TerraCycle's Bold Waste Reduction Idea
TerraCycle pepsico Nestle Include USA Procter & Gamble Loop
By now, everyone is aware that over-packaging is ruining the environment. But how to remedy the situation? Certainly FMCG companies don't want consumers to use fewer products, less often—that's a radical idea that would certainly work, but will certainly lead to lower sales and profits.
Instead, Some of the world's largest consumer-goods companies are trying to tackle the global plastic packaging problem by offering consumers an alternative to recycling. Today, at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Procter & Gamble, Nestlé, Pepsi and others are unveiling Loop, in which their products, like detergents and shampoos, would all be sold in reusable packaging. After using the products, customers put the empty containers in a Loop tote on their doorstep. The containers are then picked up by a delivery service, cleaned and refilled, then shipped back out to consumers. Details of this innovation will be announced today at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.These FMCG giants are working with US waste recycling firm TerraCycle on the Loop project.
"There is no need to clean and dispose of the package. As consumers finish their products, they place the empty package into one of their Loop Totes. Loop will pick up directly from their home," TerraCycle said in a joint statement.
We assume that all these Loop advocates conducted LCA on the program. If Loop passed the test, it could be innovation with legs, er, wheels. At least it shines a brighter light on the packaging problem that plagues the planet.