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Where Does Your Recycled Packaging Go?. Jim Scott, JES Packaging Central Congregational Church February 28th, 2010. Major Initiatives by Many Communities to Recycle Aluminum, Steel, Glass (sometimes by color) and Plastics (almost always only #1 and #2) into a “Blue Box”
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Where Does Your Recycled Packaging Go? Jim Scott, JES Packaging Central Congregational Church February 28th, 2010
Major Initiatives by Many Communities to Recycle Aluminum, Steel, Glass (sometimes by color) and Plastics (almost always only #1 and #2) into a “Blue Box” Plain Paper, Paperboard and Corrugated Case Packaging is Recycled with Newspapers, Magazines and other paper into a “Green Box” History of “Environmentally Friendly” Packaging – early ‘80s
Aluminum Cans - Soda Containers (the most valuable) Steel Cans - Food / Non-Food / Aerosol/ etc. Glass Bottles – Food and Non-Food Plastic Packaging – Polyester – “PETE – 1” – Soda & Other Liquid Clear Bottles High Density Polyethylene – “HDPE – 2” – Milk / Detergent / Shampoo Translucent and Opaque Bottles “Environmentally Friendly” Pkg.
Plastic Packaging – Low Density Polyethylene – “LDPE – 3” – Flexible Films Polyvinyl Chloride – “PVC – 4” – Liquid Clear Bottles Polypropylene – “PP – 5” – Dairy Cups (limited recycling) Polystyrene – “PS – 6” – Clear Cookie & Cracker Trays Foamed Trays – Meat / Eggs / etc. Other Plastic – “Other – 7” - “Non-Environmentally Friendly” Packaging
’80s – ’90s – Paperboard Pkg. “100% Recycled Content - Min. 35% Post-Consumer Content” “Post-Consumer” means this is where your recycled paper and paper packaging goes Non-Food Contact due to FDA Concerns History of “Environmentally Friendly” Paper Packaging
Late ‘90s – ’08 – Increasing interest in “Bio-Plastics,” eg., PLA – sometimes touted as “biodegradable” ‘05 – Wal-Mart initiates its “Packaging Scorecard” ‘06 – ’09 – Increasing Questions on Performance, Cost, and Sustainability of Bio-Plastics and degree of biodegradability / compostability ‘08 – “Wal-Mart will become more aggressive in the near future: Material Reduction & Recycled Content” ‘08 – ’09 – Increasing demands by Major Retailers with “Truth in Environmental Labeling” mandates History of “Environmentally Friendly” Packaging
More Sustainable versus Virgin or Bio-Plastics Equal or better Physical Characteristics and Performance Availability and Competitive Cost of FDA Food Contact Pellets and Flake … esp. PCR PET Claims can be readily Substantiated … and meet “Truth in Labeling” Mandates Supported by CPG Companies and Major Retailers Trend to 100% PCR Plastic Packaging
2009 - Nestlé's “re-source” natural spring water bottle utilizes 25% PCR PET CLIF’s “Quench” Energy Drink claims 40% Post- Consumer Content Recycled PET … “the highest of any U.S. consumer bottled beverage.” Recent Developments in Post-Consumer Content in Beverage Pkg.
Pepsi’s “Naked Juice” announces that it is the first nationally distributed brand to transition to a 100% Post-Consumer Recycled PET … “reNEWabottle” tm They claim that when their entire line is converted: 8.1 M lbs. of virgin plastic will be reduced … saving 57,000 barrels of oil every year Recent Developments in Post-Consumer Content in Beverage Pkg.
Subway announces 10% PCR Content PET Salad Bowls ConAgra claims use of 40% Post-Consumer Recycled plastic in their CPET frozen food trays Recent Developments in Post-Consumer Content in Tray Pkg.
Subway • Changing Plastic Salad Bowls: • Redesigned to reduce use of plastic • Switched from OPS to 10% PCR PET • Will reduce plastic material use by 712,00 lbs. annually • Will eliminate 19,500 corrugate cases annually • Will reduce carbon footprint by 21% or 84.8 kgm of Carbon Dioxide Equivalent (CO2e)
PWP Industries • Major supplier of FDA Food Grade RPET • Supplier of the 10% PCR PET for Subway • June, ‘09 - opened 40 million lb. annual capacity PET Recycling facility in West Virginia at cost of $20M • Second 40 million lb. facility scheduled to open Q2/10 in California • Every 40 million lbs. of RPET represents elimination of 30,000 tons of CO2 and 398 million kilowatt hours … annually
Integrated Packaging Films ECO-THERMtm100% Post- Consumer Recycled PET sheet Made with FDA food contact RPET resin
Earthbound Farm • America’s largest grower of Organic Produce • July, ’09 - announced that all their clamshell fresh cut salad pkgs. are being made from 100% post-consumer Recycled PET
Earthbound Farm • Based on 2008 Annual Usage, use of 100% RPET: • Will conserve 424,000 million BTUs • Will conserve 68,307 gallons of water • Will eliminate 16,191 tons of CO2 • Will divert 1.3 million lbs. of Solid Waste from landfills
Sustainable Packaging Coalition (SPC) “ Earthbound Farm’s PCR PET initiative is a perfect example of how to get the ball rolling in the right direction.” “We hope to see more companies that make that commitment, creating a market for these materials …” Anne Johnson, Director SPC
Pentel introduces Recycled “Handy-line S” Highlighters Recent Developments in Post-Consumer Content in Products & Packaging
Preserve • Preserve toothbrushes made from 100% Post-Consumer Recycled Polypropylene (PP) - Yogurt Cups • Packaging Clamshell made by Innovative Packaging from ECO-THERM tm 100% Post-Consumer Recycled Content PET • Preserve’s Claim: “Plastic packaging made from 100% post-consumer plastic bottles”
Schering-Plough, Corp. • OTC offerings include Claritin allergy pills, Afrin nasal sprays, Dr. Scholl’s foot care products, and the sun care line Coppertone • Products marketed in some 140 Countries
Schering-Plough, Corp. • New Package Requirements: • Must work in “Club Store” setting • Sustainable material
Recyclers’ Imperatives • Need to have a Critical Mass of packages in a recognized Recycling group to make it profitable to separate • Need to have a minimal number of packages in the Waste Stream that contaminate the Recycling System, eg., PVC or PLA
Continued Improvement in Physical Characteristics and Performance Continued Availability of PCR Resins … esp. FDA Food Contact RPET … Large potential Source: 166 Plastic Bottles per year … but only 20% are presently recycled Claims can be readily Substantiated … and meet “Truth in Labeling” Mandates Potential for Increased Government Legislation Trend to 100% PCR Plastic Packaging Will Likely Continue
Consumers recognize that Recycled Content Packages have positive environmental impact Continued comfort with “Post-Consumer Recycled Content” Claims … even on Food Packaging Continued Support by Major Retailers and CPG Companies Opportunities for PP and PS Recycling … with companies like A Greener Solution or NextLife Continued Competitive Cost Trend to 100% PCR Plastic Packaging Will Likely Continue
Man vs. Clamshell: A Lopsided Fightby David Segal, NYT, 9/27/09 “… companies want packages that are easy to transport, display products in a highly visible way and are hard to steal … The point is to create a package that cannot be opened and closed surreptitiously. That way, no one can remove anything and put the package back on the racks without it being obvious.”
Jim Scott, Principal JES Packaging (401) 597-0761 jamesescott@cox.net For More Information: