Dec. 15, 2011 Philadelphia residents can now recycle their cartons for juice, milk, soup and other liquids curbside. Waste & Recycling News
December 15, 2011 The European Organization for Packaging and the Environment (EUROPEN) has released a report on the role of packaging in recycling and sustainability. The findings are based on a series of interviews and surveys of European non-governmental organizations and some of the world's largest packaging companies, including CROWN Europe, Procter & Gamble, Coca-Cola and others. Plastics Recycling Update
Dec. 14, 2011 A recently released reverse vending machine is allowing light bulbs and old batteries to be recycled in Europe. Waste & Recycling News
December 14, 2011 Everybody has been talking about extended producer responsibility (EPR), but do you understand how it would work in the United States? And do you know what some of the responsibilities are? Recycling Today
December 13, 2011 Despite improvements to curbside carton recycling, lack of access for consumers is the major problem that the industry faces in upping recycling rates, according to the US Carton Council. Beverage Daily
December 9, 2011 Packaging equipment and materials Diageo says that realising its new vision for sustainable premium packaging is a challenge, especially given “the perception among consumers that lighter means less valuable”. Beverage Daily
Returning to Work By Clarissa Morawski and Jeff Morris
December 2011 Workers are needed in landfilling, curbside recycling, and container deposit return. But which sector brings the most much-needed jobs to the U.S. economy? Our authors provide a detailed analysis of the positive impact container deposit return programs can have on job creation. Resource Recycling
CRI mentioned: Understanding what these job impacts are, at each and every stage of resource extraction and recovery, is what guided new research just released by the Container Recycling Institute.
December 12, 2011 Starbucks is about to open a Seattle-area store made mostly out of four upcycled shipping containers, the New York Times reports. Environmental Leader
December 9, 2011 Diageo has published its first sustainable packaging guidelines, setting 2015 goals to reduce average weight by 10 percent, increase recycled material content by 20 percent and ensure 100 percent of packaging is reusable, recyclable or “suitable for waste management practices.” Environmental Leader
December 1, 2011 Reduce, reuse, recycle. These have been the three legs of the stool called sustainable packaging for about as long as I can remember. But these days it seems that only two of the three—reduce and recycle—are talked about all that much. Packaging World
December 8, 2011 The Coca-Cola Foundation, the beverage giant's philanthropic arm, has awarded $17.8 million in grants to 83 organizations worldwide during the fourth quarter. About $1.6 million of the money went toward recycling projects. Resource Recycling
OCTOBER 26, 2010 A brand-new futuristic-looking vending machine could make access to purified water more convenient and eco-friendly on campus. Just remember to bring your own water bottle. The Daily Iowan
November 29, 2011 Starbucks has expressed an interest in the technique that Canadian chain Tim Hortons is using to recycle its hot beverage cups into take-out trays, Waste & Recycling News reports. Environmental Leader
Nov. 28, 2011 A large influx of U.S. jobs may just come from the recycling industry, if the nation can increase its recycling rate, according to a recent report. Waste & Recycling News
Nov 29, 2011 Amazon.com Inc. (AMZN) and Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (WMT) are prodding more manufacturers to change their packaging to cut waste and alleviate “wrap rage,” the frustration felt when a product is difficult to open. Bloomberg
December 1, 2011 Amazon aims to triple the number of items shipped under its “Frustration-Free Packaging” initiative next year, BusinessWeek reports. Environmental Leader
November 30, 2011 A new study from the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources concludes that growth in recycling is contributing to job creation in the state. According to the study, the number of households receiving curbside recycling services has reached a record high of 1.62 million. Resource Recycling
November 30, 2011 The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has introduced a new Web-based tool that displays how much energy is saved by recycling. The iWARM (the shortened version of the "Individual Waste Reduction Model") is a tool that can be easily installed on a website or blog that helps consumers understand the energy saved by recycling small quantities of household products over landfilling them. Resource Recycling
Nov. 18, 2011 Misconceptions by brand owners and inadequate quality control by recyclers are hampering growth in European production of food-grade recycled PET, according to APPE, the packaging division of La Seda de Barcelona. European Plastics News
