I watched the conveyor belt whiz past and recognized the brand of toothbrush I use. And was that the same takeout sushi container I get all the time? Could those plastic items heading to the landfill have been mine? As the founder of Sea Hugger, a nonprofit organization working to protect the marine environment from plastic pollution, I was invited to tour Recology’s San Francisco Recycling Center to see how the recycling process works. Recology is employee-owned and committed to recycling as much waste as possible. But with the average American producing 4.4 pounds of trash per day, the sheer volume of materials that pass through the facility is astounding. According to Robert Reed, Recology’s Public Relations Manager, “Six hundred tons of material comes through the tipping floor each day, that’s equivalent to the weight of 38 Muni buses.” Recology said the most efficient way to manage our waste isn’t to rely on recycling; it is to consume fewer single-use items. I stood on that tipping floor and saw those muni bus-sized piles of rubbish spilling out of Recology’s trucks into a massive jumble of paper, plastic, glass, and metal. The beep beep beep of the reversing trucks and the cacophony of crashes, crunches, and breaking glass assaulted my ears. As did the unpleasant odor; it was as if I had stepped into my recycling bin. We left the tipping floor and climbed a flight of stairs to the landing of the first conveyor belt where the initial sorting is done by hand. The conveyor belt moved at high speed as five sorters stood on each side grabbing plastic bags and tossing them into a shoot marked Landfill. Now that China stopped buying our recyclables, the plastic wholesale market has dropped from $120 to just $5 a ton, and there is no market for plastic bags, which despite being banned in San Francisco in 2007, were found throughout the facility in startling numbers. The second stage of the sorting involved an optical sorting machine that shot a blast of air when it identified a piece of plastic ejecting it into a large bin for baling. There are two issues here: first, the optics cannot identify black plastic on the black conveyor belt; and second, no small items (straws, utensils, lids, stirrers, etc.) are recognized by the optics. Off to the landfill they go. I hear the excuse all the time, “I use single-use plastic, but I recycle it, so it’s OK.” Unfortunately, that is not the truth. Approximately 91% of all plastic waste ever created has never been recycled. I witnessed this shocking statistic while standing alongside the conveyor belt. There is no way to ensure that everything you place in your recycling bin and wheel to the curb each week is actually getting recycled. “Low oil prices make it cheaper for companies to just make plastic from scratch,” according to TerraCycle CEO Tom Szaky. There is little incentive to use recycled materials, and even if all plastic was recycled, it is made from crude oil and cannot be recycled indefinitely. At some point it is discarded, takes centuries to degrade, and current scientific research shows it is toxic to us and our environment. Are we really OK with this? We are at the tipping point. We now know that plastic exists in one form or another forever and has caused severe damage to our oceans. An estimated 100 million aquatic animals die every year because they mistake plastic debris for food. If this does not disturb you, consider that microplastic (plastic pieces less than five millimeters long) has been found in our water supply, soil, salt, beer, seafood, bottled water, and has recently been discovered in human feces. Marine plastic is impacting our food chain and as it breaks down, releases greenhouse gases contributing to climate change. Furthermore, the health of the ocean is unequivocally vital to the health of our planet. Americans consume twice as much as those in developing nations, and our buying patterns affect what large corporations offer. If we demand change, support ecologically responsible companies, and replace our consumables with reusables, our collective voice will be heard. A great example of this is when the public’s demand for organic produce and ingredients persuaded mainstream food producers to offer more organic options. As one of the wealthiest nations, Americans have a lot of power to affect change. If the pen is mightier than the sword, then the wallet is mightier than the corporate board. Let’s stop assuming we can recycle our way out of the plastic pollution epidemic and refuse, rethink, and reuse. We caused this problem. Together we can fix it. Shell Cleave is the founder of Sea Hugger, a nonprofit organization based in Half Moon Bay, CA is focused on eliminating marine plastic pollution.

Plastic in and of itself isn’t to blame for the world’s waste problem. Rather, it's the way we use it. Companies send products and packaging into the world that are designed to be disposable — used just once, then thrown away — and consumers demand the convenience, accessibility and price points of single-use plastic items. Everyday examples include consumer product packaging or consumables, such as food and beverage and household goods, and disposable and single-use products, such as cleaning pads, coffee capsules and eating utensils. E-commerce is made possible with plastic, and manufacturing logistics and operations have come to depend on it. Inexpensively made, disposable plastic offers consumers the ability to purchase, use and toss, instead of repair or reuse, and at a lower cost than their durable counterparts. As a result, people own more things than ever before and easily can replace them, allowing consumers to buy again and again and again.

