Daphna Nissenbaum
- Co-Founder & CEO, TIPA® Compostable Packaging
Israel
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Articles by Daphna Nissenbaum
Compostable Flexible Packaging to Expand its Reach in 2026
Image Credit: Background: Cemile Bingol / DigitalVision Vectors via Getty Images Plus. Headshot: Courtesy of TIPA Compostable Packaging Plastic pollution has reached unprecedented levels, across the globe; 75% of all plastic ever produced has become waste, much of which pollutes the land and waters that sustain life. While plastics are relied on across a wide range of industries—including construction, textiles, and toys—plastic packaging is a unique segment because of packaging’s short lifespan.
Compostable Flexible Packaging to Expand its Reach in 2026
Plastic pollution has reached unprecedented levels, across the globe; 75% of all plastic ever produced has become waste, much of which pollutes the land and waters that sustain life. While plastics are relied on across a wide range of industries—including construction, textiles, and toys—plastic packaging is a unique segment because of packaging’s short lifespan.
Packaging Rules Are Changing – Is Your Business Ready?
The regulations around waste are changing, and businesses that don’t adapt will pay the price—literally. New fees, stricter reporting rules, and hefty financial penalties are already in effect. Under the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) requirements for 2025, U.K. businesses must cover the full cost of collecting, sorting, and recycling the packaging they place on the market.
2025: The Year Compostable Packaging Steps Into the Spotlight
Image courtesy of: Oleksandr Slobodianiuk / iStock via Getty Images Plus; phototechno / DigitalVision Vectors via Getty Images Plus Without significant intervention, global plastic waste is on track to nearly triple by 2060—a sobering reality with dire consequences. Beaches are already buried under plastic debris, marine life is choking on garbage, landfills are overflowing and leaching toxins into the air and groundwater, and microplastics have infiltrated soil and food supplies.
2025: The Year Compostable Packaging Steps Into the Spotlight
Without significant intervention, global plastic waste is on track to nearly triple by 2060—a sobering reality with dire consequences. Beaches are already buried under plastic debris, marine life is choking on garbage, landfills are overflowing and leaching toxins into the air and groundwater, and microplastics have infiltrated soil and food supplies. As the crisis intensifies, these environmental hazards will multiply, posing an ever-greater direct threat to human health.
What If Holiday Packaging Waste Could Be a Resource?
The holiday season is here, bringing with it joy, celebrations— and a mountain of packaging waste. From the flurry of online gift shopping to crowded grocery aisles brimming with supplies for festive meals, the season’s traditions come with an overwhelming amount of packaging waste. Stacks of cardboard boxes, mounds of bubble wrap, and endless plastic film pile up, each adding to the growing environmental strain.
Mandatory Composting Laws Should Extend Beyond The Kitchen
Composting is no longer confined to backyard bins or practiced solely by eco-conscious individuals. It has become an integral part of more waste management systems as nations work to combat global warming and lower their environmental footprints. The UK and France are the latest countries to pass laws that mandate food waste composting systems, joining a growing list of European nations, including Italy, Austria, and Spain, that have enacted similar policies.
A double-win against food waste
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Alberta, Canada Facility to Receive $2.8M in Funding to Turn Waste into Electricity
During the Carbon Capture Conference in Edmonton, it was announced that the Alberta government would grant millions in funding for a facility to turn waste into energy. The facility will use carbon capture to transform municipal solid waste into electricity. The Alberta government has announced it will provide $2.8 million in funding to the facility which comes from Emissions Reduction Alberta, a fund that industry players pay into to offset their emissions.
Report Claims GFL Expected to Start Sale of Environmental Services This Week
According to a CTFN report, GFL Environmental is expected to begin selling its environmental services unit this week due to interest from strategic and private equity firms. The unit has been estimated to be between $6.5 billion and $7 billion by private equity bidders, as mentioned in the initial report. The report mentions the unit has seen interest for the entire business, with GFL also receiving a C$2 billion offer for a 30% stake in the division.
