. Mirel-based bioplastics continue to be introduced across a number of industries, from packaging to consumer goods, to meet the growing demand for reducing packaging and waste sent to landfills.”
“We are in an industry that is by nature focused on the environment, so bringing a product to market that decreases waste and offers superior performance is a huge win for us,” said Greg Trabka, product development manager, Ball Horticultural Company. “When developing SoilWrap, Ball recognized the need for a bioplastic resin that responded to the issue of unnecessary waste, maintained its performance integrity through the production cycle to the retail shelf, and met environmental certification standards. Mirel was the only biobased, biodegradable offering that met all of our business needs and we look forward to growing our relationship with Telles on future product endeavors.”
Ball plans to increase SoilWrap distribution through its grower customers in North America and to independent garden centers and mass market retailers beginning in spring 2011. SoilWrap is available in a 3.5 inch design and the company plans to produce a 4.5 inch product.
SoilWrap and the rest of the 2010 class of Greener Package Award winners will be on display in the The Showcase of Packaging Innovations® at Pack Expo International 2010, taking place from Oct. 31 to Nov. 3 at McCormick Place in Chicago, Illinois.
Source: http://www.ballhort.com/