One (use) and done

Disposability is favored over durability in the global economy because it drives consumption. Many disposable items are lightweighted (made with less material or out of plastic instead of metal or glass), supporting mass production and increasing profits for manufacturers. The trade-off is that most examples of lightweighted and disposable items are considered unrecyclable in most consumer programs. Every step away from durable, reusable materials towards plastics and multi-compositional pouches and films effectively has cut recyclability in half. Producer efforts to instate reclamation systems and collection schemes to supplement and invest in recycling have not been developed at a comparable rate.  

Disposability is favored over durability in the global economy because it drives consumption.

Even the ubiquitous water bottle, thrown away in the United States at a rate of 60 million plastic water bottles every day,  often ends up in the garbage despite being considered recyclable.   Thus, single-use items are at best captured by well-managed disposal systems of landfilling and incineration. The rest of it ends up as litter, polluting communities where people live and contaminating the natural world. This systematic tracking of human-made material — material that cannot be absorbed by nature — on a one-way path to disposal is where plastic becomes problematic.

Who pays the cost for disposable plastics?

The linear, take-make-dispose economic model has delivered profits, created jobs and met consumers’ desire for accessible, innovative and convenient products. But it is not sustainable. Developing economies with a lack of waste management are most deeply awash in trash. That we might see more plastic than fish in the ocean by 2050 is old news in light of the recent United Nations report that says we only have 12 years to steer ourselves away from climate catastrophe. It is today’s consumers, not producers of these disposable items, who bear the brunt of this waste. Making their way into marine environments, plastics never fully degrade, leaching chemicals, releasing greenhouse gases and breaking down into microplastics, which are mistaken by animals for food and thus penetrate the human food chain and water supplies.

Material of value

But again, plastic isn’t the bogeyman. While its single-use, disposable configurations lend value to businesses externalizing the environmental, social and financial costs, it has infused immense value to industry as a whole — an enabler for the packaging, construction, transportation, health care and electronics sectors. The idea that plastic, or any material for that matter, is disposable is what is causing problems. Plastic was once considered an expensive material and used to produce high-value items. Prior to World War II, products were repaired and consumables refilled in durable containers through service models such as the milkman. By the time the war ended, a matured plastics industry was freed up to create a culture of consumerism and feed a new disposable economy.  

Plastic can be made for reuse and can exist in a circular economy, as can glass, treated paper, lab-grown leather and 3D-printed produce.

Waste and disposability has been around only a bit more than 70 years. Is the world ready to go back to reusable packaging? Consumers are used to the convenience and cost of disposable, single-use packages.   Bulk and refilling stations that use reusable plastic, stainless steel and glass containers either provided by the retailer or the consumer do exist today, and they work best when consumers are incentivized to use them with discounts and promotions. But business must be on board for such systems to work. Bottle bills and container deposit schemes provide evidence that reusable, returnable packaging configurations work to change the perception that resources are disposable. Today the 10 U.S. states with bottle bills boast a 70 percent average recycling rate, compared with an overall rate of 35 percent. The challenge is that bottle bills not only are not growing but declining due to pressure from industry.

The role of business: moving the needle

Moving away from disposability and towards durability is the key to reducing waste and designing a more sustainable economy. Industry holds this key. It is the role of business to be a reflection of the needs and desires of consumers, who want access to the quality products and services they trust and, while they are at it, want to do the right thing. Companies that understand this and are able to make it easy for consumers tap into an increasingly conscious consumer base and are poised to grow and profit by doing the opposite of their counterparts stuck in the linear economy. This shift is already taking place. The biggest consumer product companies in the world have taken the initiative to lead us into a circular economy by working with TerraCycle to develop the global, first-of-its-kind shopping system called Loop. Through this service, consumers can shop for iconic and trusted brands such as Procter & Gamble, Unilever, PepsiCo, the Clorox Company, The Body Shop, Preserve and more — redesigned to be smarter and waste-free. This model features durable, elegant packages owned by the brand, not the consumer, that deliver the world’s favorite products without sacrificing the convenience and affordability that make disposable products desirable, with the added value of delivery and refilling services. The aim is to make products even easier to buy and use, harkening back to the circular systems worked for us for millennia. Through Loop, consumers responsibly can consume products in specially designed durable, reusable or fully recyclable packaging made from materials such as alloys, glass and engineered plastics — plastics researched and developed to be life-resistant, beautiful and far from disposable — saving energy, resources and diverting pollution with every use. Changing perspectives around the value of our finite resources and the impact waste has on the planet can start with plastic. Plastic is valuable and worth capturing for recycling. It is useful and malleable enough to design for durability and certainly worth conserving. Plastic can be made for reuse and can exist in a circular economy, as can glass, treated paper, lab-grown leather and 3D-printed produce. Everything on this planet has value, even the human-made stuff. Consumers vote with their wallets every day for the future they want, and it’s up to companies and brands to spearhead the change they can buy into.