The Role of Packaging in Circular Business Practices
Imagine this: A customer walks into a store and picks up a product packaged in materials that will not simply end up in the trash, further overwhelming our landfills. Rather, after enjoying the product, they are able to simply drop the packaging into a compost bin, allowing it to return to the soil and nourish future crops. This seamless cycle is just one example of the circularity in packaging that can be achieved by closed loop waste systems.
St. Peterburg's Sustainability Director Resigns for Federal Position
The city of St.Petersburg, Fla. is searching for a new sustainability director after Allison Mihalich e-mailed her resignation. Mihalich had only been in the position since 2023. She told city official that she is moving to a role at the national level, but did not specify what that role was. City officials called her an "integral part of the city team." Read the entire article here.
A Financially Viable Alternative to Recycling
Despite widespread consumer participation, the unpredictable nature of the recycling industry presents constant economic challenges. Factors like fluctuating energy prices, shifting market demands, and currency instability cause industry costs and revenues to change frequently, making it difficult for recycling operations to maintain consistent profitability.
Commentary: The World Needs to Turn More Rubbish into a Resource
There is no one-size-fits-all solution to our mounting plastic waste crisis, but with innovative approaches we can turn more of our trash—if not to gold—into beneficial resources that promote circularity. By Daphna Nissenbaum The global waste management system is a complex web of private and commercial waste generators, collectors, sorting facilities, and final disposal sites such as composters, recycling plants, incinerators, and landfills.
Perspective: Cut waste through collaboration, not bans
It is refreshing and exciting to see that policymakers and environmentalists are slowly moving away from single-use plastic bag bans and embracing more comprehensive policies to fight plastic waste. Bans, while well-intentioned, have proved challenging and on their own have failed to reduce the impact of plastic on the environment.
Compostable Plastic Packaging: The Solution to “Fruit Pollution”
Modern agriculture is more than a market full of food products; it’s a modern miracle, producing enough fruits and vegetables to meet a hungry world’s demands. In fact, more than enough; nearly half of all produce grown and sold each year goes uneaten, destined for landfill. Dumping that produce is bad for the environment – but if it, along with the packaging it comes in gets composted, the environment actually benefits.
Legal Cannabis Needs ‘Greener’ Packaging to Nip Waste in the Bud
As the legal cannabis market grows rapidly nationwide, packaging is emerging as a key tool for brands to differentiate themselves. In fact, the market for cannabis packaging is increasing 28.8% a year across the United States. Packaging allows a product to stand out among intense competition, especially with more consumer demand for sustainability.
Cleantech Innovation Always Has Its Naysayers: An Entrepreneur's Guide On How To Push Through Trash Talk Original
Plastic pollution is one of the world's biggest threats – to both the climate and human health. This also happens to be the problem that my company is trying to solve. The enormity of plastic pollution and the vital importance of solving it inevitably means challenges for me as an entrepreneur. That is why perseverance and the right mindset are especially important for entrepreneurs working to develop sustainable solutions, or on other projects in the cleantech sector.
Environmental Solutions Group Announces Further Expansion of Innovative Solid Waste & Recycling Technology Solutions
DOWNERS GROVE, Ill.-- Environmental Solutions Group (ESG), part of Dover (NYSE: DOV) and the leading integrated provider of refuse collection vehicles and equipment, digital fleet technology solutions, waste hauler software, and compaction and recycling solutions, announced the expansion of its Connected Collections® suite with the introduction of Recycling and Waste Facility Contamination Detection technology through its company 3rd Eye®.
Mass Balance Helps Verify Recycled Content Claims
How much recycled content actually goes into a given product? That’s not always easy to ascertain, especially with plastics. Recyclables go through multiple manufacturing steps and, along the way, typically get mixed with fossil-based feedstock. This complicated supply chain scenario is putting heat on brands called on to meet minimal recycled content requirements and to answer to consumers who demand transparency.
