No dia 29 de abril, os estudantes dos 2ºs anos do Ensino Fundamental Bilíngue da IENH – Unidade Pindorama foram desafiados a criar cartazes para relembrar a comunidade escolar sobre a importância de coletar e guardar os materiais que podem ser reciclados nas campanhas dos Monitores Ecológicos.

Na economia circular a gente quer eliminar o conceito de lixo. Para isso, os materiais são nutrientes que devem ser desenhados para os próximos ciclos. E, quando falamos de embalagens para a  economia circular, as possibilidades de soluções para manter as embalagens e os seus materiais circulando são bem diversas. Podemos, por exemplo, pensar em soluções para embalagens circulares que não geram nenhum tipo de resíduo, ou que usam matérias-primas feitas a partir de resíduos de outros processos, que preveem sistemas de reuso, ou ainda que permitem a reinserção dos materiais em cadeias industriais.

Each of these trash-to-treasure concepts are real practices by real businesses: Green Guru, which makes outdoor gear out of busted bike tubes and old climbing rope; Greenline Paper Company, which offers compostable to-go clamshells from bagasse (sugar cane waste fiber); and Pioneer Millworks which takes wood from dilapidated buildings for new home building projects. These are just a few examples of business leaders redefining capitalism as a mechanism to care for the planet instead of taking advantage of it.   While this concept is getting more press in recent years, it is not a new phenomenon-compassionate businesses have been coming together for decades under Green America's Green Business Network® to demonstrate unity for a circular economy.   While there are several schools of thought that inform a circular economy-from cradle to cradle, to natural capitalism, to industrial ecology-at its most basic level, a circular economy is about rethinking supply chains to minimize waste. The Ellen MacArthur Foundation describes it in three parts: "designing out waste and pollution, keeping products and materials in use, and regenerating natural systems." This economic model takes the principles of reduce, reuse, and recycle, and scales them throughout society. Read more about the various schools of thought at the Ellen MacArthur Foundation's website.   Conversely, our country runs on a linear economy: we take resources, make products, and when we tire of them or they outlive their usefulness, throw them away. This take-make-toss model operates as if resources are infinite-whereas the circular economy makes the most of the planet's resources while giving back. The following case studies from Wrangler, TerraCycle, and Green America's Center for Sustainability Solutions demonstrate examples of each piece in the Ellen MacArthur Foundation definition of designing out waste, keeping things in use, and regeneration.   Design Out Waste   Most pollution and waste occur early in the supply chain, not from consumer purchasing. For example, the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) states that about one-fifth of the world's industrial water pollution occurs in textile mills, long before the finished clothing items make it to the hands of buyers. Green America's winter 2019 issue, "Unraveling the Fashion Industry," took a deep dive into the world of harmful fashion be an authoritative resource on issues and victories throughout the industry.   Jeans alone will go through several chemical-intensive washes to get that "lived in" look (unless you're buying raw denim, yours have gone through this too), generating a significant amount of wastewater; however, by designing out waste at the beginning of the supply chain, businesses have the opportunity to generate industry- wide positive impacts.   Wrangler's newest denim collection is one such example. In 2019, the brand released Indigood™, a collection that uses a foam-dyeing process to eliminate 100 percent of wastewater from the indigo dyeing process. Wrangler collaborated with Texas Tech University, Indigo Mill Designs and the Spanish fabric company Tejidos Royo to bring the foam-dyed denim to market.   Compared to conventional denim manufacturing, which uses around 1,500 to 2,000 liters of water by dipping denim yarn in 12 to 14 different dyeboxes-imagine bathtubs filled with dye-the foam dyeing processes uses almost no water.   The Indigood Collection was originally released in 2019 and is currently available in stores. Atwood says Wrangler intends to increase the amount of foam-dyed denim throughout their entire collection.   Additionally, Atwood states that Wrangler won't monopolize the foam-dyed denim market. Wrangler has already shared the technology with competitors because of its potential to completely change the denim industry.   For a notoriously water-intensive item of clothing, the foam-dyeing process offers a clear solution to designing out waste near the beginning of the supply chain-the first piece in the Ellen MacArthur Foundation's definition of a circular economy.   Keep in Use   A linear economy turns a profit off waste: Americans threw away 4.51 pounds of trash per person per day in 2017, according to the EPA. Most of that discarded material comes from goods that are used briefly, such as food waste and packaging materials. As these items are replaced, they perpetuate the take-make-waste model of a linear economy.   