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Posts in Circular Economy

Corporate Insistence On Single-Use Plastics & Protecting The Environment

Corporate Insistence On Single-Use Plastics & Protecting The Environment

Corporations all over the world need to make a choice — are they going to commit to a future in which reliance on fossil fuel-based plastics is only a memory? Or are they going to continue to contribute to the 300 million tons of plastics produced every year, half of which is for single use? Loud investments in R&D to investigate future alternatives to plastics is a weak starting point, more public relations than practical reform. Our planet depends on corporations eliminating single-use plastics from all packaging — now.

Waste, Circular EconomyAsYouSowFebruary 4, 2019Carolyn Fortuna, Ocean Plastics

Operation Clean Sweep faces calls to transform

Operation Clean Sweep faces calls to transform

Great Nurdle HuntVolunteers clean the beach in Scotland in an event sponsored by the Great Nurdle Hunt and the environmental group Fidra.

Waste, Circular EconomyAsYouSowJanuary 31, 2019plastics, Steve Toloken, plastic pellets

Starbucks Investors Bring Wave of Anti-Plastic Activism to Cups

Starbucks Investors Bring Wave of Anti-Plastic Activism to Cups

(Bloomberg Law) -- Starbucks Corp.'s board is pushing back against a coffee-cup recycling proposal from shareholders worried about ocean pollution.

Waste, Circular EconomyAsYouSowJanuary 31, 2019Andrea Vittorio, Starbucks

KFC, Walmart Canada Latest to Commit to Plastic Use Reduction

KFC, Walmart Canada Latest to Commit to Plastic Use Reduction

Plastic is a hot topic in Davos this week and more big-name companies are stepping up commitments to reducing plastic waste -- playing catch-up to other industry leaders.

Waste, Circular EconomyAsYouSowJanuary 24, 2019Carmen Reinicke, Ocean Plastics

Plastics industry launches waste initiative

Plastics industry launches waste initiative

In what is being billed as the largest-ever effort of its kind, 28 companies have formed the Alliance to End Plastic Waste, which plans to invest up to $1.5 billion over the next five years on projects to keep plastic trash out of the ocean.

Waste, Circular EconomyAsYouSowJanuary 24, 2019Ocean Plastics, Alexander H. Tullo

Dow Chemical joins $1 billion effort to cut plastic waste in ocean and environment

Dow Chemical joins $1 billion effort to cut plastic waste in ocean and environment

MIDLAND, MICH — Dow Chemical Co. is forming a global alliance with 30 other companies to focus on reducing plastic waste that ends up in the oceans and the environment.

Waste, Circular EconomyAsYouSowJanuary 24, 2019Chris Ehrmann, plastic pellets

Industry-led effort commits $1.5B to curb plastic pollution

Industry-led effort commits $1.5B to curb plastic pollution

With more plastics piling into rivers and oceans, several of the world's biggest plastic chemical manufacturers are joining together in an industry-led effort to curb plastic waste.

Waste, Circular EconomyAsYouSowJanuary 21, 2019Marissa Luck, plastic pellets

Environmentalists Say Tiny Plastic 'Nurdles' Threaten Earth's Oceans

Environmentalists Say Tiny Plastic 'Nurdles' Threaten Earth's Oceans

As You Sow has filed resolutions with Chevron Corp., DowDupont Inc., Exxon Mobil Corp. and Phillips 66 asking them to disclose how many nurdles escape their production process each year, and how effectively they’re addressing the issue.

Waste, Circular EconomyAsYouSowJanuary 21, 2019Eric Roston, plastic pellets

There’s a Tiny Plastic Enemy Threatening the Planet’s Oceans

There’s a Tiny Plastic Enemy Threatening the Planet’s Oceans

Environmentalists have identified another threat to the planet. It’s called a nurdle.

Waste, Circular EconomyAsYouSowJanuary 21, 2019Eric Roston, plastic pellets

Packaging challenges could leave bottled water companies all wet

Packaging challenges could leave bottled water companies all wet

Bottled water is America's most popular beverage, dethroning carbonated soft drinks in 2016. Sales have soared in recent years because of consumer worries about tap water quality and concerns about sugary drinks.

