June 24, 2025 (press release) –
New Industry Coalition Forms to Advance Recovery of Small Format Packaging
Arlington, VA – June 24, 2025 – The Glass Packaging Institute (GPI) today announced the formation of the Small Format Coalition, a cross-sector initiative uniting stakeholders across the brand packaging, material processing and recycling value chain to improve the recovery and of small format materials from the recycling system.
These intentionally portioned consumer packaged goods or other associated small items
such as aluminum or plastic caps, capsules, pods, travel size containers or small paper or film bags —are common in daily life but often missed by today’s material recovery systems due to their size. The new coalition, developed in collaboration with Nespresso as its first founding partner, provides a collaborative platform to align efforts across industries to deliver practical, scalable solutions that benefit the entire recovery ecosystem.
“This is a positive and inclusive step forward for all material types,” said Scott DeFife, President of GPI, “These smaller items often end up in the glass residual stream during recycling. While processors work to recover usable glass out of the stream from the primary sorting facilities, there are many other recyclable materials left over that we need to divert from landfills.” Working together on a national level will allow us to maximize recovery, reduce contamination, and increase the value of recycled materials— whether that’s glass, metal, plastic, or fiber products.”
Founding Coalition Members
A Shared Vision For Smarter Recovery
The coalition’s mission is to create a more efficient and circular system for small format packaging by:
- Enhancing and investing in recovery infrastructure to reduce material loss and improve quality
- Sharing and supporting best practices in both packaging and recycling system design
- Developing actionable data for potential inclusion in EPR programs and recycling standards
- Recognizing the role of MRFs and glass processors in capturing value before disposal
Inclusive By Design
The coalition welcomes participation from any organization committed to innovation in materials recovery, whether focused on glass, metals, plastics, fiber, or end-of-life management. Membership is designed to be accessible, with opportunities for technical collaboration, project investment, and policy engagement. The Small Format Coalition is collaborating with organizations like Closed Loop Partners’ Consortium to Recover Rigid Small Plastics and The Sustainability Consortium because of their experience and research in this space.
“Collaboration is essential to close the gap in a circular economy,” Jessica Padula, Head of Sustainability and Vice President of Marketing at Nespresso USA said. “At Nespresso, we use infinitely recyclable aluminum for our coffee capsules, but we can do more to ensure it’s effectively recovered. We're proud to spearhead the development of this coalition of likeminded organizations, helping us make greater progress to minimize waste and reach our goal of raising our global aluminum capsule recycling rate to 60% by 2030."
Join the Effort
This coalition will focus on working together to build a better recovery system across industries. For more information or to become a member, visit www.smallformatcoalition.org or contact Rebecca Thomas – rthomas@gpi.org
About the Glass Packaging Institute
Founded in 1919 as the Glass Container Association of America, the Glass Packaging Institute (GPI) is the trade association representing the North American glass container industry. On behalf of glass container manufacturers, GPI promotes glass as the optimal packaging choice, advances environmental and recycling policies, advocates industry standards, and educates packaging professionals. Follow GPI on X, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn for updates on all things glass. Learn more at www.gpi.org.
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