Nov. 18, 2011 A bill in New Jersey would place a 10-cent fee on every carryout plastic or paper bag at every convenience store, drug store, supermarket or retail establishment of more than 1,000 square feet, beginning in 2013. Waste & Recycling News
Nov 17, 2011 Last night, Sens. Tom Carper (D-Del.) and Olympia Snowe (R-Maine), Co-Chairs of the Senate Recycling Caucus, celebrated the unanimous Senate approval of a resolution that expresses support for improvement in the collection, processing and use of recyclable materials throughout the United States. Senator Thomas Carper
CRI mentioned: Numerous organizations have endorsed the resolution, including ...Container Recycling Institute
November 15, 2011 On America Recycles Day and every day, the non-alcoholic beverage industry is committed to further minimizing its environmental footprint by reducing, reusing and recycling. American Beverage Association
November 20, 2011 Conventional wisdom suggests that when economies are flat, consumers prioritize their time and spending on activities and goods/services that fulfill basic needs. Green behaviors, historically, are considered more of a nice-to-have, but not essential during challenging economic times. Environmental Leader
November 16, 2011 The Foodservice Packaging Institute, Inc. has announced the creation of the Paper Recovery Alliance, a coalition of organizations working to increase the recovery and processing of used paper foodservice packaging. Resource Recycling
November 16, 2011 The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has released its Municipal Solid Waste Generation, Recycling, and Disposal in the United States: Facts and Figures for 2010 revealing long-term trends on what's getting recycled and what isn't for the last three decades. Resource Recycling
November 16, 2011 A non-binding resolution expressing support for the recycling industry received unanimous approval from the U.S. Senate last night. Senate Resolution 251 was introduced by U.S. Senators Tom Carper (D-Delaware) and Olympia Snowe (R-Maine) this summer to the overwhelming agreement from the recycling industry. Resource Recycling
Nov. 15, 2011 A new report released by labor unions and environmental groups argues that doubling the nation’s recycling rate within 20 years would create jobs and cut air pollution. 89.3 KPCC
Nov 15, 2011 If you haven’t taken the initiative to recycle – today’s the day to start with Nov. 15 being America Recycles Day (ARD) and all. Environmental Protection
CRI Quoted: “According to the Container Recycling Institute, for every thousand tons of beverage containers recycled, between 1.5 and 7 jobs can be created by private industry. So recycling those energy-rich natural resources not only helps us become energy independent, but it also creates private sector jobs that we desperately need in this country.”
November 15, 2011 Puma is working to create compostable shoes and clothing, the Guardian reports (via German business magazine Wirtschaftswoche). Environmental Leader
Closing the Materials Loop (Opinion) Kumar Venkat President & Chief Technologist CleanMetrics Corp.
November 14, 2011 ...We have heard a lot over the years about the benefits of closing the materials loop. This means not just diverting waste from landfills but also producing and purchasing products with significant recycled content. But why do the price signals appear to be so skewed? Environmental Leader
Nov. 14, 2011 Nearly 1.5 million more recycling jobs would be created if the national recycling rate reached 75%, according to a recent report. Waste & Recycling News
November 10, 2011 Innovia Films hopes to dissuade negative compostable food packaging perceptions through a new partnership with paper-packaging producer Sappi Fine Paper Europe. Beverage Daily
November 8, 2011 If you’re in the market for a reusable coffee mug, the MoMA Store has a couple of clever options. There’s the New York Coffee Cup, a ceramic version of the classic Grecian-lettered “We Are Happy to Serve You” paper cup. There’s the I Am Not a Paper Cup, which looks just like the tall, generic one available everywhere, but made of double-walled porcelain. Good
September 19, 2011 It inspires fiercer loyalty and warmer associations than the Stanley Cup, the World Cup and America’s Cup. It’s the cup we cherish for our morning ritual: the lowly-but-ubiquitous disposable coffee cup. Forbes
November 8, 2011 U.S. companies are “scratching the surface” of corporate responsibility, as a whole concentrating on communication more than performance, according to a global survey by KPMG. Environmental Leader
Nov 7, 2011 Recycling is not only good for the planet, but good for your wallet too. Alcoa
CRI cited: “According to the Container Recycling Institute, for every thousand tons of beverage containers recycled, between 1.5 and 7 jobs can be created by private industry. So recycling those energy-rich natural resources not only helps us become energy independent, but it also creates private sector jobs that we desperately need in this country.”