TerraCycle Founder and CEO Tom Szaky published his fourth book, “The Future of Packaging: From Linear to Circular,” which will be available starting Feb. 5. Additionally, Late July Snacks expanded its partnership with TerraCycle to offer free recycling for its entire snack product line.

NEW YORK, Jan. 30, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Waste360, the leading information, event, commerce and education provider to the solid waste, recycling and organics communities, today unveiled its fourth annual 40 Under 40 awards list. The program recognizes inspiring and innovative professionals under the age of 40 whose work in the waste, recycling and organics industry has made a significant contribution to the industry. The winners are involved in every part of the waste and recycling industry, including haulers, municipalities, composters, recycling professionals, policymakers and product suppliers. "The 2019 class of Waste360 40 Under 40 awards winners is filled with today's young innovators, thinkers and doers in the waste and recycling industry. Their diverse body of work has changed processes, policies and moved our industry forward," said Mark Hickey, vice president of Waste360. “We received hundreds of inspiring nominations, which demonstrates that the future of our industry is bright. We look forward to celebrating with the winners at WasteExpo this spring.” The 2019 40 Under 40 awards winners (in alphabetical order by winner) are: Josh Bartlome, Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer, Southern Idaho Solid Waste Kelly Bray, Waste Reduction and Recycling Specialist, ReCollect Systems Meghan R. Butler, Director, Corporate Development, Recology Inc. Chris Cochran, Executive Director, ReFED Daniel M. Dodd, Chief Technology Officer, Sierra Energy Melissa Filiaggi, Manager, Recycling, Maryland Environmental Service Mark Grillo, Chief Operating Officer, Medical Waste Management, Inc. Rob Hallenbeck, Manager Corporate Venturing, Technology Scouting, Waste Management Caitlin Hitt, Senior Director of National Accounts, RiverRoad Waste Solutions, Inc./Rubicon Global John F. Howard III, Crew Supervisor, DeKalb County Sanitation Sheri Hummel, Area Safety Director, Waste Management, Northern California-Nevada Aaron Johnson, Area Vice President, Eastern Canada, Waste Management Kristin Kinder, Director of Research and Waste Stream Sustainability, Wastequip Jason Knowles, Director, Vendor Relations, Enevo Christopher Lockwood, Divisional Vice President, Waste Pro USA Ricardo Lopez, Materials Recovery Facility Manager, GreenWaste Recovery Naomi Lue, Zero Waste Supervisor, Castro Valley Sanitary District Zach Martin, Vice President of Sales, North America, Big Truck Rental Nathan Mayer, Director of Land Management Services, Solid Waste Authority of Palm Beach County Doug McDonald, Eastern Region Controller, Waste Connections Amanda Mejia, Government Affairs Manager, Athens Services Jeff Meyers, Chief Operating Officer, The Recycling Partnership Jennifer Wells Milner, State Recycling Coordinator, Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality James R. Mitchener, Marketing Manager, Waste Industries Daniel Moran, Senior Director Operations, Healthcare, Covanta Environmental Solutions Madelyn Morgan, Planner III, City of Austin, Austin Resource Recovery Jake Pack Jr., District Manager, WCA Waste Corporation Tania Ragland, Recycling Representative, Specialist in Food Recovery and Organics Diversion Programs, Republic Services Katie Raverty-Evans, Government Affairs Representative, Best Way Disposal Henry Retamal, Operations President, Wastequip Rebecca Rodriguez, Solid Waste Engineering Manager, Lee County Public Utilities Andrew Rumpke, East Area President, Rumpke Waste & Recycling Michelle A. Salas, President, Lady Green Miami Recycling Co. Meredith Sorensen, Strategic Communications Advisor, Harvest Energy Holdings, LLC Mike Stoeckigt, District Manager, State of Wisconsin, Advanced Disposal Services Tom Szaky, President and Chief Executive Officer, TerraCycle Travis Timmerman, National Accounts Manager, Mack Trucks, Inc. Srividhya Viswanathan, Senior Project Manager and Vice President, SCS Engineers Patrick Winters, Sales Manager, Winters Bros. Waste Systems Catherine (Kate) Wolff, President, CJD E-Cycling   Additionally, Dr. Matanya Benasher Horowitz, chief executive officer of AMP Robotics Corporation, has won the first Waste360 Innovator Award, which was created to recognize innovators and forward thinkers who often use technology to better the industry. Horowitz has used technology to help haulers, landfill operators and materials recovery facility operators reach their diversion and recovery goals. A panel of expert judges from Waste360 evaluated the nominations and consulted with an external advisor to select the finalists and winners. The winners will be honored during an awards ceremony on Tuesday, May 7 at WasteExpo, North America's largest solid waste, recycling and organics industry event, May 6-9, 2019, in Las Vegas. WasteExpo brings the key buyers and decision makers in the waste, recycling and organics industry together, making it the ideal place for Waste360 to recognize these rising stars. For more information and to register to attend WasteExpo, please visit WasteExpo.com.  