Combating this model begins with re-imagining how these materials are wasted and is also the second part of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation's circular economy definition: keeping items in use longer. In the Wrangler example, pollution and waste must be managed by businesses and therefore, are out of the average person's control; however, we do have control over how often we buy items, how long we use them, and how we repurpose them. Food waste and some paper materials can be composted, which gives them a new life as fertilizer. Certain plastics, metals, and glass can be recycled in curbside bins, too.   But what about household items that can't be composted, repaired, or recycled? Empty toothpaste tubes, dead car batteries, and dried out markers are a few examples of "unrecyclables"- in other words, items that are not accepted by municipal recycling and thus, landfilled. This is where TerraCycle comes in.   TerraCycle is a leader in recycling the unrecyclable-the company partners with major consumer goods manufacturers to offer recycling programs. In 2019 alone, TerraCycle collected and diverted over 30 million pounds of post-consumer and post-industrial waste from landfills. The company won Green America's People and Planet Award in 2015 for recycling innovation and has since won additional accolades and expanded to 21 countries.   The recycling company offers multiple programs for collecting unrecyclables, from the Zero Waste Box program for picking up nearly every type of waste, to the Regulated Waste program for items like fluorescent lamps and batteries that would be hazardous in a landfill.   To make these programs possible, TerraCycle works with a variety of third-party processing subcontractors that sort and reprocess the waste into usable raw materials for new product manufacturing. Whenever possible, these processing locations are located near where the collections take place.   TerraCycle's newest project, Loop, follows the "milkman model"-like when the milkman came to the doorstep with a fresh delivery and picked up used containers. Loop expands on this concept with familiar consumer brands by delivering reusable and recyclable packaging of everyday products instead of single-use packaging.   Regenerate Natural Systems   In nature, waste does not exist. When a leaf falls, it becomes food for microorganisms, then becomes part of the soil to feed the tree. While there are multiple schools of thought educating circular economy theory, the concept of 'waste as food' is an underlying theme. Thus, the third foundational pillar of a circular economy is regenerating natural systems; not only does this principle close the loop of a circular economy, it has the potential to protect and improve the environment by returning nutrients to ecosystems.   Vermicomposting (composting using live worms) is an example: in a household vermicompost system, earthworms are fed kitchen waste, from eggshells to orange peels. Their eliminated waste can be used as a nutrient-dense fertilizer. Now imagine that process on a much larger scale, considering increased biodiversity, soil health, and surrounding ecosystems. This is the idea of regenerative agriculture.   Mary Johnson, the Carbon Farming Innovation Network director at Green America, explains that regenerative agriculture is an approach to farming that mimics nature to create a healthy and symbiotic ecosystem.   "Over the last hundred years, conventional and tillage-based farming systems have not reflected how important living organisms are," says Johnson. "Regenerative agriculture uses knowledge of how nature works on a deep, complex systems level to farm in harmony with those systems, rather than dumbing them down to the most reductionist, controlled approach that relies heavily on applications of toxic chemicals and sterilized soils."   Regenerative agriculture also has the capacity to capture carbon and store it in the ground, reducing the effects of the climate crisis and sequestering global carbon emissions. Read more in "Planting Seeds of Climate Hope."   With this in mind, regenerative agriculture has the potential to not only protect natural ecosystems but improve deteriorated conditions caused by conventional agriculture. Project Drawdown ranks regenerative agriculture as its 11th highest-impact solution to climate change.   The practices of farming regeneratively are applicable to both small, worker-owned or family farms as well as large corporations are looking to incorporate regenerative methods in their supply chains. In 2018, Green America announced its collaboration with DanoneWave-a maker of dairy and plant-based products such as coffee creamer and yogurt-to implement regenerative agriculture practices in its supply chain, as well as to develop a certification for regenerative farms. If regenerative agriculture becomes widely adopted, it has the potential to drastically alter our economic relationship with food, the land, and the climate.   Closing the Loop   Collectively, each of these case studies offer a glimpse at what is possible in a circular economy. The shift would require all facets of society to participate-from government and business, to cities and individuals-but the momentum is already growing. Climate change has never mattered more to American voters. Businesses across the nation are increasingly taking the initiative to be greener. A circular economy is the only economic model that can support humanity on planet Earth-and it is more important than ever.