Florida County Shuts Down Curbside Recycling Following Massive Cost Increase
Clay County, Fla. is ending its curbside recycling services later this year, upsetting residents. Earlier this month, County Commissioners voted to change the county’s garbage and recycling services, effectively shuttering curbside recycling after October 1. “I like the fact that I felt like I wasn’t filling up the landfill and now I’m going to be filling up the landfill,” said Ann Smith who lives in the area. Officials say the decision to cut curbside recycling is due to increased costs.
Altilium, Synetiq Partner to Improve EV Battery Recycling in UK
UK-based clean technology group, Altilium, and vehicle recycling specialist Synetiq have partnered to recycle EV batteries in the UK. Altilium is a group that focuses on supporting the transition to net zero. Synetiq currently handles damaged EVs and now batteries recovered by the company will be processed at Altilium’s technology center in Devon, UK. The process will work to recover valuable raw materials, such as lithium and nickel for direct use in the production of new batteries.
Canton, Michigan Trustees Approves $26M Contact with Priority Waste
The Canton Township Board of Trustees in Michigan has voted unanimously to approve a five-year, $26 million agreement with Priority Waste. The vote, resulting in a 6-0 decision, took place earlier this month. Priority Waste will take over collection duties from GFL Environmental during the first week of August. The new contract with Priority Waste will extend to July 31, 2029.
EREF Report Reveals Growing Trends and Regional Variations in Composting Practices Across the U.S.
The Environmental Research & Education Foundation (EREF) has recently published a new report, Composting State of Practice: Results from a National Operations Survey, shedding light on the current landscape of composting operations in the United States. Conducted in collaboration with the US Composting Council (USCC) and the Desert Research Institute (DRI), the survey offers valuable insights into the design capacities, production levels, and regional trends in organic material composting.
Lakeland Moves Forward with New Solid Waste Transfer Station, Hopes to Prevent Fleet Damage
The City Commission of Lakeland, Fla. announced it will be moving forward on plans to build a solid waste transfer station in the area. The facility is expected to help save on wear and tear on the city’s garbage and recycling trucks. The 20,000-square-foot facility will be used to collect and sort garbage before compacting and loading it into large containers to be carried by semi-trucks to the Polk County landfill.
Xylem Teams Up with Partners and Communities on Water Security
WASHINGTON, DC, – Currently, more than 2 billion people lack access to safe drinking water, and nearly half of the global population does not have safe sanitation.[1] The UN’s Sustainable Development Goal 6 – ensuring clean water and sanitation (WASH) for all – aims to close this gap.
New York Policy Shapers Push Rigorous PFAS Bill Package
New York has passed several bills cracking down on PFAS, and now policymakers are pushing to further tighten the reins on these chemicals found in thousands of products and associated with multiple health problems. New York already prohibits PFAS in several product types. But new proposed rules would cover a substantially larger group of products and focus on determining where PFAS is coming from in the first place.
Clear Harbors Reports Steady Growth with Q4, FY2023 Financial Results
Clean Harbors, Inc. (Clean Harbors) (NYSE: CLH) released its financial results for the fourth quarter and full year of 2023 (ending on December 31, 2023) today in which both time frames saw modest revenue growth compared to the previous periods in the prior year. “Our Environmental Services (ES) segment capped a year of record growth with an outstanding fourth quarter,” said Mike Battles, Co-Chief Executive Officer.
Recycling Company Ordered to Pay $140.5M in Penalties for Defrauding California’s Bottle, Can Program
State officials have rules that Recycling Services Alliance Inc. (RSA) and its operations manager must pay $140.5 million in total penalties for defrauding California’s Beverage Container Recycling program. RSA required to pay $86.6 million in restitution and interest, ordered by CalRecycle, for illegally filing claims for the California refund value (CRV) on bottles and cans with thousands of fabricated weight tickets.