NEW YORK, Jan. 30, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Waste360, the leading information, event, commerce and education provider to the solid waste, recycling and organics communities, today unveiled its fourth annual 40 Under 40 awards list. The program recognizes inspiring and innovative professionals under the age of 40 whose work in the waste, recycling and organics industry has made a significant contribution to the industry. The winners are involved in every part of the waste and recycling industry, including haulers, municipalities, composters, recycling professionals, policymakers and product suppliers. The 2019 40 Under 40 awards winners (in alphabetical order by winner) are: "The 2019 class of Waste360 40 Under 40 awards winners is filled with today's young innovators, thinkers and doers in the waste and recycling industry. Their diverse body of work has changed processes, policies and moved our industry forward," said Mark Hickey, vice president of Waste360. “We received hundreds of inspiring nominations, which demonstrates that the future of our industry is bright. We look forward to celebrating with the winners at WasteExpo this spring.”

• Josh Bartlome, Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer, Southern Idaho Solid Waste
• Kelly Bray, Waste Reduction and Recycling Specialist, ReCollect Systems
• Meghan R. Butler, Director, Corporate Development, Recology Inc.
• Chris Cochran, Executive Director, ReFED
• Daniel M. Dodd, Chief Technology Officer, Sierra Energy
• Melissa Filiaggi, Manager, Recycling, Maryland Environmental Service
• Mark Grillo, Chief Operating Officer, Medical Waste Management, Inc.
• Rob Hallenbeck, Manager Corporate Venturing, Technology Scouting, Waste Management
• Caitlin Hitt, Senior Director of National Accounts, RiverRoad Waste Solutions, Inc./Rubicon Global
• John F. Howard III, Crew Supervisor, DeKalb County Sanitation
• Sheri Hummel, Area Safety Director, Waste Management, Northern California-Nevada
• Aaron Johnson, Area Vice President, Eastern Canada, Waste Management
• Kristin Kinder, Director of Research and Waste Stream Sustainability, Wastequip
• Jason Knowles, Director, Vendor Relations, Enevo
• Christopher Lockwood, Divisional Vice President, Waste Pro USA
• Ricardo Lopez, Materials Recovery Facility Manager, GreenWaste Recovery
• Naomi Lue, Zero Waste Supervisor, Castro Valley Sanitary District
• Zach Martin, Vice President of Sales, North America, Big Truck Rental
• Nathan Mayer, Director of Land Management Services, Solid Waste Authority of Palm Beach County
• Doug McDonald, Eastern Region Controller, Waste Connections
• Amanda Mejia, Government Affairs Manager, Athens Services
• Jeff Meyers, Chief Operating Officer, The Recycling Partnership
• Jennifer Wells Milner, State Recycling Coordinator, Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality
• James R. Mitchener, Marketing Manager, Waste Industries
• Daniel Moran, Senior Director Operations, Healthcare, Covanta Environmental Solutions
• Madelyn Morgan, Planner III, City of Austin, Austin Resource Recovery
• Jake Pack Jr., District Manager, WCA Waste Corporation
• Tania Ragland, Recycling Representative, Specialist in Food Recovery and Organics Diversion Programs, Republic Services
• Katie Raverty-Evans, Government Affairs Representative, Best Way Disposal
• Henry Retamal, Operations President, Wastequip
• Rebecca Rodriguez, Solid Waste Engineering Manager, Lee County Public Utilities
• Andrew Rumpke, East Area President, Rumpke Waste & Recycling
• Michelle A. Salas, President, Lady Green Miami Recycling Co.
• Meredith Sorensen, Strategic Communications Advisor, Harvest Energy Holdings, LLC
• Mike Stoeckigt, District Manager, State of Wisconsin, Advanced Disposal Services
• Tom Szaky, President and Chief Executive Officer, TerraCycle
• Travis Timmerman, National Accounts Manager, Mack Trucks, Inc.
• Srividhya Viswanathan, Senior Project Manager and Vice President, SCS Engineers
• Patrick Winters, Sales Manager, Winters Bros. Waste Systems
• ·         Catherine (Kate) Wolff, President, CJD E-Cycling

