Moving toward a more engaged supply chain

Consumers are a critical part of the supply chain when it comes to recycled materials. Manufacturers rely on them to place their empty water bottles, milk jugs, yogurt containers and laundry detergent bottles in recycling bins, beginning the process that results in recycled-content polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and high density polyethylene (HDPE) containers. And those are just the common plastic packaging materials consumers encounter; they also use an array of products made from other plastics.

Despite their pivotal role, some consumers have not received the message that much of the plastic packaging and products they encounter daily are better disposed of in the recycling bin than in the garbage can. This is evident by the U.S. plastic bottle recycling rate, which hovers around 30 percent. Compare that rate with the rates for aluminum cans and paper—both of which are nearly 67 percent—and it becomes clear that work remains to be done.

To engage consumers in recycling, clear messaging and simplicity can go a long way. For instance, if consumers could recycle plastic bags and film at home rather than at retail or other drop-off locations, one could assume more of this material would be captured. However, many curbside recycling programs don’t want these items, which cause problems at material recovery facilities (MRFs).

But, as Kelly Semrau of SC Johnson contends in the podcast accompanying her essay that begins on Page 20 of this issue, equipment that originated in Europe is available in the U.S. to help address issues associated with recovering plastic bags and film collected via curbside programs. However, retrofitting MRFs with new equipment can involve considerable expense.

Thanks to the work of organizations such as The Closed Loop Fund, www.closedloopfund.com, a social impact fund investing $100 million to increase recycling of products and packaging, that funding could be obtainable.

The fund’s initial investments included the QRS and Canusa Hershman joint venture to create a plastic recovery facility in Baltimore to separate Nos. 3-7 plastics for recycling. The fund also invested in Quad Cities, Iowa, and in Portage County, Ohio, allowing them to convert to single-stream recycling.

The fund’s investors include Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, 3M and Unilever, illustrating the importance of working together to address recycling supply chain issues. While consumers play a critical part, they are one link in the recycling supply chain. All stakeholders have a role to play to increase plastics recycling.