Nov. 7 2011 Singing zombies took over Walmart stores throughout the country on Halloween, asking the retail giant to begin a take back program for old TVs and computers. Waste & Recycling News
Nov 7, 2011 Multi Material British Columbia (MMBC) has awarded the Phase 1 consulting contract to undertake the discovery and options development phase for a printed paper and packaging (PPP) Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Program for British Columbia (B.C.). Solid Waste & Recycling
November 4 2011 Coca-Cola Enterprises (CCE) is calling for a responsibility deal within the soft drinks industry to encourage greater recyclability of packaging materials. edieWaste
November 1, 2011 Many packaging companies, industry groups, and environmental and consumer organizations agree that a clear, logical scheme is needed to help consumers identify “sustainable” or “green” packaging. The difficulty is that there are as many different conceptions of what that scheme should be as there are opinions about what constitutes “sustainable” packaging. Packaging Strategies
Oct 19, 2011 Garbage collected in St. Albert, Morinville and parts of Sturgeon County winds up at the Roseridge Landfill near Morinville. view all photos (13) Another day, another load. A long line of dump trucks trundles into the Roseridge landfill in Sturgeon County. St. Albert Gazette
October, 21, 2011 Bob Beacock ignores the overpowering stench. He walks into a pile of sticky, torn garbage bags dumped on top of one of Ontario’s heaping landfill sites. Flamborough Review
November 10, 2011 Coca-Cola has promised to recycle all clear plastic PET bottles used at the London 2012 Olympics, according to news reports. Environmental Leader
Nov 10, 2011 Innovia Films hopes to dissuade negative compostable food packaging perceptions through a new partnership with paper-packaging producer Sappi Fine Paper Europe. Beverage Daily
Nov. 4, 2011 The European Organization for Packaging and the Environment (Europen) has published what is is calling a green paper on packaging and sustainability. Plastics & Rubber Weekly, Waste & Recycling News
November 3, 2011 University researchers have found a simple way to overcome the behavior of tailgaters who might be more inclined to toss their refuse than recycle it. Resource Recycling
Nov. 2, 2011 DART´s unassuming plant in Detroit transforms old or recalled beer, wine, soda, juice and liquor into fuel-grade ethanol. It also recycles the plastic, cardboard, glass and aluminum containers those beverages arrive in. Waste & Recycling News
November 2, 2011 Hasbro released a Paper and Forest Procurement Policy outlining its procurement decisions for product packaging, as well a 2011 goal to source at least 75 percent of paper packaging from either recycled material or sources that practice sustainable forest management. Environmental Leader
November 2, 2011 The consumer’s emphasis on sustainability in packaging is not growing as quickly as it did one year ago, according to a packaging industry study, 2011 Sustainability in Packaging, from Packaging Digest and the Sustainable Packaging Coalition. Environmental Leader
Oct 29 2011 The Earthtec models on the runway at Portland Fashion Week this month in Oregon were dressed much like those who walked for other designers, in chic and sexy styles made from high-quality fabric. But their clothing started out unlike any others: as plastic bottles. CNBC
October 27, 2011 New research from a consumer advocacy organization in the U.K. has found widespread confusion among coffee shop goers regarding where they can dispose of the 2.5 billion paper cups they use each year. Resource Recycling
October 27, 2011 During the third quarter of 2011, the recycling industry paid the big bucks to influence the nation's halls of power. Resource Recycling
June 14, 2011 PepsiCo (NYSE: PEP) today announced a partnership with 7-Eleven Handee Marts that will make Dream Machine recycling kiosks available at more than 20 7-Eleven locations throughout Pittsburgh and the greater Pittsburgh area, increasing public access to recycling. Pepsico
Oct. 25, 2011 Domestic recovered paper consumption was down 7% in September compared with year-ago figures, the American Forest & Paper Association said. Waste & Recycling News
Oct. 24, 2011 FutureMark Paper Co. says a new technology is allowing the company to extract inks from recycled paper more effectively. The Alsip, Ill.-based company expects the approach will allow it to reduce the use of de-inking chemicals, including caustic soda and peroxide, by up to 30%. Waste & Recycling News
Oct. 24, 2011 A cup-to-tray recycling program has the potential to recycle every Tim Hortons´ coffee cup in Newfoundland and Labrador and turn those containers into take-out trays, the company said in a news release. Waste & Recycling News
October 21, 2011 Canadian coffee shop giant Tim Hortons says it has found a way to recycle its hot beverage cups into take-out trays that can be recycled into even more trays. Resource Recycling
Oct 20, 2011 Five companies, including Microsoft Corp., outdoor gear retailer REI, and green cleaning products company Seventh Generation will use the new voluntary recycling labels developed by the Sustainable Packaging Coalition on some of their products starting in January. Plastics News, Waste & Recycling
October 17, 2011 CEO Tetra Pak president and CEO Dennis Jönsson has admitted that his company didn’t do enough to raise awareness of the recycling potential of cartons during their crucial formative years in the UK market. Beverage Daily
October 17, 2011 For Ohio State University´s inaugural zero-waste program at Ohio Stadium, the first four home games have provided hurdles to overcome in its effort to divert 90% of game-day waste from a landfill. So far, though, the "Horseshoe" appears to be on track: For those first few games, the average diversion rate has been 74.2%. Waste & Recycling News
October 14, 2011 Some 60 percent of carpet brand Desso’s new floor tile range is to be made with a 100 percent recycled yarn, the company has announced. A portion of the material used when making Aquafil S.P.A.’s Econyl yarn is post-consumer waste from Desso’s own plant. Environmental Leader
October 14, 2011 Viridian Wood has debuted two FSC-certified exotic hardwood flooring products that are 100 percent reclaimed from shipping pallets and crates. The commercial-grade products are called Jakarta Market Blend and Fishtail Oak. Environmental Leader
Oct. 13, 2011 Pena´s Disposal in Cutler, Calif., said it will now accept cartons for recycling. The move, the company said, is part of a national initiative by the Carton Council, an association of four packaging companies, to increase recycling of cartons in communities nationwide. Waste & Recycling News
October 12, 2011 If there are myths behind recyclable containers and the markets available for them, they were cleared up for an audience of solid waste and recycling professionals last week. Sustainable City Network
CRI Cited: Susan V. Collins of the Container Recycling Institute also dispelled myths about the specific environmental benefit of recycling. She said the amount of greenhouse gas emissions released when a product is manufactured and used should be the measure that counts when calculating landfill diversion, not the tonnage of the waste...
