PRESS RELEASE -
BASF is contributing its polymer expertise to the three-year WRAP Consortium project kicked off by the European Commission
last year and aimed at developing high-performance sporting goods that can also be recycled. The “Sport Infinity” concept being pursued by cross-industry teams of companies is spearheaded by German sporting goods manufacturer Adidas and is focused in particular on applications in European football, or soccer, as the sport is known in the US.
INNOVATION & TECHNOLOGY -
“It’s all about timing,” says Gregor Gomory, CEO of ByFusion, a startup he believes is about to take advantage of a “perfect storm” brewing as the world wakes up to the enormous problem of plastic waste filling up our oceans.
By now, we’ve all heard the statistics: By 2050, there will be more plastic in our oceans than fish, according to the Ellen MacArthur Foundation. The 4-12 million tonnes of plastic that is spewed into our waters ever year is a problem that can no longer be ignored.
COLLABORATION & CO-CREATION -
In the latest of a string of innovative partnerships in its quest for more sustainable materials (which so far have yielded CO2-based and tomato-based plastic, and guayule-based rubber, to name a few), Ford Motor Company and Jose Cuervo® are exploring the use of the tequila producer’s agave plant byproduct to develop more sustainable bioplastics to employ in Ford vehicles.
MATERIALS & PACKAGING -
This week, we examine two innovations that not only divert plastic waste but turn it into stronger, more beneficial materials: IBM has discovered a way to convert polycarbonates into plastics safe for water purification, fiber optics and medical equipment; while shredded plastic waste is helping to create more durable, weather-resistant roads in Chennai, India.
PRESS RELEASE -
BASF announced today the launch of its Colors & Effects brand, bundling BASF’s global pigments business. The new brand encompasses BASF’s distinct colorants and effect pigments portfolio, and serves customers across five key industries, including coatings, plastics, printing, cosmetics, and agriculture.
“To continue to grow and develop their business, our customers need a diverse selection of pigments and global expertise,” said Alexander Haunschild, Senior Vice President, Global Pigments Business. “In this competitive marketplace, we created a brand focused entirely on pigments to provide our customers with products and solutions from one single source.”
MATERIALS & PACKAGING -
The Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR) claims it has created the plastics recycling industry’s most comprehensive plastic packaging design resource. The latest iteration of its APR Design® Guide for Plastics Recyclability outlines detailed steps for packaging and design engineers to consider the implications of new products or containers in the recycling process. The organization suggests that the new and improved guidelines are more user friendly, align with APR test protocols, and provide a variety of additional resources.
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Earlier this year, Chef-turned-waste-activist Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall drew attention to the huge problem of coffee cup waste. He claimed that in the U.K., less than 6 million takeaway hot beverage cups are recycled each year, while 7 million are thrown out each day, and specifically called on Starbucks and Costa to be more transparent about their cups.
CIRCULAR ECONOMY -
Today, more than 25 businesses and organizations announce the launch of the Minnesota Sustainable Growth Coalition, a business-led public-private partnership harnessing their collective expertise to advance the next frontier of corporate sustainability – the circular economy.
PRESS RELEASE -
Global outdoor lifestyle brandTimberland today announced a partnership with responsible fabric manufacturer
Thread, furthering both brands’ longstanding commitment to environmental and social responsibility. Crafted from plastic bottles collected in Haiti and Honduras, Thread™ Ground to Good™ fabric challenges how the world thinks about recycled PET. Going beyond environmental sustainability, Thread also creates social value in the form of cleaner neighborhoods and job creation for thousands of people.
INNOVATION & TECHNOLOGY -
The Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s New Plastics Economy initiative kicks off today with an inaugural workshop that brings together more than 40 leading companies including Amcor, Coca-Cola, The Dow Chemical Company, DuPont, Indorama Ventures, Marks & Spencer, MARS, Natureworks, Novamont, Sealed Air, SUEZ, Unilever
MATERIALS & PACKAGING -
21- and 22-year-old Jeanny Yao and Miranda Wang are making the most of their student years; since high school, the pair have filed 2 patents, founded a company, and raised about $400,000 in pursuit of developing a bacteria that can break down ocean-bound plastic waste.