Each of these trash-to-treasure concepts are real practices by real businesses: Green Guru, which makes outdoor gear out of busted bike tubes and old climbing rope; Greenline Paper Company, which offers compostable to-go clamshells from bagasse (sugar cane waste fiber); and Pioneer Millworks which takes wood from dilapidated buildings for new home building projects. These are just a few examples of business leaders redefining capitalism as a mechanism to care for the planet instead of taking advantage of it.   While this concept is getting more press in recent years, it is not a new phenomenon-compassionate businesses have been coming together for decades under Green America's Green Business Network® to demonstrate unity for a circular economy.   While there are several schools of thought that inform a circular economy-from cradle to cradle, to natural capitalism, to industrial ecology-at its most basic level, a circular economy is about rethinking supply chains to minimize waste. The Ellen MacArthur Foundation describes it in three parts: "designing out waste and pollution, keeping products and materials in use, and regenerating natural systems." This economic model takes the principles of reduce, reuse, and recycle, and scales them throughout society. Read more about the various schools of thought at the Ellen MacArthur Foundation's website.   Conversely, our country runs on a linear economy: we take resources, make products, and when we tire of them or they outlive their usefulness, throw them away. This take-make-toss model operates as if resources are infinite-whereas the circular economy makes the most of the planet's resources while giving back. The following case studies from Wrangler, TerraCycle, and Green America's Center for Sustainability Solutions demonstrate examples of each piece in the Ellen MacArthur Foundation definition of designing out waste, keeping things in use, and regeneration.   Design Out Waste   Most pollution and waste occur early in the supply chain, not from consumer purchasing. For example, the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) states that about one-fifth of the world's industrial water pollution occurs in textile mills, long before the finished clothing items make it to the hands of buyers. Green America's winter 2019 issue, "Unraveling the Fashion Industry," took a deep dive into the world of harmful fashion be an authoritative resource on issues and victories throughout the industry.   Jeans alone will go through several chemical-intensive washes to get that "lived in" look (unless you're buying raw denim, yours have gone through this too), generating a significant amount of wastewater; however, by designing out waste at the beginning of the supply chain, businesses have the opportunity to generate industry- wide positive impacts.   Wrangler's newest denim collection is one such example. In 2019, the brand released Indigood™, a collection that uses a foam-dyeing process to eliminate 100 percent of wastewater from the indigo dyeing process. Wrangler collaborated with Texas Tech University, Indigo Mill Designs and the Spanish fabric company Tejidos Royo to bring the foam-dyed denim to market.   Compared to conventional denim manufacturing, which uses around 1,500 to 2,000 liters of water by dipping denim yarn in 12 to 14 different dyeboxes-imagine bathtubs filled with dye-the foam dyeing processes uses almost no water.   The Indigood Collection was originally released in 2019 and is currently available in stores. Atwood says Wrangler intends to increase the amount of foam-dyed denim throughout their entire collection.   Additionally, Atwood states that Wrangler won't monopolize the foam-dyed denim market. Wrangler has already shared the technology with competitors because of its potential to completely change the denim industry.   For a notoriously water-intensive item of clothing, the foam-dyeing process offers a clear solution to designing out waste near the beginning of the supply chain-the first piece in the Ellen MacArthur Foundation's definition of a circular economy.   Keep in Use   A linear economy turns a profit off waste: Americans threw away 4.51 pounds of trash per person per day in 2017, according to the EPA. Most of that discarded material comes from goods that are used briefly, such as food waste and packaging materials. As these items are replaced, they perpetuate the take-make-waste model of a linear economy.   Combating this model begins with re-imagining how these materials are wasted and is also the second part of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation's circular economy definition: keeping items in use longer. In the Wrangler example, pollution and waste must be managed by businesses and therefore, are out of the average person's control; however, we do have control over how often we buy items, how long we use them, and how we repurpose them. Food waste and some paper materials can be composted, which gives them a new life as fertilizer. Certain plastics, metals, and glass can be recycled in curbside bins, too.   But what about household items that can't be composted, repaired, or recycled? Empty toothpaste tubes, dead car batteries, and dried out markers are a few examples of "unrecyclables"- in other words, items that are not accepted by municipal recycling and thus, landfilled. This is where TerraCycle comes in.   TerraCycle is a leader in recycling the unrecyclable-the company partners with major consumer goods manufacturers to offer recycling programs. In 2019 alone, TerraCycle collected and diverted over 30 million pounds of post-consumer and post-industrial waste from landfills. The company won Green America's People and Planet Award in 2015 for recycling innovation and has since won additional accolades and expanded to 21 countries.   The recycling company offers multiple programs for collecting unrecyclables, from the Zero Waste Box program for picking up nearly every type of waste, to the Regulated Waste program for items like fluorescent lamps and batteries that would be hazardous in a landfill.   To make these programs possible, TerraCycle works with a variety of third-party processing subcontractors that sort and reprocess the waste into usable raw materials for new product manufacturing. Whenever possible, these processing locations are located near where the collections take place.   TerraCycle's newest project, Loop, follows the "milkman model"-like when the milkman came to the doorstep with a fresh delivery and picked up used containers. Loop expands on this concept with familiar consumer brands by delivering reusable and recyclable packaging of everyday products instead of single-use packaging.   Regenerate Natural Systems   In nature, waste does not exist. When a leaf falls, it becomes food for microorganisms, then becomes part of the soil to feed the tree. While there are multiple schools of thought educating circular economy theory, the concept of 'waste as food' is an underlying theme. Thus, the third foundational pillar of a circular economy is regenerating natural systems; not only does this principle close the loop of a circular economy, it has the potential to protect and improve the environment by returning nutrients to ecosystems.   Vermicomposting (composting using live worms) is an example: in a household vermicompost system, earthworms are fed kitchen waste, from eggshells to orange peels. Their eliminated waste can be used as a nutrient-dense fertilizer. Now imagine that process on a much larger scale, considering increased biodiversity, soil health, and surrounding ecosystems. This is the idea of regenerative agriculture.   Mary Johnson, the Carbon Farming Innovation Network director at Green America, explains that regenerative agriculture is an approach to farming that mimics nature to create a healthy and symbiotic ecosystem.   "Over the last hundred years, conventional and tillage-based farming systems have not reflected how important living organisms are," says Johnson. "Regenerative agriculture uses knowledge of how nature works on a deep, complex systems level to farm in harmony with those systems, rather than dumbing them down to the most reductionist, controlled approach that relies heavily on applications of toxic chemicals and sterilized soils."   Regenerative agriculture also has the capacity to capture carbon and store it in the ground, reducing the effects of the climate crisis and sequestering global carbon emissions. Read more in "Planting Seeds of Climate Hope."   With this in mind, regenerative agriculture has the potential to not only protect natural ecosystems but improve deteriorated conditions caused by conventional agriculture. Project Drawdown ranks regenerative agriculture as its 11th highest-impact solution to climate change.   The practices of farming regeneratively are applicable to both small, worker-owned or family farms as well as large corporations are looking to incorporate regenerative methods in their supply chains. In 2018, Green America announced its collaboration with DanoneWave-a maker of dairy and plant-based products such as coffee creamer and yogurt-to implement regenerative agriculture practices in its supply chain, as well as to develop a certification for regenerative farms. If regenerative agriculture becomes widely adopted, it has the potential to drastically alter our economic relationship with food, the land, and the climate.   Closing the Loop   Collectively, each of these case studies offer a glimpse at what is possible in a circular economy. The shift would require all facets of society to participate-from government and business, to cities and individuals-but the momentum is already growing. Climate change has never mattered more to American voters. Businesses across the nation are increasingly taking the initiative to be greener. A circular economy is the only economic model that can support humanity on planet Earth-and it is more important than ever.

