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The Plastics Industry Association (PLASTICS) announced the winners of its 2025 Plastic Sustainability Innovation Awards, recognizing outstanding innovations in plastics manufacturing that deliver environmental advantages in design, material and end-of-life management.

“Congratulations to all this year’s winners. These companies represent the innovation driving the plastics industry forward and advancing sustainability. Their achievements are a testament to the incredible progress being made across our industry,” says Patrick Krieger, senior vice president of sustainability and policy at PLASTICS.

Sustainable Innovation in Design Award

is the winner of the design award for its PureFive resin. PureCycle uses a dissolution recycling process developed by The Procter & Gamble Company (P&G) that separates color, odor, other plastics and additives from PCR polypropylene waste feedstock to transform it into PureFive resin. This purification process helps close the loop on recycled plastics while making recycled polypropylene more accessible at scale to companies seeking more sustainable materials in their products. In 2024, PureFive resin was successfully used in fiber, injection molding and thermoforming applications.

“PureCycle is honored to receive this award from the Plastics Industry Association,” says Tamsin Ettefagh, chief sustainability officer and vice president of government for PureCycle Technologies. “The path to solving the plastic waste problem is paved with innovations, and our team at PureCycle is proud to be part of that solution. With our dissolution-based recycling process, we’re focused on providing a sustainable, drop-in solution that empowers our customers to achieve their sustainability goals.”

Sustainable Innovation in Materials Award

is the winner of the materials award for its Ceranovus specialty polymer additive. GreenMantra has developed the first commercially scaled molecular recycling technology, converting 100% waste plastics into high-performance synthetic waxes and polymer additives. Unlike standard recycled plastics, Ceranovus additives are molecularly engineered through a proprietary process that breaks down long carbon chains in recycled polyolefin plastics into tailored shorter chain polymers and waxes. The result: functional additives which enhance product performance, improve manufacturing efficiency and drive greater sustainability.

“We are thrilled to receive the Plastic Sustainability Innovation Award,” says GreenMantra Technologies’ CEO Domenic Di Mondo. “This recognition highlights the incredible work of the GreenMantra team and the real-world impact of our Ceranovus polymer additives. We’re proud of what we’ve accomplished and energized by the opportunities ahead.”

Sustainable Innovation in End-of-Life Award

is the winner of the end-of-life award for its Greyparrot Analyzer. The Analyzer is an AI-powered waste analytics system that enhances plastic recovery by providing real-time data on material composition in sorting facilities. Using advanced computer vision, the Analyzer identifies and categorizes waste on conveyor belts, enabling operators to optimize infeed blends, improve product quality and reduce residue loss. With 140 units deployed globally across 55 facilities, the Analyzer has identified millions of dollars in recoverable plastics previously lost to landfill.

“Data is the missing link in unlocking a truly circular economy for plastics,” says Gaspard Duthilleul, COO at Greyparrot. “Our AI waste analytics systems are introducing unprecedented waste data analytics at scale to benefit the waste value chain. This award is a powerful recognition of the role waste intelligence has to play in transforming plastic waste from a global pollutant into a valuable resource.”

Leadership in Sustainability Innovation Award

The Leadership Award, presented to the company with the best overall score across the three categories, was awarded to for its PPK Natura material.

PPK Natura utilizes CarbonSmart MEG, a technology derived from waste carbon emissions through a proprietary carbon capture and transformation (CCT) process. In this process, industrial carbon emissions — such as those from steel mills or other carbon-intensive industries — are captured and converted into ethanol. The ethanol is then processed into monoethylene glycol (MEG), a key building block for PET resin. MEG is combined with terephthalic acid to create PPK Natura, a PET resin with the same properties as virgin fossil-based PET. The result is a fully recyclable material which retains the technical integrity required for a variety of packaging applications.

“We’re honored that PPK Natura has received the Plastics Sustainability Innovation Award,” says Plastipak’s executive managing director Europe Pedro Martins. “PPK Natura is a testament to our leadership in sustainable packaging. This cutting-edge PET resin is made from carbon waste and delivers the same high performance as virgin PET — but with a lower carbon footprint. This award reinforces our commitment to a more sustainable future — and we’re just getting started.”

People’s Choice Award

is the winner of the People’s Choice Award for its SnapSlide RX Vial. This product redefines pharmaceutical packaging by combining child resistance with one-handed accessibility. Designed to empower individuals with limited dexterity, SnapSlide eliminates the struggle of traditional push-and-twist closures while maintaining CPSC-certified child safety. Beyond accessibility, SnapSlide advances sustainability, using 25% less plastic than conventional vials while increasing shipping efficiency by approximately 20%.

“We are honored to receive this award. SnapSlide represents what’s possible when sustainability and accessibility are treated as equal priorities — practical solutions that serve more people, with less impact on the planet,” says SnapSlide CEO Rocky Batzel.