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The Hidden Life of Packaging

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We interact with packaging every day—opening a bag of chips, twisting the cap off a soda bottle or grabbing something from the freezer aisle. But how often do we think about everything that package has to do? Probably not very often.

In this episode of Sustainably Speaking, host Mia Quinn heads to an experiential grocery store in Chicago with Anita Budiman of Mars Snacking and John Avolio of Borouge International to unpack the surprisingly complex world of packaging design.

Today’s packages have a big job. They need to protect products, preserve freshness, meet stringent food-safety requirements, perform the way consumers expect—and be designed to be recycled and incorporate recycled content.

And getting all those things right at once isn’t as simple as swapping one material for another.

What You’ll Learn

Mia, Anita and John unpack what goes into designing packaging that protects products, meets safety and performance requirements, and can work within recycling systems.

You’ll hear about:

  • Why recyclability starts with design. Packaging has to work not only for the product, but also within the recycling infrastructure available to process it.
  • Why recycled content is especially complex for food packaging. Materials must meet strict food-safety and performance standards, while brands also need access to a consistent supply of suitable recycled material.
  • How packaging is evolving. From reducing pigments to simplifying multi-layer structures, companies are exploring ways to make more packaging easier to recycle.
  • What consumers can do. The conversation covers practical recycling tips, including keeping caps on bottles and knowing when flexible packaging belongs at a store drop-off location instead of in the curbside bin.

Along the way, you’ll also find out why a soda bottle is more sophisticated than it looks—and why some pets can make recycled-content packaging especially tricky.

The takeaway: everyday packaging involves a surprising amount of engineering, innovation and collaboration.

Press play for a look at what’s happening behind the package.

Guest Bios

  • John Avolio, Value Chain Manager, Borouge International

    John Avolio is the Value Chain Manager for Borouge Internationals’ polyethylene business. In his role, he works closely with brands and retailers to help them meet their 2025 / 2030 sustainability commitments through collaborations with plastics converters and Borouge Internationals’ deep applications development expertise. John’s technical expertise ranges across markets including food and beverage packaging, heavy duty sacks, and e-commerce and other secondary packaging. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Plastics Engineering from Penn State (The Pennsylvania State University).

  • Anita Budiman, Global Senior Manager Packaging Sustainability, Mars Snacking

    Anita Budiman leads packaging sustainability work at Mars Snacking, where she helps steer the company’s commitments to make 100% of its packaging recyclable, reduce plastics use by 25%, and incorporate 30% recycled content across its portfolio. She works on helping design packaging for recyclability from the very first concept, navigating the strict requirements of food contact recycled content, and advancing the infrastructure and shared industry guidelines needed to make circular packaging a reality.

  • Mia Quinn, Senior Director, Public Affairs at American Chemistry Council

    Mia Quinn leads efforts to communicate the plastics industry’s major sustainability initiatives. She works to bring together experts to share insights in key areas of sustainability, including public policy, product design, recycling, and infrastructure. She is passionate about collaboration, clear communication, and engaging audiences to learn more about innovation and modern solutions for our communities and our country. Mia has a degree in political science from Washington University in St. Louis. She grew up in the suburbs of Denver, Colorado and is a lifelong Denver Broncos fan. She lives in Northern Virginia with her husband and two sons.

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