October 12, 2011 Half of the solid waste generated in Oregon was recovered in 2010, meeting a long-sought goal of the state. According to a report released by the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, 50 percent of the state's solid waste was recovered in 2010, an increase from the 48.3 percent recorded in 2009 — the year officials had hoped to recover half of the state's refuse. Resource Recycling
October 12, 2011 California Governor Jerry Brown has signed several bills into law, expanding recycling in the Golden State. Resource Recycling
A main topic of Iowa Recycling and Solid Waste Management Conference is how to keep recyclable and reusable material out of the state's landfills and get it back into circulation in one form or another. Dubuque TH
CRI Cited: Susan Collins, of the Container
Recycling institute, said extended
producer responsibility and deposit
bills have roles to play depending
on the package.
June 30, 2011 Harmful mineral oils from the printing inks used on cardboard can migrate into food if recycled cardboard is used for food packaging. It may contaminate food even if the recycled cardboard is used for the corrugated card transport box that holds individual packs. Packaging Network.com
Oct. 6, 2011 The Solid Waste Association of North America suggested the U.S. EPA track additional materials in its biannual waste characterization study. The national association sent the comments to the EPA, which is considering changes to the report. SWANA sent its comments on Sept. 30, the deadline day. Waste & Recycling News
Oct. 6, 2011 The Coca-Cola Company has taken a stance against bottle deposit laws, but that doesn´t mean the company isn´t pursuing recycling in other ways. Gary Wygant, director of recovery development for Coca-Cola Recycling LLC, said the company has launched several recycling initiatives across the nation in recent years to spur material recovery, ranging from a recycling partnership with Atlanta´s Turner Field to donating bins to the National Mall in Washington. Waste & Recycling News
Oct. 6, 2011 Barbie is looking a little green. Mattel Inc. plans to use 70% recycled or sustainable fiber in its packaging by the end of this year and then push that number even higher in the years to come. Waste & Recycling News
October 6, 2011 Mattel Inc. has launched new sustainable sourcing principles to guide the company’s procurement of paper and wood fiber used in its packaging and products. The toy company says that it’s new principles focus on three steps: Maximizing post-consumer recycled content; avoiding virgin fiber from controversial sources and seeking to increase the percentage of fiber that is certified by a credible third party. Environmental Leader
Oct 6, 2011 Keith Sanderson, Sidekick of Max A Pooch, announced today that Valerie Hoy, CRI (Container Recycling Institute) Director of Communication wrote "Recycling has found a new mascot in Max A Pooch, a "recycled" dog from Lake County, IL." Max A. Pooch
CRI Mentioned: He points to the Container Recycling Institute and their endorsement of the current Senate resolution for improved recycling as positive action.
Oct. 5, 2011 In its search for sustainability, the plastics industry has moved beyond lightweighting packaging into more aggressive use of post-consumer materials. But according to experts up and down the supply chain, there´s still too much confusion at all levels about how to separate valuable packaging materials from caps and closures after their initial use. Plastics News, Waste & Recycling News
October 5, 2011 A coalition of companies, manufacturers and trade associations have formed a new organization to promote free-market solutions to product stewardship over government-mandated approaches. The Product Management Alliance will advocate for market-based extended producer responsibility efforts and voluntary incentives to increase recovery and sustainable product and package design. Plastics Recycling Update
Oct. 7, 2011 California now matches Florida with the nation´s most ambitious recycling goal. Governor Jerry Brown signed Assembly Bill 341 which sets a goal of recycling 75% of all materials in California by 2020. Waste & Recycling News
October 1, 2011 Consumer misconceptions, misguided legislative policies, and overzealous marketers make Starbucks’ struggle to find a recycling solution for its cup a challenging process. At the Sustainable Packaging Symposium 2011 held last March in Chicago, Jim Hanna, director of Environmental Impact for Starbucks Coffee Co., gave a presentation on some of the unintended consequences that are surfacing in the move toward more sustainable packaging. Greener Package
September 28, 2011 Sage Environmental Services, a Seattle, Wash.-based company, released a documentary this month examining zero waste. Titled "Unwasted: The Future of Business on Earth," the documentary gives tips to small businesses on how to meet zero waste goals with a step-by-step breakdown. Waste & Recycling News
September 27, 2011 There is no silver bullet on Starbucks Coffee Co.'s years-long journey to find a widespread way to recycle all of those disposable cups the company dispenses each year. The Seattle-based coffee company has been eyeing a 2015 target of finding a way to recycle its paper cups, a goal that's complicated by the cups' polyethylene liner. Waste & Recycling News
September 23, 2011 Not recycling has become a huge concern all across the United States, not just to environmentalists but to average involved Americans who take part and recycle. Pentagraph.com
CRI quoted: “Two-thirds of all beverage containers in the United States never get recycled,” according to The Container Recycling Institute.
