The Plastics Industry Association (PLASTICS) announced the winners of its 2025 Plastic Sustainability Innovation Awards, recognizing outstanding innovations in plastics manufacturing that deliver environmental advantages in design, material, and end-of-life management. 聽PLASTICS鈥� Senior Vice President of Sustainability and Policy, Patrick Krieger, congratulated the winners, stating: 鈥淐ongratulations to all this year鈥檚 winners. These companies represent the innovation driving the plastics industry forward and advancing sustainability. Their achievements are a testament to the incredible progress being made across our industry.鈥�
Sustainable Innovation in Design Award
PureCycle is the winner of the design award for PureFive鈩� resin. PureCycle uses a dissolution recycling process developed by The Procter & Gamble Company (P&G) that separates color, odor, other plastics, and additives from PCR polypropylene waste feedstock to transform it into PureFive鈩� resin. This purification process helps close the loop on recycled plastics while making recycled polypropylene more accessible at scale to companies seeking more sustainable materials in their products. In 2024, PureFive鈩� resin was successfully used in fiber, injection molding, and thermoforming applications.
鈥淧ureCycle is honored to receive this award from the Plastics Industry Association,鈥� said Tamsin Ettefagh, Chief Sustainability Officer and Vice President of Government for PureCycle Technologies. 鈥淭he path to solving the plastic waste problem is paved with innovations, and our team at PureCycle is proud to be part of that solution. With our dissolution-based recycling process, we鈥檙e focused on providing a sustainable, drop-in solution that empowers our customers to achieve their sustainability goals.鈥�
Sustainable Innovation in Materials Award
GreenMantra Technologies is the winner of the materials award for its CERANOVUS庐 specialty polymer additive. GreenMantra has developed the first commercially scaled molecular recycling technology, converting 100% waste plastics into high-performance synthetic waxes and polymer additives. Unlike standard recycled plastics, CERANOVUS庐 additives are molecularly engineered through a proprietary process that breaks down long carbon chains in recycled polyolefin plastics into tailored shorter-chain polymers and waxes. The result: functional additives that enhance product performance, improve manufacturing efficiency, and drive greater sustainability. By seamlessly integrating into existing manufacturing processes, CERANOVUS enables industries to incorporate more recycled content while maintaining鈥攐r even improving鈥攎aterial quality.
鈥淲e are thrilled to receive the Plastic Sustainability Innovation Award,鈥� said GreenMantra Technologies鈥� CEO, Domenic Di Mondo. 鈥淭his recognition highlights the incredible work of the GreenMantra team and the real-world impact of our CERANOVUS polymer additives. With proven commercial success in roofing, paving, and drainage pipe applications, and clear environmental and market benefits, this innovation is reshaping how recycled materials are used in critical infrastructure. It鈥檚 a powerful example of how manufacturers can reimagine product formulations to enhance performance, improve processing efficiency, and advance their sustainability goals. We鈥檙e proud of what we鈥檝e accomplished and energized by the opportunities ahead.鈥�
Sustainable Innovation in End-of-Life Award
Greyparrot is the winner of the end-of-life award for its Greyparrot Analyzer. The Analyzer is an AI-powered waste analytics system that revolutionizes plastic recovery by providing real-time data on material composition in sorting facilities. Using advanced computer vision, the Analyzer identifies and categorizes waste on conveyor belts, enabling operators to optimize infeed blends, improve product quality, and reduce residue loss. With 140 units deployed across 55 facilities globally, the Analyzer has identified millions of dollars in recoverable plastics previously lost to landfill.
鈥淒ata is the missing link in unlocking a truly circular economy for plastics,鈥� said Gaspard Duthilleul, COO at Greyparrot. 鈥淥ur AI waste analytics systems are introducing unprecedented waste data analytics at scale, to benefit the waste value chain. That insight is helping the waste sector recover plastic more profitably, and helping brands measure and improve their packaging鈥檚 recoverability. This award is a powerful recognition of the role waste intelligence has to play in transforming plastic waste from a global pollutant into a valuable resource.鈥�
Leadership in Sustainability Innovation Award
The Leadership Award, presented to the company with the best overall score across the three categories, was awarded to Plastipak for their PPK Natura material. PPK Natura utilizes CarbonSmart鈩� MEG, a technology derived from waste carbon emissions through a proprietary carbon capture and transformation (CCT) process. In this process, industrial carbon emissions鈥攕uch as those from steel mills or other carbon-intensive industries鈥攁re captured and converted into ethanol. The ethanol is then processed into monoethylene glycol (MEG), a key building block for PET resin. MEG is combined with terephthalic acid to create PPK Natura, a high-performance PET resin with the same properties as virgin fossil-based PET. The result is a fully recyclable material that retains the technical integrity required for a variety of packaging applications.
鈥淲e鈥檙e honored that PPK Natura has received the Plastics Sustainability Innovation Award,鈥� said Plastipak鈥檚 Executive Managing Director Europe, Pedro Martins. 鈥淎t Plastipak, we鈥檙e committed to packaging and recycling innovation that reduces environmental impact. Through the use of renewable electricity and forward-thinking design, we鈥檙e driving progress in carbon reduction and fossil resource conservation while helping our customers reduce Scope 3 emissions. PPK Natura is a testament to our leadership in sustainable packaging. This cutting-edge PET resin is made from carbon waste and delivers the same high performance as virgin PET鈥攂ut with a lower carbon footprint. This award reinforces our commitment to a more sustainable future鈥攁nd we鈥檙e just getting started.鈥�
People鈥檚 Choice Award
SnapSlide is the winner of the People鈥檚 Choice Award for their SnapSlide RX Vial. This product聽redefines pharmaceutical packaging by combining child resistance with one-handed accessibility鈥攁n industry first. Designed to empower individuals with limited dexterity, SnapSlide eliminates the struggle of traditional push-and-twist closures while maintaining CPSC-certified child safety. Beyond accessibility, SnapSlide advances sustainability, using 25% less plastic than conventional vials while increasing shipping efficiency by approximately 20%.
鈥淲e are honored to receive this聽award. SnapSlide represents what鈥檚 possible when sustainability and accessibility are treated as equal priorities鈥攑ractical solutions that serve more people, with less impact on the planet,鈥澛爏aid SnapSlide CEO Rocky Batzel.