Waste, Circular EconomyAsYouSowJanuary 21, 2019Cathy Siegner, plastics, plastic solutions

Why the soft drinks category is trapped in a plastic corner - Sustainability Spotlight

Faced with relentless campaigning and mounting public concern about plastic pollution, soft drinks companies have no choice but to act to mitigate the environmental impact of their packaging.

Waste, Circular EconomyAsYouSowJanuary 21, 2019Ben Cooper, plastics

Beyond Plastic Bans: Creating Products To Replace It

Packaging designer Ryan Gaither believes in the power of cardboard.

Waste, Circular EconomyAsYouSowJanuary 21, 2019plastics, Weekend Edition Sunday

Businesses endorse plastics waste and pollution goals

Businesses endorse plastics waste and pollution goals

More than 290 companies and groups, including some of the world’s largest consumer goods makers and plastics packaging firms, signed on to a plan Oct. 29 from the Ellen MacArthur Foundation to make their packaging much more environmentally friendly.

Waste, Circular EconomyAsYouSowJanuary 21, 2019plastics, Steve Toloken

Investors put more pressure on plastics pollution issues

Investors put more pressure on plastics pollution issues

Concern over plastic marine pollution and waste among institutional investors has grown sharply over the last 18 months, according to the organizer of a $1 trillion campaign to pressure major consumer brands to reduce their plastics use.

Waste, Circular EconomyAsYouSowJanuary 21, 2019plastics, Steve Toloken

Mondelez plans to make all packaging recyclable by 2025

Mondelez plans to make all packaging recyclable by 2025

Although this announcement from Mondelez is an ambitious sustainability initiative, the CPG maker said it has already made its packaging more environmentally friendly. The company said most of its packaging is currently recyclable, since about 75% of it is glass, paper or metal, and about 70% of the paper-based packaging comes from recycled sources. Oreo packages in the U.S. were also made 23% thinner, reducing about 1.5 million kilograms of cartons used annually. These efforts could indicate that the brand is on track to follow through with its lofty goals.

Waste, Circular EconomyAsYouSowJanuary 21, 2019plastics, Cathy Siegner

Plastic straw bans a drop in the ocean in keeping our waters clean

Plastic straw bans a drop in the ocean in keeping our waters clean

California has fired another volley in the plastic-straw wars, enacting a law that bars sit-down restaurants from offering straws to diners unless they specifically request them. The move follows total bans on plastic straws in cities including San Francisco; Malibu, California; Seattle; and Miami Beach, Florida.

Waste, Circular EconomyAsYouSowJanuary 21, 2019IRINA IVANOVA, plastics

What’s the best way to get Americans to actually recycle?

What’s the best way to get Americans to actually recycle?

Increasingly, it seems like it’s supporting expanding bottle deposit programs. But big beverage companies want any solution but that.

Waste, Circular EconomyAsYouSowJanuary 21, 2019Adele Peters, Consumer Packaging

Is PepsiCo's new $10M pledge to The Recycling Partnership enough?

In a Fortune op-ed touting her company's use of recycled content and $55 million investment in recycling over the past 10 years, PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi also recognized "that these efforts are simply not enough." Groups such as Greenpeace and As You Sow, were quick to release statements about why they don't believe this latest investment is enough either.

Waste, Circular EconomyAsYouSowJanuary 21, 2019Cole Rosengren, Consumer Packaging

Starbucks caves to advocacy group As You Sow; plans to eliminate plastic straws by 2020

A proposal by advocacy group As You Sow (Oakland, CA) was presented and voted on by shareholders in March asking Starbucks to phase out plastic straws. It received less than 30% support, but As You Sow considered it a victory.

Waste, Circular EconomyAsYouSowJanuary 21, 2019Consumer Packaging, Clare Goldsberry

Straw supplier says Starbucks is making the 'right decision'

Straw supplier says Starbucks is making the 'right decision'

It’s estimated that more than 500 million plastic straws are used per day in the U.S. But that number could be about to plunge as big corporations like Starbucks (SBUX) start to eliminate them.

Waste, Circular EconomyAsYouSowJanuary 21, 2019Consumer Packaging, Julia La Roche