September 22, 2011 Major players in the carton packaging manufacturing sector have declared the number of their plants meeting key sustainability criteria has doubled since 2010. Beverage Daily
Sep 20, 2011 AUBURN — The city will move to phase out single-stream recycling for curbside pickup, favoring a dual sort program. "The problem with a single-stream program is that it renders most of the commodities recycled practically worthless," said Dom Casavant, chairman of the city's Solid Waste Subcommittee. Sun Journal
September 17, 2011 Starbucks sells on average 8.2 million paper cups of coffee a day, all of which can be recycled, but most still end up in landfills. The world’s biggest coffee chain wants to change that by convincing everyone from recycling companies to paper mills that it’s worth the effort to recycle paper cups. Boston Globe
CRI quoted: About 25 percent of items thrown into home recycling bins are never recycled, said Susan Collins, executive director of the nonprofit group Container Recycling Institute.
September 16, 2011 Recycling of food cartons is on the rise in Pakistan, Coca-Cola challenges a container deposit law in Australia and the first recycling plant for "nappies" opens in the U.K. Resource Recycling Electronic Newsletter
September 15, 2011 Proctor & Gamble has big plans to dramatically reduce the amount of waste it produces and make its products more environmentally friendly. Plastics Recycling Update
September 15, 2011 U.K. agency DEFRA has released updated guidance to help ensure the right date marks are used on food labels, to make it easier for shoppers to know when food is safe to eat. ...Under the guidance, food packaging should only carry either a “use-by” or “best-before” date. Environmental Leader
September 13, 2011 Only three out of eight major soft drink companies have recycling goals, according to a study by Green Research. PepsiCo, The Coca-Cola Company, and Nestlé Waters North America all have recycling goals, according to Benchmarking Sustainability Goals: Non-Alcoholic Beverages. But Coca-Cola Amatil, Coca-Cola Enterprises, Coca-Cola HBC, Dr. Pepper-Snapple Group and FEMSA do not. Environmental Leader
September 12, 2011 Video from Starbucks’ 2011 Cup Summit in Boston. The first panel took place inn 2008, when Starbucks engaged the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the Society for Organizational Learning to help explore a systems thinking approach to cup recycling. Environmental Leader
September 9, 2011 The Campaign for Real Recycling, U.K. organization that advocates for policies aimed at improving the quality of recovered materials, has scored a victory after a court agreed to review how the government is interpreting European Union's Waste Framework Directive, which could change how recyclables are collected in the kingdom. Plastics Recycling Update
September 9, 2011 The international Consumer Goods Forum has announced the Global Protocol on Packaging Sustainability report, which offers a series of common tools and resources for companies looking to green their packaging. The report covers energy use, manufacturing techniques and raw materials use, but pays closest attention to life-cycle analysis for different types of packaging – including primary product packaging, industrial packaging, shipping materials and others. Plastics Recycling Update
September 9, 2011 The Consumer Goods Forum, a global trade organization that includes both brands and retailers, has unveiled its Global Protocol on Packaging Sustainability. The aim of the protocol, formulated with support from the packaging industry, is to help companies reduce the environmental impact of their packaging by providing a common language to address a range of business questions about pack design and usage. Plastics & Rubber Weekly, Waste & Recycling News
September 8, 2011 Coca-Cola has been kicked off the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index, while rival food and drinks firm PepsiCo Inc was identified as a ‘supersector leader’. Coca Cola can Coca-Cola dropped from DJSI (Photocredit) The changes were made as part of the index family’s annual review by SAM, an investment boutique specialising in sustainability. Environmental Finance
September 2, 2011 ...If there's one thing this country is really great at, it's coming up with clever new ways to take what is a completely normal product, apply a bit of subtle psychological manipulation, convince people that it's something special, and sell it at a jacked up price. I'm talking here about Mexican Coke, and I do so not without a hint of irony, because I myself am a firm believer in its superiority over regular old American Coke. Serious Eats
August 30, 2011 Eunomia were commissioned by the Scottish Government to identify and assess new measures and options for revising producer responsibility policy implementation within Scotland to give more prominence to the waste hierarchy and help deliver the objectives of the Government's Zero Waste Plan. The work focuses on packaging, WEEE and ELV producer responsibility. Eunomia
September 8, 2011 ...It’s no surprise that these green trends are continuing to grow and take hold, as the general public becomes more acceptant of the idea that the “necessary evil” of the packaging industry is more evil and less necessary. The plastic bans are one thing – replacing toxic materials with more innovative, sustainable packaging is a step toward a safer, smarter future. But is getting rid of packaging altogether along that same path? Environmental Leader
September 8, 2011 Patagonia is encouraging consumers to buy and sell its clothing through a new storefront on Ebay, paired with a customer pledge system. The outdoor apparel manufacturer yesterday launched its Common Threads Initiative, which the company describes as a partnership with customers to reduce consumption. The program asks customers to make a pledge on the Patagonia website. Environmental Leader