Founded by Tom Szaky, TerraCycle is changing the way businesses handle their product waste. TerraCycle’s mission is to eliminate the idea of waste by using a new recycling process. TerraCycle operates in 21 countries with hundreds of recycling platforms that lead us closer to a functional circular economy. To date, TerraCycle has already diverted over 7 billion products from landfill globally. A Princeton University drop-out, Szaky has a passion to change the way people view waste. The idea came to him while recycling food waste at the university and turning it into fertilizer. A political refugee from Hungary, Szaky was inspired by the idea of working with capitalism, rather than against it. General Manager of TerraCycle Australia & New Zealand, Jean Bailliard, says TerraCycle repurposes products and their packaging to keep waste out of landfills and manage our Earth’s resources. “We want to get people to view waste as something useful, something we can circulate back into the economy. We need to be using it over and over again, and thus saving more of the world’s precious resources for future generations.” Bailliard says that a better question than ‘what can TerraCycle recycle?’ is ‘what can’t TerraCycle recycle?’ “Around the world, we recycle everything from complex items like cigarette butts, chewing gum, and even dirty diapers, through to simpler ones such as chip bags and cosmetic waste. We also focus on how to integrate unique waste streams back into consumer products like turning ocean plastic into shampoo bottles,” says Bailliard. Other products made from recycled products include garden beds, park benches, and playgrounds.

