Bloomberg’s latest Circular Economy Company Ranking reported on corporate sustainability pledges, finding a theme of costs outweighing target progress. | Aykut Erdogdu/Shutterstock
A new report from Bloomberg’s market research division provides further evidence of brand owners struggling to meet stated recycled content goals due to a lack of available material and cost pressure.
Non-compostable produce stickers, multi-material plastic packaging and degradability additives have been added to U.S. Plastics Pact’s list of problematic and unnecessary materials. | Neungstockr/Shutterstock
With the U.S. Plastics Pact on track to eliminate its initial 11 problematic plastics by 2025, the group decided to add three more items to the list. Continue Reading
The increase in both volumes and share of total purchases stands in contrast to brand owners that have announced they will miss voluntary 2025 recycled content targets for packaging. | Joyce Blessthink/Shutterstock
Global packaging giant Amcor reported higher volumes of recycled resin purchases despite a drop in total raw material consumption, according to its 2023 sustainability report. Continue Reading
As of 2023, 61% of Mars packaging is designed to be recyclable, reusable or compostable, up from 57% in 2022 but significantly short of 100% by 2025, and the company used an average of 1.5% recycled content across its packaging portfolio, significantly short of 30% by 2025. | MarsMM/Shutterstock
Brand owner Mars says the design and infrastructure changes that are needed to meet its recycling goals are “taking longer than we anticipated” – and that it will miss certain goals it set for 2025.
Petroleum product brands have formed a producer responsibility organization in response to several extended producer responsibility laws. | Andrei Askirka/Shutterstock
Chevron, ExxonMobil, Shell, Valvoline and other petroleum brand owners have formed the Lubricant Packaging Management Association to fulfill their obligations under packaging and household hazardous waste extended producer responsibility laws. Continue Reading
Eastman’s Kingsport, Tennessee plant uses methanolysis to chemically recycle PET. | Monticello/Shutterstock
In their latest earnings call, Eastman representatives said the company’s chemical recycling facility in Kingsport, Tennessee, is ramping up to 100% capacity and is gearing up to take in a “broader set” of uncommonly recycled plastics. Continue Reading
PepsiCo recently announced it will fall short of its 2025 goal to make 100% of its plastic packaging recoverable or reusable.| Pixinoo/Shutterstock
In recent weeks and months, disclosures by consumer goods giant PepsiCo and resin producer Shell have indicated the companies will either miss targets or adjust timelines to meet plastics recycling-related goals. Meanwhile, Nestle has received media scrutiny for changing how it describes its goals, even as it continues to make progress toward those targets. Continue Reading
The Plastic Pollution Coalition alleged in a lawsuit that plastic is not designed to be recycled. | Tezzstock/Shutterstock
A group called the Plastic Pollution Coalition filed a false-advertising lawsuit against Danone Waters of America over its marketing of evian bottled water as “sustainable,” “natural” and “healthy.” Continue Reading
Despite introducing a new line of carpet containing recycled PET, Mohawk indicated little change in recycled plastic consumption from the previous year’s report, amid a challenging economic environment. | Courtesy of Mohawk Group
Global flooring manufacturer Mohawk Industries offered few specifics in its 2023 impact report regarding consumption of recycled plastics, and little appeared to have changed from the previous year’s report. Continue Reading
Amazon largely focused on its efforts to reduce plastic use, such as substituting recycled paper for flexible fillers and making packaging suitable for curbside collection. | oasisamuel/Shutterstock
In its 2023 sustainability report, global retail powerhouse Amazon highlighted its efforts to reduce packaging materials and to make its packaging suitable for curbside collection but provided few details on PCR usage.