Crazy About Packaging: Conversations with the C.A.P. Pack

Season 3, Episode 9: AI and Recycling Systems

🤖 In this episode of Crazy About Packaging, the C.A.P. Pack — Natalie, Mike, and Jonathan — are joined by Joe Castagneri, Director of Software at AMP, to break down how AI is changing the way recycling systems work. From computer vision to robotic sortation, this episode looks at what actually happens inside a recycling facility and how smarter systems can recover more material without relying on perfect consumer behavior. 🔍 Tune in to explore: * How AI-powered sortation identifies and separates materials in real time * Why recycling is not just a system, it’s a business with real constraints * The difference between AI used for recycling and the tools most people know today * How better sorting improves bale quality and makes materials more valuable * What happens when AI is used to recover recyclables before they reach landfills 🎯 If you’ve ever questioned whether recycling really works (or what it takes to make it work better) this episode gives you a clear look inside the system. 🎧 Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or our website. Follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram, and send us your questions at icpg@impactgroup.co. Subscribe so you don’t miss what’s next — we’ll see you in the next episode!

Season 3, Episode 8: Advanced Recycling and the Future of Polypropylene

♻️ In this episode of Crazy About Packaging, the C.A.P. Pack — Natalie, Mike, and Jonathan — are joined by Tamsin Ettefagh, Chief Sustainability Officer and VP of Industry at PureCycle, to talk about one of the biggest questions in packaging today: how do we scale high-quality recycled material, especially for food applications? From advanced recycling to polypropylene supply challenges, this episode breaks down what’s working, what’s not, and what needs to change to make recycled content goals realistic. 🔍 Tune in to explore: * What “advanced recycling” actually means (and how it differs from traditional methods) * Why polypropylene’s versatility makes it both valuable and difficult to recycle * How thermoformed packaging could help improve PP recycling rates * The gap between PCR goals and real-world supply chains * What it takes to create clean, consistent recycled material for food packaging 🎯 If you’re working with recycled content, setting sustainability goals, or trying to understand where advanced recycling fits, this episode gives you a clear look at the full system. 🎧 Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or our website. Connect with us on LinkedIn and Instagram, and reach out at icpg@impactgroup.co with your questions. Subscribe so you don’t miss what’s next — we’ll see you in the next episode!

Season 3, Episode 7: The C.A.P. Pack's Greatest Hits

🎙️ In this episode of Crazy About Packaging, the C.A.P. Pack — Natalie, Mike, and Jonathan — take a step back and revisit some of the packaging challenges that keep showing up again and again. From material swaps to recycling confusion to the realities of running high-speed packaging lines, these are the conversations that come up in almost every packaging project. Instead of chasing the latest trend, this episode pulls together some of our favorite moments from past episodes to highlight the themes that keep shaping real-world packaging decisions. 🔍 Tune in to explore: * Why packaging must protect the product first — and why ignoring that rule leads to failed projects * How small material changes can create big challenges on form fill seal lines * The moment ICPG realized XPP could solve a long-standing problem in FFS packaging * Why recycling systems depend on simple consumer guidance, not complicated rules * The tradeoffs every team faces when balancing performance, sustainability, and cost 🎯 If you're working through a packaging change, chances are you've already run into at least one of these challenges. This episode connects the dots between past conversations and the real decisions packaging teams face every day. 🎧 Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or our website. Follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram, and send us your questions at icpg@impactgroup.co. Subscribe so you don’t miss what’s next — we’ll see you in the next episode!

Season 3, Episode 6: Food Safety Validation in Packaging

🧪 In this episode of Crazy About Packaging, the CAP Pack — Natalie, Mike, and Jonathan — unpack a topic that doesn’t get nearly enough airtime: food safety in packaging. Before a package hits a production line, let alone store shelves, it has to pass a series of tests, audits, and validations to make sure it’s safe. This episode breaks down what that process actually looks like, and why switching materials is never just plug-and-play. 🔍 Tune in to explore: * Why regulatory reviews, migration testing, and seal integrity are non-negotiable for food-safe packaging * What happens when packaging materials interact with food (and why it’s not as simple as checking a box) * How packaging that “works” in theory can fall apart in transit or fail in real-world use * The step-by-step process teams go through when changing packaging materials 🎯 If you’ve ever wondered why packaging changes take months or what really goes into validating a new structure, this episode lays it out. 🎧 Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or our website. Follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram, and email us your questions at icpg@impactgroup.co. Subscribe so you don’t miss what’s next!

Season 3, Episode 5: A Look Back at Packaging and Sustainability in 2025

📦 In this episode of Crazy About Packaging, the CAP Pack — Natalie, Mike, and Jonathan — kick off 2026 by reflecting on the year that just wrapped. What actually changed in packaging and sustainability in 2025? What still needs work? And what should brands be preparing for right now? From PCR availability to shifting regulations to consumer trust in recycling, this episode breaks down where we saw real momentum and where confusion is still holding the industry back. 🔍 Tune in to explore: * Why consumer doubt is one of the biggest threats to recycling success * How 2025 moved the conversation around PCR from theory to reality — especially for PP * What different regions are doing when it comes to policy, and why fragmentation is slowing progress * Why mono-material packaging is gaining ground and what it means for design and manufacturing * The risks of waiting too long — and the importance of building for long-term impact 🎯 If you’re trying to make sense of what 2025 meant for packaging — and what 2026 is likely to bring — this episode lays it out clearly. Less guesswork, more action. 🎧 Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or our website. Follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram, and send us your questions at icpg@impactgroup.co. Subscribe so you don’t miss what’s coming next — we’ll see you in the next episode!