September 8, 2011 When Kurt Soper was approached two years ago by Rewards for Recycling, a community-based incentive recycling program, to be in his Davison Township, Mich., community, he said the benefits were obvious. Waste & Recycling News
September 8, 2011 A City Council member in Los Angeles has asked the city attorney to draft an ordinance that would ban single use bags in the second largest city in the country. Waste & Recycling News
September 7, 2011 If you think that being the backbone of supply chains worldwide is enough to give pallets a sustainability pass, you haven’t been paying attention. With billions of pallets in service in the United States and billions more doing─or more accurately, allowing─the heavy lifting around the world, the consumption of resources that those numbers imply make pallets prime candidates for sustainability. Packaging World
Sep 6, 2011 The Dexter government has released its plan to reduce the amount of waste Nova Scotians send to landfills. The province considers itself a world leader in solid waste management and wants to maintain that position. CBC News
September 6, 2011 The Consumer Goods Forum today announced the release of the Global Protocol on Packaging Sustainability (GPPS) to enable the consumer goods industry to better assess the relative sustainability of packaging. PAC - The Packaging Association
Sept. 6, 2011 While their teams are competing on the field, Cleveland Browns and Cincinnati Bengals fans will be going head-to-head to see who can recycle the most. Waste & Recycling News
Sept. 6, 2011 The second year of the Longhorn Recycling Roundup kicked off Saturday at the University of Texas home football game against Rice. Members of the Tailgate Recycling Crew, a student recycling group at Texas, handed out plastic bags to tailgaters to sort recyclable and non-recyclable items, according to The Daily Texan, the campus newspaper. Waste & Recycling News
Sept. 6, 2011 Like many communities, Brooklyn Park, Minn., saw a jump in recycling after it switched to single-stream collection. That was in 2002, when the city’s recycling totals rose more than 30% in one year, to almost 600 pounds per household per year. But as the years passed, the Minneapolis suburb of 75,000 residents saw its recycling totals slide. Waste & Recycling News
SEPTEMBER 6, 2011 It may have been the last toast to a longtime Texas tradition—floating down a meandering river here with a can of Lone Star beer in hand. Thousands of visitors crammed into the drought-depleted Comal River in central Texas over Labor Day weekend, potentially the last major holiday when they will be allowed to haul six-packs as they float along on inner tubes. Wall Street Journal
August 31, 2011 An innovative diversion program at the 2011 California State Fair kept nearly 60 tons of food waste from ending up in the landfill. Cal Expo, which hosted the fair from July 14-31, continued its commitment to increased recycling and waste diversion with help from the California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle). CalRecycle
August 22, 2011 Gap Inc. (NYSE: GPS) today released its fifth Social and Environmental Responsibility report, a comprehensive update on its supply chain operations, environmental programs and community investment efforts from 2009 to 2010. Gap Inc.
September 1, 2011 The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has extended the deadline for accepting written comments from stakeholders on a report it's drafting on municipal solid waste management. Stakeholders now have until September 30 to weigh in on a report in the works that's titled Municipal Solid Waste in the United States. Resource Recycling
September 1, 2011 The Sustainable Packaging Coalition has recently revised its Definition of Sustainable Packaging to better reflect current trends in packaging. The SPC, which is a project of the green business-oriented nonprofit organization GreenBlue, originally produced the guidelines in 2005 to form a common understanding of the term "sustainable packaging" and a framework for improving how consumer goods are encased. Resource Recycling
August 23, 2011 A new study finds that the profound adoption of tablet and other electronic readers will cause North American consumption of paper used in magazines, newspapers and book publishing (so-called knowledge grades) to fall by up to 21% by 2015 and by up to 50% in fifteen years. Waste Business Journal
August 19, 2011 World demand for green packaging—including recycled-content, reusable, and degradable packaging—is projected to rise 5.7% per year to $212 billion in 2015. That’s according to a new study, “World Green Packaging,” from The Freedonia Group. Greener Package
August 17, 2011 Greenstar Recycling (Houston, TX) plans to build a single-stream recycling facility in Akron, OH that will also serve as a hub for recycling and recovery activities in the area. Waste Business Journal
August 24, 2011 The City Council on Monday banned disposable food and beverage containers from waterways within the city limits, ignoring threats of a lawsuit from river-oriented business owners who say the law will kill the town's tourism economy. My San Antonio
August 24, 2011 By 2015 paper use in North American magazines, newspapers and books is expected to fall between 12 and 20 percent from 2010 levels, as the use of tablet devices and e-readers rises, according to a report by paper industry information source RISI. ...Meanwhile, global demand for green packaging is projected to rise 5.7 percent per year to $212 billion in 2015, according to research by Freedonia. Environmental Leader
August 19th, 2011 Nestlé Waters North America scored highest in a new report that ranks beverage companies ’recycling efforts – but their final letter grade was still only a B-. “Waste and Opportunity: U.S. Beverage Container Recycling Scorecard and Report 2011” is the third report since 2006 on the state of beverage container recycling by corporate responsibility advocacy group As You Sow. Earth 911
CRI cited: Of the 224 billion beverage containers are sold annually in the United States, only 29 percent by weight are recycled, according to the Container Recycling Institute.