Partnerships

We all know what kerbside recycling looks like, but what’s the difference between weekly, government-funded recycling versus what TerraCycle does? Bailliard says it comes down to basic economics. “It simply costs more to process items that are complex and made of several different materials that are difficult to separate, than the processed material is worth. The reason why we’re able to recycle these items is down to our brand partners who sponsor the programmes, thereby filling the economic gap in the process,” says Bailliard. Colgate collaborates with TerraCycle to recycled their product waste. It is then recycled and repurposed into useful products. Last year the Colgate Community Garden Challenge encouraged New Zealand schools to collect as much oral care waste as possible. Winners from West Rolleston Primary school received a garden bed set made from recycled oral care packaging. Another one of TerraCycle’s brand partners is Nestlé. They specifically work on recycling the Nescafé Dulce Gusto capsules used in their at-home coffee machines. Nestlé New Zealand Head of Marketing, Fraser Shrimpton says their focus is to make all their packaging reusable or recyclable by 2025. Their capsule recycling partnership with TerraCycle is one of the many steps to get there. “To recycle Nescafé Dolce Gusto capsules through the program, Kiwis simply visit TerraCycle website, sign up for free and start collecting Nescafé Dolce Gusto coffee capsules in any cardboard box,” says Shrimpton. Collectors must seal their capsules in a plastic bag or ensure the capsules are dry before placing them in their collection box. When full, they log into their TerraCycle account and download a free shipping label. From there they stick the label to the box of waste and drop it at their nearest post office, free of charge. For each shipment of more than seven  kilograms of used capsules, collectors earn 2 points or $0.02 per capsule. This money goes to a school or non-profit organisation of their choice.

