Plastic and paper waste from product packaging remains an environmental crisis, with millions of tons of packaging ending up in landfills and the ocean every year. Despite growing consumer demand for sustainable alternatives, many companies still struggle to balance eco-responsible packaging with cost, performance, and branding needs. Discover the challenges and opportunities shaping sustainable packaging alternatives on this Best of Earth911 episode featuring Elizabeth Corbett, President of Enterprise Sales at AE Global, a leading packaging maker. Elizabeth helps brands in the cannabis, health & beauty, and consumer goods industries transition to packaging solutions that are both smarter and greener. With over 25 years of experience, she has developed growth strategies and designed sustainable packaging for some of the world’s most iconic brands, including Estée Lauder, Starbucks’ Teavana, and Tiffany & Co. Elizabeth argues that businesses don’t have to choose between aesthetics, functionality, and environmental responsibility—they can have it all.
She also works closely with the Ocean Recovery Group, a pioneering initiative dedicated to collecting, cleaning, and recycling ocean-bound plastics to turn waste into valuable materials in an increasingly closed loop that can eventually eliminate plastic pollution. We’ll also discuss innovations in reusable, recyclable, and compostable packaging and how brands can achieve sustainability without sacrificing cost-effectiveness. Elizabeth suggests the best way to get sustainable packaging widely adopted is to establish rules that require post-consumer materials be used in new packaging. She points to New York’s post-consumer recycled paper bag requirements that changed design decisions for brands across the country. New York, California, Florida, or Texas, four big markets from which no national brand can afford to be absent, could transform the national packaging scene. Join the conversation for a discussion about extended producer responsibility, America’s fragmented, fractured recycling infrastructure, and the benefits brands can enjoy when they lead the way toward green packaging. You can learn more about AE Global at aeglobal.com.
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Editor’s Note: This episode was originally released on March 24, 2025.