August 18, 2011 Two trade organizations are expressing support for a U.S. Senate resolution in support of the recycling industry. The resolution, sponsored by co-founders and co-chairs of the Senate's Recycling Caucus Delaware Democrat Tom Carper and Maine Republican Olympia Snowe, expresses support for policies that recognize and promote recyclable materials as essential economic commodities, as well as the use of recyclable feedstock. Resource Recycling
August 18, 2011 Questions are being raised about a new report released by shareholder advocacy group As You Sow, which says several major U.S. beverage companies would throw their support behind laws that would make them, and other producers, financially responsible for collecting and recycling their discarded packaging. Resource Recycling
CRI Quoted: "Why did all of the beverage companies get a higher grade in this report than the last one, when recycling rates have hardly increased?" asked Susan Collins of the Container Recycling Institute.
July 2011 At this year’s inaugural Sustainable Packaging Symposium, sustainability management consulting firm PE International, Inc. participated in a comprehensive panel with a variety of experts in Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). The topic of LCA is a crucial one: How do we make good decisions as purchasers and designers of packaging based on quality information? Packaging World Magazine
August 16, 2011 Leaders of the Recycling Organizations of North America (RONA) and the National Recycling Coalition (NRC) have announced plans to move forward with formal cooperative efforts. Both have agreed that collaboration is essential if recycling is to move forward in North America. Resource Recycling
Aug 10, 2011 Max A. Pooch the amazing black lab is featured on Lake County TV in his role as the recycled black lab who picks up what people won't. Max demonstrates even a dog can make the world a better place when it takes the Green initiative. Max A Pooch
Aug. 10, 2011 Waste Management Inc. is planning to construct a single-stream recycling facility to serve the Detroit metropolitan area. The new site will be designed to process recyclables from residential and commercial customers throughout seven counties in southeast Michigan, said company spokesman Tom Horton. Waste & Recycling News
August 8, 2011 How does Coca-Cola integrate sustainability into their operations? For several years its facility in Brampton, Ontario, one of its largest in North America, has been transforming its manufacturing and distribution to save energy, reduce carbon footprint, water usage, and material usage. In this case study we look at the goals, implementation, and progress of the programs put in place by this $20 billion food and beverage giant. Environmental Leader
August 8, 2011 Waste Management Inc. is launching a $15 million recycling facility in its hometown of Houston, a location the company says is "one of the most technologically advanced single-stream storing systems in the country." The new 40,000-square-foot location will increase recycling rates by up to 50%, the company said, because it allows for streamlined collection and processing of materials. Waste & Recycling News
August 5, 2011 The Solid Waste Association of North America announced its strong endorsement of U.S. Senate Resolution 251, which expresses support for the improvement of the collection, processing and consumption of recyclable materials throughout the country. Waste & Recycling News
What's not in store (Opinion) Written by Sterling Anthony, CPP
August 3, 2011 The in.gredients grocery store, slated to open this fall in Austin, Texas, is touted as the nation's first "package-free, zero-waste grocery store." ...There's nothing objectionable about informing the public; however, subjective opinion is no substitute for critical thinking. It seems that in these times, it's automatically assumed that anything with an anti-packaging bias must be good for the environment. Packaging World
August 3, 2011 Office Depot will offer delivery service customers the option to receive supplies in paper bags rather than cardboard boxes, in an effort it hopes will reduce waste by 3.5 million pounds. The initiative, called the GreenerOffice Delivery Service, is being rolled out nationwide following a pilot in which over 90 percent of eligible customers opted into the program. Environmental Leader
August 2, 2011 EPA is soliciting stakeholder input regarding the efficacy and scope of the MSW Characterization Report called “Municipal Solid Waste in the United States” as part of a broader discussion about sustainable materials management. This information will be used to develop new measurement definitions and protocols for measurement of these materials, as well as the possible addition of construction and demolition (C&D) materials and non-hazardous industrial materials to the list of materials addressed in future efforts. Federal Register
July 28, 2011 In the 2011 Greener Package Awards, one of two Beyond the Package Awards was granted to a multi-company applicant that demonstrated the value of pre-competitive collaboration for effecting sustainable change throughout the supply chain. The winners—Starbucks Coffee Co., International Paper, Georgia-Pacific, and Mississippi River Pulp—were recognized by the judges for their successful partnership in piloting cup-to-cup (and cup-to-napkin) recycling processes for single-serve, coated hot cups. Greener Package
July 15, 2011 The employees of Parallel Products have turned the old adage inside out. To them, one man’s trash is another man’s… ethanol? The Louisville, Ky-based company turns discarded beverages that didn’t quite work out — either in the co-packer’s facility or on-shelf — into the desired, industrial-grade ethanol by distillation. Bevnet
July 15, 2011 Lego has bowed to pressure from Greenpeace, reportedly agreeing to drop supplier Asia Pulp and Paper, and the toy company says it will only use packaging material certified by the Forest Stewardship Council from now on. The environmental group last month accused Lego, Hasbro, Mattel and Disney of using packaging material sourced from trees cleared out of the Indonesian rainforest. Environmental Leader
