PODCAST: Live at SPC Impact with Olga Kachook — 2026 Trends Report

Episode Title: Live at SPC Impact with Olga Kachook — 2026 Trends Report

Guest: Olga Kachook, Director of the Sustainable Packaging Coalition (SPC)

Summary:

In this special live episode, recorded at the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville, Tennessee during the Sustainable Packaging Coalition Impact Event, Cory Connors shares the stage with Olga Kachook to present the Third Annual SPC Sustainable Packaging Trends Report for 2025–2026. Olga walks through four major trends shaping the packaging industry, and Cory follows up with an in-depth Q&A exploring practical strategies for brands, designers, and engineers navigating EPR policy, recyclability standards, and packaging innovation.

Key Topics Discussed:

• Regions defining recyclability: Canada, the UK (RAM methodology), and the EU (PPWR) are each developing regional standards, with the US working toward harmonization across seven states
• Innovation in healthcare and OTC packaging, including paper prescription bottles and refillable OTC containers
• EPR turning five years old and maturing from theory to practice, with a growing list of known challenges around harmonization and enforcement
• Shared data in the recovery space driving recyclability clarity, highlighted by the upgrade of polypropylene cold cups to widely recycled under the How to Recycle program
• Designing for the lowest common denominator across regions: mono materials, simple formats, fewer components, and larger item sizes
• Olga’s concept of “setting your own certainty” in the face of EPR uncertainty
• The “magic wand” thought experiment: how would you design your packaging portfolio from scratch today?
• Coated paper and molded fiber as key focus areas for the SPC’s Paper Recyclability Collaborative
• Reusable packaging opportunities in healthcare settings and OTC categories
• Predictions for next year’s trends report, including reusable e-commerce growth and continued paperization

Resources Mentioned:

• Sustainable Packaging Coalition (SPC) 
• SPC Paper Recyclability Collaborative
• How to Recycle Program
• Cabinet Health — refillable OTC packaging
• NextGen Consortium
• Returnity Reusable Shipping

Contact:

For more information on the SPC Trends Report, scan the QR code mentioned in the episode or visit sustainablepackaging.org.

Closing Thoughts:

Cory and Olga emphasize that progress in sustainable packaging is a collective effort — requiring shared data, thoughtful design, and a willingness to move forward even amid policy uncertainty. They encourage packaging professionals to embrace innovation, engage with EPR proactively, and think boldly about what a reimagined packaging portfolio could look like.

Thank you for tuning in to Sustainable Packaging with Cory Connors!

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