Site Secured for New $24 Million Recycling Center in Dakota County, MN
Dakota County, located right outside Minneapolis, MN, has acquired the land it needs to build a $24 million recycling facility. The new facility will be located in Lakeville, south of Minneapolis, and will ease the pressure on existing, nearby drop-off centers and address the increased demand for waste and recycling services. The new building, dubbed The Recycling Zone Plus, is being planned in partnership with Scott County to service residents in both counties.
GFL Sees Record Core Pricing in 2023
GFL (NYSE: GFL) (TSX: GFL) released its Q4 and full-year 2023 earnings, citing a record year in solid waste pricing for its continual growth. Solid waste pricing for the full year reached 9.8 percent, the highest in the Vaughan, Canada-based provider’s history, with revenue hitting $7.5 billion in 2023. "Our results for the year demonstrate that our commitment to our strategy is working,” Dovigi stated.
Waste Connections Adds Carl D. Sparks to Board of Directors
TORONTO -- Waste Connections, Inc. (TSX/NYSE: WCN) ("Waste Connections" or the "Company") today announced that Carl D. Sparks has been appointed to its Board of Directors, effective March 1, 2024. "We are very pleased to welcome Carl to our Board," said Ronald J. Mittelstaedt, President and Chief Executive Officer.
Ingram Equipment Company Introduces New Brand Partnership
Birmingham, Ala. ─ Ingram Equipment Company (IEC), an environmental, waste management, and commercial equipment company, has launched a new partnership with Air Burners®, the leading manufacturer of air curtain burner systems worldwide. Air Burners systems are used worldwide in the construction industry to support land clearing operations and at landfill sites to help reduce wood waste.
Royal Caribbean Cruises Embrace AI to Reduce Waste
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California Navigates Food Waste Recycling Challenges
California's two-year-old organic waste reduction initiative faces significant challenges as the state struggles to implement food recycling programs effectively, jeopardizing waste-reduction targets. The initiative aims to mitigate methane emissions by diverting organic materials such as food scraps and yard waste from landfills, emphasizing composting or biogas conversion.
U.S. Needs to Advance Compost Infrastructure to Mitigate Climate Change
About one-third of all food in the United States is thrown away; much of this goes into landfills, where it produces large amounts of planet-warming methane. If this were composted instead, these emissions would shrink, and the process would produce compost material that farmers could use on fields, helping to increase crop yields, reduce irrigation needs and absorb carbon from the atmosphere.
Black Friday Was a Dark Day for the Environment. That Has to Change.
Black Friday 2023 was a blowout for retailers, with sales up 8% over last year's figures. But Black Friday was also a “blowout” – in a completely negative context – for the environment. Apparel, electronics, food, and other big shopping season sellers typically come wrapped in single-use plastic – often several layers of it.
Follow King Charles' example to boost composting
It is more than fifty years since King Charles III first raised the alarm about the scourge of plastics on our planet. Way before there was a credible Green Party in the UK, and before most of the rest of the political world took up the challenge, the then Prince of Wales was an environmental warrior at the heart of the British Establishment.
OPINION: 'Why won't the environmental organisations speak out against Hamas?'
Israel continues to live in a nightmare. More than 1,200 people, mainly civilians, were indiscriminately murdered in the 7 October Hamas attacks, many in their homes or while enjoying a music festival. Hamas and other designated terrorist organisations, like Palestinian Islamic Jihad, then seized roughly 240 hostages who were taken into captivity in Gaza.
Why Is The Environmental Movement Silent On The Gaza Hostage Crisis?
On Oct. 7, the world witnessed a major inhuman brutal attack carried out by Hamas. More than 1,200 people were tortured and brutally murdered, in such a way that "terrorism" is too gentle of a word to describe those crimes. Now, more than 230 hostages, from more than 30 nationalities, are being held by this brutal organization. There is no nation in the world that would accept such an attack.
Plastic Pollution Is a Climate Issue. Why Isn’t it on the COP28 Agenda?