July 14, 2011 Environmental activists are keeping El Segundo-based Mattel firmly in their sights as they try to push the toymaker away from questionable logging practices in Indonesia that supply the boxes for Barbie dolls. 89.3 KPCC
July 11, 2011 Imagine a grocery store where not one item is pre-packaged. Cardboard boxes? Gone. Plastic bags? Nonexistent. No, this isn’t a hypothetical scenario. Zero waste and package-free grocery stores, where customers bring in their own reusable containers or bags to buy in bulk or per ounce, are becoming an alternative to shops offering packaged merchandise. Waste & Recycling News
July 8, 2011 Global Green USA is searching for quick service restaurants in New York City to participate in a pilot project to help design a recycling solution for foodservice packaging. Waste & Recycling News
July 5, 2011 SC Johnson has launched a concentrated Windex refill pouch, in a test designed to challenge American consumers’ resistance to such products. The company says that Windex Mini uses 90 percent less plastic packaging than a traditional 26 fluid ounce spray bottle, and avoids the transport of 22.4 fluid ounces of water, or almost 1.5 pounds by weight. Environmental Leader
July 5, 2011 Vax has unveiled a cardboard vacuum cleaner, made from its own packaging. The Vax ev was designed by Jake Tyler, a Vax intern and student at the U.K.’s Loughborough University, with support by the company’s new product design team. The firm, one of the U.K.’s leading vacuum brands, says it is now exploring a limited production run of the product. Environmental Leader
June 29th, 2011 Video shows two alternatives to styrofoam padding material: one from paperboard, the other, one of two Diamond Award winners in this year's DuPont Awards, a protective packaging material that's "grown" in a mold from mycelium and ordinary crop waste. Packaging World
June 24, 2011 Austin, Texas is already home to Whole Foods, but that won't stop a group of entrepreneurs from founding a new grocery store right in the natural food behemoth's backyard. ... In.gredients promises to be the country's first ever "package-free, zero waste grocery store." Good
June 21, 2011 The Coca Cola brand...used Facebook Places to encourage users to recycle their old bottles. 10,000 recycling bins were placed around the country and all given their own Facebook place. Users were then encouraged to check into the spots and take photos as they recycled their bottles. The winner was dubbed “The Recycling King.” TNW
May 30, 2011 ...For every 1% of contamination in the recycled fiber SP Newsprint Co. uses each year, it costs the company $1.5 million. Single-stream recycling -- where all materials are commingled into one container for the ease of consumers -- has helped push recycling volumes higher. But it also has created some challenges for processors, who have to then sort the materials, and end users such as SP Newsprint, for example, that use recycled fiber to make new paper. Waste & Recycling News
June 16, 2011 Los Angeles will now begin accepting food and beverage cartons in its residential curbside recycling program as part of a collaboration with the Carton Council. The Carton Council, a group of carton manufacturers seeking to increase recycling of its products, estimates that with Los Angeles signing onto its recycling initiative — the city is now one of 200 in California that have partnered with the group — the number of households that can now recycle cartons is at an all-time high of 34 percent, nationally. Resource Recycling Electronic Newsletter
June 7, 2011 Big changes may be on the horizon for blue box recycling as we know it. The provincial government has given an industry group of producers and retailers 18 months to design a plan to collect all packaging and printed materials from consumers. Langley Times
June 16, 2011 The British Government has unveiled the results of its comprehensive review of waste, which will establish policies governing how rubbish is managed in the UK that could affect what's allowed in landfills and collection programs by local authorities. Although Britain has a household recycling rate of 40 percent, and 50 percent for businesses, the waste review seeks to bring the UK up to speed with the rest of Europe in diverting recyclables from the landfill. Resource Recycling Electronic Newsletter
May 12, 2011 ...the global marketplace faces some dire challenges in the near future. A population explosion—9 billion people by 2050, according to estimates from the United Nations—will put intense pressure on critical resources such as water, energy, and land. How will this scenario affect packaging, you might ask? At SPS 2011, Tony Kingsbury, executive-in-residence, Center for Responsible Business, UC Berkeley, and an executive with Dow Chemical, shared some of his packaging-related predictions for a resource-scarce future. Greener Package
June 10, 2011 Seventh Generation and Whole Foods have topped survey respondents’ rankings of the greenest U.S. brands, even as consumer appetite for green products expands to include big-ticket items like cars and electronics. Environmental Leader
June 10, 2011 Throughout the world, more consumers are seeking out greener products, according to the annual ImagePower Global Green Brands Study. The survey, which polled 9,000 people in eight countries, shows that consumers across the globe intend to purchase more environmental products in the auto, energy and technology sectors compared to the prior year. Waste & Recycling News
OR bill drops bag ban in favor of recycling By Henry Leineweber
May 26, 2011 It seems Oregon will not be the first state in the nation to ban plastic bags after all. Amendments have been proposed to SB 536 that would remove the "ban" language and replace it with an 80 percent recycling target.
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