Recycling industry news
Our top news picks from November:
- BBC: Global plastic talks collapse as oil states rebel
- Waste Dive: EPA calls for developing national EPR framework
- Ellen MacArthur Foundation and UN Environment Programme: The Global Commitment 2024 Progress Report
- Plastics Recycling Update: Amcor to acquire Berry Global in $8.4bn all-stock deal
- Trellis: Google parent Alphabet’s skunkworks targets the plastic crisis
Global plastic talks collapse as oil states rebel
Nearly 200 countries gathered in Busan, South Korea last week to negotiate a global plastic treaty, but failed to reach an agreement. As with the climate talks at COP 29 in Baku, representatives of major oil-producing nations and industry lobbyists are widely recognized as blocking the negotiations, to avoid (virgin polymer) production caps. Negotiations are expected to resume in 2025, but no date has yet been set.
✅ Our take:
The (plastic) can has been kicked down the road to 2025, with no clear line of sight to agreement. While disappointing, it is important to recognize that major manufacturers, retail companies, and the majority of countries still support a global plastics treaty. We believe the corporate sector and high ambition countries will continue to do their part to reign in plastic pollution, given the strong signal from buyers and citizens, and in turn will pressure low-ambition countries to get back to the negotiating table.
EPA calls for developing national EPR framework
Prior to negotiations on the global plastics treaty, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) launched its National Strategy to Prevent Plastic Pollution, calling, among other elements, for a national Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) framework. The national strategy has evolved from the bipartisan Save Our Seas 2.0 Act signed into law by President Trump in 2020.
✅ Our take:
While it’s not likely to top the new administration’s list of to-dos, we’re optimistic that the National EPR framework will be adopted. It increases the efficiency of EPR policies by ensuring harmonization across the US (five states are already implementing their own EPR legislation), supports the development of a robust local recycling industry, and reduces the health and environmental risks associated with plastic pollution.
The Global Commitment 2024 Progress Report
The report summarizes progress of high-ambition signatories towards plastic pollution reduction targets. Results reinforce the importance of setting ambitious targets, as corporate signatories have collectively made progress: reducing use of virgin plastic by 3% (while the global market increased its use by 8% between 2018 and 2023). Signatories also increased use of post-consumer recycled (PCR) content by 9 percentage points (vs.1 percentage point for the global market). Despite these bright spots, the report highlights that the majority of signatories are off track to reach 2025 targets.
✅ Our take:
We’re thrilled to see that recycled content among brand and retail signatories has tripled to ~14% over the past six years. Still, they’re a ways from reaching the collective target of 26% by 2025, with the food industry being furthest behind. With thousands of global PCR suppliers on its platform, Circular can help these (and all) signatories achieve targets efficiently.
Amcor to acquire Berry Global in $8.4bn all-stock deal
The deal further solidifies consolidation in the packaging industry, bringing together two of the largest players in the market. The press release highlighted the ability to deliver sustainable solutions to customers as a key strategic benefit.
✅ Our take:
We think this bodes well for improving sustainability of packaging. The two giants are Global Commitment signatories and are throwing their weight behind a Global Plastics Treaty and EPR legislation. We suspect that part of the growth resulting from the merger is expected to stem from ramping up PCR content across the combined portfolio. We’ll be watching this space.
Google parent Alphabet’s skunkworks targets the plastic crisis
Alphabet’s secretive R&D arm, X, the Moonshot Factory, has built a system to identify types of plastic at high speed on recycling plant conveyor belts. The system collects and analyzes the data from the images and applies machine learning to help recyclers recover more material and help brands use packaging that aligns with recycling processes.
✅ Our take:
At Circular, we believe in transparency. Brands, recyclers, and even consumers like each of us, lack the data to make informed decisions about material selection, design, and disposal. We applaud all efforts that increase transparency into the complex plastic system so we can eliminate plastic pollution. Our platform complements efforts like those of X by providing buyers with the technical specifications of recycled material available on the global market. With over 50,000 technical data sheets in its database, Circular.co’s platform, together with the demand signal it receives from buyers, allows ever-increasing alignment between buyers’ needs and recycled plastic supply.
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Circular news
What has Circular.co been up to in November?
In the media:
- In a recent interview with Recycling Today, our founder, Ian Arthurs, talks about how Circular.co is bringing about “generational change” in materials manufacturing.
Customer updates:
- Circular recently wrapped up a successful pilot with a global brand, uncovering opportunities to save 17% below index on high-quality sustainable materials. Through this collaboration, we have been hard at work on new tools designed to tackle the inefficiencies enterprises face when onboarding suppliers and managing shipments. Stay tuned—more on this coming soon in the new year!
We're hiring:
- Circular is hiring a Director of Operations. Join our fast-growing team - apply now!
About Circular
Launched in 2022, Circular.co makes sustainable sourcing easier with data. We built the world's largest post-consumer recycled (PCR) materials database for brands to navigate markets and make data-driven decisions. Responsible producers can easily use detailed technical spec data to find the right materials at transparent prices from vetted suppliers, all in one online platform. Book a demo here or visit circular.co.