If the plastics industry was a nation, it would be the world’s fifth-largest in terms of greenhouse gas emissions. So why isn’t the upcoming United Nations Climate Change Conference, COP28, planning to address the issue of plastic waste and pollution, and explore alternative materials? Plastic is a global climate issue and should very much be on the agenda for the upcoming UN climate summit, COP28, which begins November 30 in Dubai.
Beverage brands experiment with new flavors and ingredients from all over the world.
Beverage innovation dominated the recent Natural Products Expo East show held in Philadelphia. There was everything you’d imagine, from fresh global flavors like tangy yuzu in energy drinks to ready-to-drink (RTD) nonalcoholic cocktails in sustainable packaging. Functional beverages made a big play, too, according to Scott Dicker, market insights director, SPINS.
Dietary Guidelines advisory committee under fire
On this week’s plate: An assessment conducted by a nonprofit organization found more than half of the members on the Dietary Guidelines advisory committee have conflicts of interest; exclusive digital magazine details all happenings at SupplySide West/Food ingredients North America; European Union agency identifies “vitamin D overdose” as emerging food safety risk; and more. At a Glance The Dietary Guidelines for Americans facing scrutiny due to recent report by U.S. Right to Know.
Greenridge expands to meet demand for artisan meats
Building on a long-standing reputation for impeccable sourcing and handcrafted production, Greenridge recently launched a major rebranding and expansion of its all-natural deli meat line. In the 15 years since brothers Sebastian and Michael Madej founded what was formerly known as Greenridge Farms, it’s become one of the fastest-growing meat companies in the Midwest.
Using avocados to create food ingredients
New Zealand produces about 2% of the global supply of avocados, according to New Zealand Avocado. About 10-15% of those are considered process grade, and never hit grocery retailers. That’s where OVĀVO comes in. Nestled between the Tasman Sea and the Pacific Ocean at the top of New Zealand’s northern island are some of the country’s largest avocado orchards. Beneath the orchards is a natural water aquifer.
California bans four food additives, setting precedent
At a Glance AB 418, or California Food Safety Act, sets precedent that could be followed by other states, including New York. Ban takes effect in 2027 and will require food companies to reformulate products or remove them from California market. The Golden State leads the way in food safety with ban on four harmful ingredients, which includes red dye No. 3. California Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel declared victory Oct.
Localized Sustainable Packaging: A True “Virtuous Cycle” for Manufacturers
By Daphna Nissenbaum, CEO of TIPA Corp. Consumers are increasingly seeking sustainability in the products they buy — and are willing to pay more for it. Studies show that at least 65% of consumers worldwide would prefer to purchase sustainable products and services, given a choice, and the large majority would be willing to pay more for “green” options. So it makes sense that companies are increasingly looking for ways to reach the growing number of consumers concerned about sustainability.
Southern growers gear up for sweet potato harvest
Fall is just around the corner, and growers in the Southern U.S. say they expect good quality when the sweet potato harvest gets underway. Despite some early cold weather that delayed planting, Nashville, N.C.-based Nash Produce LLC will begin its harvest in early September and continue through early November as usual, said Robin Narron, marketing director and sales support. “As of now, conditions are around normal for this time of the year,” she said in the second week of August.
FDA appoints EPA veteran to build new Human Foods Program
The FDA has recently named James “Jim” Jones to serve as the first deputy commissioner for the Human Foods Program, a new unified program within the agency that will be tasked with addressing food safety, chemical safety, food product innovations and agtech, according to a news release. The Human Foods Program launch is one response to recent pressure for reform, including a critical Reagan-Udall Foundation report issued December 2022 that urged changes in the FDA.
USDA extends comment period on tomato and pepper virus control options
The USDA is extending the public comment on regulatory policy options to control the spread of the tomato brown rugose fruit virus, or ToBRFV. Comments are being taken on two pathway risk assessments and three potential regulatory policy options for ToBRFV in fresh tomato and pepper fruit for consumption and plant propagative material, including seeds, according to a news release.
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