E-Waste – The New Kid On The Block

TerraCycle’s latest partnership with Vapo and Alt. to recycle e-cigarette waste is particularly exciting. With more electronic waste appearing within our capitalist society, a solution to this is needed more than ever. Bailliard says that e-waste is perhaps the final frontier for recyclers as it’s relatively new to them. So how do they do it? It starts with research and development of a recycling process in the U.S. This information is then passed onto third-party recycling vendors that TerraCycle work with. Bailliard says that this process allows them to have “ultimate flexibility,” meaning they can utilize any facility they require. Co-owner of Vapo and Alt. New Zealand, Ben Pryor, says it’s the first programme of its kind. “Late last year we announced that Kiwis could drop off their Vapo and Alt branded e-cigarette waste at any Vapo store for recycling. In March this year we extended the programme so vapers could send their vaping waste for free through the post.” Pryor says they don’t want to make the same mistake the tobacco industry has. “Let’s not forget that cigarette butts are the single greatest source of ocean trash. 5.7 trillion cigarettes worldwide are smoked annually. Cigarette butts are the number one man-made contaminant in our oceans,” says Pryor. Vapo and Alt will donate one dollar towards the charity Sustainable Coastlines for every kilogram of vaping equipment sent to TerraCycle.

Want To Know More?

Head to TerraCycle’s website for more information if you want to get involved as a business or an individual to start recycling your ‘out of the ordinary’ products..

Good Bottle Refill Shop, New Jersey’s first refill shop, has teamed up with TerraCycle to recycle plastic packaging waste through the Zero Waste Box program. By placing the Candy and Snack Wrappers Zero Waste Box in the shop, Good Bottle Refill Shop offers customers a convenient way to reduce single-use plastic waste. The team goes one step farther by using the Plastic Packaging Zero Waste Box to uphold their company commitment to recycle all plastic items and materials that come into the store. This conventionally unrecyclable waste would have otherwise been landfilled, incinerated, or may have even contributed to the pollution of marine habitats. The collected packaging will now be recycled into a variety of new products such as park benches, bike racks, shipping pallets and recycling bins. TerraCycle, the world’s leader in the collection and repurposing of complex waste streams, created the Zero Waste Box program to provide solutions for difficult-to-recycle waste that cannot be recycled through TerraCycle’s brand-sponsored, national recycling programs or via standard municipal recycling. “We have the mindset that just recycling is not the answer,” says Deanna Taylor, founder of Good Bottle Refill Shop. “Lowering our waste in total is the key.” More information regarding Good Bottle Refill Shop can be found by visiting their website, www.goodbottlerefillshop.com. All collected materials from the Zero Waste Box program are sent to TerraCycle for recycling, where they undergo a series of treatments before getting turned into new items. For more information on TerraCycle, please visit www.TerraCycle.com. TerraCycle offers Zero Waste Boxes for nearly every category of waste. By purchasing Zero Waste Boxes, companies and consumers save trash from landfills and help reach TerraCycle’s goal of creating a waste-free world.

WHAT IT DOES: Aromas of sweet vanilla promote feelings of warmth to leave you feeling comforted and at-ease after each use. LOVED FOR: This shower gel works up into a nice lather to rid your body of impurities and rehydrate parched skin.

• Formulated with aloe and rose hydrosol
• Sulfate-free

WHY YOU NEED IT: Essences of lavender, eucalyptus, organic vanilla, and palo santo help to awaken your senses and leave your skin feeling invigorated, clean, and glowing. LOVED FOR: All ingredients in this formula are certified USDA organic.

• Free of parabens, phthalates, and sulfates
• Cruelty-free

BEST FOR: This luxurious body wash is ultra-rich and can soften the driest of skins. FUN FACT: The woods and citrus scents in this formula are inspired by True Botanicals' Northern California roots.

• Formulated with green and white tea
• Synthetic fragrance-free

LOVED FOR: A combination of lemon balm, rosemary, peppermint essential oil, and aloe vera work together to leave your skin feeling cool, refreshed, and uplifted. FUN FACT: This formula is gentle enough to use on the face. Who doesn't love a multiuse product?

• Formulated with aloe vera
• pH-balanced

WHAT IT DOES: An oil-enriched cream gently cleanses and nourishes your skin to leave your body silky-smooth all-over. LOVED FOR: Rumor is this body wash smells exactly how you would expect sunshine to smell.