STAKEHOLDER TRENDS AND INSIGHTS -
Get ‘em while they’re young.
It’s a strategy long embraced by the world of media, advertising and marketing, whether it be product placement in kids’ literature, TV shows or movies; cartoon characters created to make a brand more cuddly; or movies and games that come with a readymade collection of toys attached.
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Plastic has many benefits ranging from reducing food waste by providing packaging to cutting transport pollution due to its light weight. However, waste plastic is undervalued by the economy due to externalization of environmental costs. In a new discussion paper, Trucost estimates that scaling up companies’ use of sustainable plastic could deliver environmental savings of $3.5 billion.
INNOVATION & TECHNOLOGY -
Ford Motor Company claims to be the first automaker to formulate and test new foam and plastic components using captured carbon dioxide (CO2) as feedstock. Within five years, the company expects to be using the new biomaterials in its vehicles.
Foams formulated with up to 50 percent CO2-based polyols have shown promise in ‘rigorous’ automotive tests, and could be used in seating and under-hood applications. The company claims that the CO2-derived foam will reduce the use of fossil fuels in Ford vehicles – potentially reducing petroleum use by more than 600 million pounds annually. Other plastic materials are currently under development.
MATERIALS & PACKAGING -
According to a 2013 study by PCI Films Consulting, 17 billion plastic pouches ended up in landfills throughout the U.S. that year and production is expected to reach 24 billion plastic pouches by 2018 — but that staggering statistic isn’t one that we have to accept. As a company deeply rooted in the food industry, Alter Eco has seen the continual evolution of food packaging, and plastic pouches have become one of the newest, convenient and most sought-after formats on grocery store shelves.
MATERIALS & PACKAGING -
In 2025, there is one ton of plastic for every three tons of fish in the oceans, and in 2050 the weight of plastic has overtaken that of fish. While the cause of this future scenario would largely be the work of plastic bottles and other types of packaging, part of the blame falls on our clothing. So denim giant G-Star and marine pollution campaign group the Plastic Soup Foundation (PSP) are joining forces to stop this process in its tracks with a battle against microfiber.
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The ocean’s value has been estimated as high as $24 trillion, yet despite its inherent connections to the health and well-being of wildlife, humans, and the global economy, it continues to be overexploited and polluted. Scientists have estimated that a minimum of 5.25 trillion plastic particles are in the oceans, and some studies suggest that these contaminants can make their way all the way up the food chain.
MATERIALS & PACKAGING -
Food packaging is one of the main generators of packaging waste in developed countries. In 2012, each person in the European Union (EU) countries generated an average of 156.8kg of packaging waste, and plastic containers accounted for 19 percent of it. In total, 15.1 million tons of plastic packaging waste was generated. Of course, many organizations are working on cutting back this waste, and new materials are under development, including biodegradable bioplastics made from renewable materials or even waste.
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When it comes to in-home recycling habits, Unilever and Johnson & Johnson have found the same thing: Not all packaging is treated equally. Unilever reports that only 14 percent of Americans are recycling their bathroom bottles, while 56 percent of American households recycle kitchen items. Similarly, a recent consumer survey commissioned by Johnson & Johnson found that 34 percent of ‘regular recyclers’ admit that it never even occurred to them to recycle in the bathroom.
Each company announced they would be reprising, and building upon, behavior change campaigns to encourage families to recycle, with an emphasis on bathroom product packaging.
PRESS RELEASE -
When it comes to recycling, soda bottles and shampoo bottles are not treated equally: only 14% of Americans are recycling their bathroom bottles, while more than half of American households are recycling their kitchen items. That is why Unilever is reprising Rinse.Recycle.Reimagine., a campaign designed to rally Americans to reassess their recycling habits and treat their Unilever bathroom empties – like Simple®, Dove®, Suave® and more – with the same respect as their kitchen counterparts.