Beyond PCR: Why Sustainable Packaging Can’t Be Reduced to a Single Metric with IPG

Welcome to the Sustainable Design Lab podcast by Veritiv. Hosted by Chris Bradley and Brodie Vander Dussen, this show is your go-to resource for cutting-edge insights into the world of sustainable packaging. Join us as we reimagine packaging innovation and turn every decision into a powerful act of sustainability. In this episode, Jay Bolus, Vice President of Sustainability at IPG, shares one of packaging’s most persistent questions: Does more recycled content always mean more sustainable packaging? **What You’ll Learn:** - Why PCR has become a proxy for sustainability when it’s really just one tool in the toolbox - How regulations like SB 54 and PPWR are splitting companies into three distinct camps - The innovation triangle of cost, performance, and sustainability - Why the industry’s biggest breakthroughs may come from what customers don’t yet know they need - The overlooked role of automation and process optimization in sustainability Jay Bolus is Vice President of Sustainability at IPG, bringing decades of expertise at the intersection of material science, circularity, and packaging regulations. With a deep background in sustainable packaging innovation and a proven track record navigating complex regulatory landscapes, Jay has become a trusted advisor helping brands balance sustainability, performance, cost, and availability. Download the full report here! To see how these innovations fit into the broader 2026 sustainability landscape. This podcast features guest speakers expressing their own company’s products, views, and experiences. Any statements regarding environmental attributes, such as biodegradability, compostability, degradation, or “zero waste” claims, are representations made solely by the guest about their own products or technologies. Veritiv Operating Company has not independently substantiated or verified such claims. Under the FTC’s Guides for the Use of Environmental Marketing Claims (16 C.F.R. Part 260), environmental performance may depend on disposal conditions, infrastructure, and environment, and outcomes may vary. This content is provided for informational purposes only and should not be interpreted as an endorsement or guarantee by Veritiv Operating Company. # **Episode Highlights:** - \[00:00] Intro - \[00:53] How Consumer Expectations Have Shifted in a Decade - \[02:45] How Companies Are Responding to Regulation - \[04:32] PCR as a Surrogate for Sustainability - \[06:04] The Innovation Triangle: Cost, Performance, and Sustainability - \[07:58] Automation as an Overlooked Sustainability Layer - \[10:46] Biomaterials and the Next Wave of Packaging Innovation - \[15:34] Reuse, Refill, and the Next Five to Ten Years - \[16:51] One Thing Packaging Engineers Should Do Tomorrow If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to subscribe, rate, and review it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube Podcasts. Instructions on how to do this are here. Sustainable Design Lab is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so  Previous guests include: Sam Boex & Bella Collins of Flexi-Hex, Nathan Pajka of Metsä Board, John Felts of Cruz Foam Check out our three most downloaded episodes: 1. Plastic-Free Paper Packaging: Flexi-Hex on Designing for Luxury and Sustainability 2. How Metsä Board Is Redesigning Packaging From Forest to Shelf with Nathan Pajka 3. The Future of Foam: Compostable Materials That Perform with John Felts