• Formulated with sea buckthorn
• Cruelty-free
• WHY YOU NEED IT: The coconut oils hydrate the skin without stripping it of its natural oils, which means your skin will feel naturally soft and clean. USERS SAID: “This is a great shower oil that I’m really enjoying! Leaves me feeling clean without drying out my skin. And I love the smell!”
  • Free of parabens, phthalates, and sulfates
  • Made in the USA
  • 
  • WHY YOU NEED IT:  The pump bottle makes this body wash super easy to use while showering. HELPFUL TIP: Opt for the tea tree oil and aloe vera option to leave your skin feeling soothed and balanced all day long.
    • Available in other fragrances
    • Free of parabens and phthalates
    • 
    • LOVED FOR: This all-natural body wash is only made up of eight simple ingredients and completely biodegradable. HELPFUL TIP: The honey-like gel formula goes a long way. Make sure you only use a little when lathering up!
      • Formulated with coconut oil and jojoba oil
      • Paraben-free
      • 
      • BEST FOR: This body wash is formulated with magnesium, which means it's made to address and minimize muscle soreness and help energize the skin. FUN FACT: Ren Clean Skincare teamed up with recycling innovator TerraCycle to create a 100% recycled plastic bottle. Join them in their battle for cleaner beaches, oceans, and a healthier planet when you purchase this top-ranked body cleanser today.
        • Free of parabens and sulfates
        • Cruelty-free
        • 
        • BEST FOR: The multi-purpose soap can be used as a cleanser for just about anything, whether that’s your body, hair, face, or even your dishes. WHY YOU NEED IT: You can reduce the number of products you carry in your house with a versatile product like this liquid soap.
          • Cruelty-free
          • Recycled bottle

 

Before the start of the pandemic, approximately 40% of U.S. household waste was packaging and paper products such as plastic containers, aluminum cans, glass bottles and jars, newspaper and cardboard, according to the Product Stewardship Institute. Since the start of the pandemic, however, there’s 20-30% more trash and recycling coming out of households nationally, says Kate Bailey, policy and research director at Eco-Cycle based in Boulder.   At Eco-Cycle, the amount of single-use plastics such as take-out containers and bags hasn’t changed significantly, Bailey says. Although, there has been a larger-than-normal uptick in single-use beverage containers as summer approaches. Plus, smaller cardboard boxes associated with at-home delivery have increased as well.   TerraCycle, says Tom Szaky, CEO and founder, has seen a spike in both Zero Waste Boxes, which allow folks to mail in hard-to-recycle items (including PPE), and use of the company’s Loop e-commerce site, which sells packaged goods in durable, sanitized and reused containers.   While household recycling may be increasing, plastic and glass from businesses have significantly decreased, causing potential disruptions in the supply chains across the country.  “We have a lot of manufacturing companies in this country that make toilet paper, that make cardboard boxes, that make glass bottles that depend on recycling,” Bailey says. “So we’re seeing this call from manufacturers to say, ‘We need you to please keep recycling because we need these raw materials.’”   And the industry has had to shift gears toward more household pick-up to keep up with demand, as some commercial recycling companies have had to close. “Since this increase in collections has been largely limited to residential locations as most businesses remain closed, many recycling haulers who exclusively operate in the commercial waste market have been forced to layoff employees,” Szaky says.   The pandemic comes at a time when the recycling industry was already struggling with historically low virgin plastic prices, made worse by the significant drop in oil and gas prices, and stymied international trading markets, as China banned recycling imports in 2018. There have been policy setbacks as well.    

The plastics industry has seized the opportunity to pressure lawmakers to permanently undo bag bans and similar legislation. But others, including executives at the reusable packaging platform Loop, aren't buying it. "Single-use is not sterile either," Heather Crawford, Loop’s global VP of marketing and e-commerce, told TriplePundit. "When you buy a disposable package off the shelf, it's been exposed to all kinds of different elements across the supply chain, including packing, transport, or even the customer who picked it up before you and put it back. Reuse in and of itself isn't the problem. It's the method by which it's done."