Additionally, Dr. Matanya Benasher Horowitz, chief executive officer of AMP Robotics Corporation, has won the first Waste360 Innovator Award, which was created to recognize innovators and forward thinkers who often use technology to better the industry. Horowitz has used technology to help haulers, landfill operators and materials recovery facility operators reach their diversion and recovery goals. A panel of expert judges from Waste360 evaluated the nominations and consulted with an external advisor to select the finalists and winners. The winners will be honored during an awards ceremony on Tuesday, May 7 at WasteExpo, North America's largest solid waste, recycling and organics industry event, May 6-9, 2019, in Las Vegas. WasteExpo brings the key buyers and decision makers in the waste, recycling and organics industry together, making it the ideal place for Waste360 to recognize these rising stars. For more information and to register to attend WasteExpo, please visit WasteExpo.com.  

Tom Szaky, CEO of Trenton-based TerraCycle, is so determined to eliminate global waste in an inevitable circular economy, that he wrote a book about it. The Future of Packaging: From Linear to Circular Paperback will be released on February 5, 2019. The book paints a future of a circular economy that relies on responsible reuse and recycling to propel the world towards eradicating over consumption and waste. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, only 35 percent of the 240 million metric tons of waste generated in the United States alone gets recycled. This extraordinary collection shows how manufacturers can move from a one-way take-make-waste economy that is burying the world in waste to a circular, make-use-recycle economy. TerraCycle is working towards Eliminating the Idea of Waste by making the non-recyclable, recyclable. They do this by offering a range of free programs that are funded by conscientious consumer brands and manufacturers, as well as purchasable programs that are funded by eco-conscious consumers to bring circular re-purposing solutions to almost all forms of waste.  

 

 

Waste360 is thrilled to announce the winners of its fourth annual 40 Under 40 awards program, which honors the next generation of leaders who are shaping the future of the waste and recycling industry. "The future is bright! The 2019 class of Waste360 40 Under 40 awards winners is filled with today's brightest young innovators, thinkers and doers in the waste and recycling industry,” says Waste360 Vice President Mark Hickey. “Their diverse body of work has changed processes, policies and moved our industry forward. Take a look for yourself, and we look forward to celebrating them at WasteExpo in Las Vegas, May 6-9."

The Waste360 40 Under 40 awards program recognizes inspiring and innovative professionals under the age of 40 whose work in waste, recycling and organics has made a significant contribution to the industry. The winners are involved in every part of the waste and recycling industry, including haulers, municipalities, composters, recycling professionals, policymakers and product suppliers. The 2019 40 Under 40 award winners:

• Josh Bartlome, Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer, Southern Idaho Solid Waste
• Kelly Bray, Waste Reduction and Recycling Specialist, ReCollect Systems
• Meghan R. Butler, Director, Corporate Development, Recology Inc.
• Chris Cochran, Executive Director, ReFED
• Daniel M. Dodd, Chief Technology Officer, Sierra Energy
• Melissa Filiaggi, Manager, Recycling, Maryland Environmental Service
• Mark Grillo, Chief Operating Officer, Medical Waste Management, Inc.
• Rob Hallenbeck, Manager Corporate Venturing, Technology Scouting, Waste Management
• Caitlin Hitt, Senior Director of National Accounts, RiverRoad Waste Solutions, Inc./Rubicon Global
• John F. Howard III, Crew Supervisor, Dekalb County Sanitation
• Sheri Hummel, Area Safety Director, Waste Management, Northern California-Nevada
• Aaron Johnson, Area Vice President, Eastern Canada, Waste Management
• Kristin Kinder, Director of Research and Waste Stream Sustainability, Wastequip
• Jason Knowles, Director, Vendor Relations, Enevo
• Christopher Lockwood, Divisional Vice President, Waste Pro USA
• Ricardo Lopez, Materials Recovery Facility Manager, GreenWaste Recovery
• Naomi Lue, Zero Waste Supervisor, Castro Valley Sanitary District
• Zach Martin, Vice President of Sales, North America, Big Truck Rental
• Nathan Mayer, Director of Land Management Services, Solid Waste Authority of Palm Beach County
• Doug McDonald, Eastern Region Controller, Waste Connections
• Amanda Mejia, Government Affairs Manager, Athens Services
• Jeff Meyers, Chief Operating Officer, The Recycling Partnership
• Jennifer Wells Milner, State Recycling Coordinator, Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality
• James R. Mitchener, Marketing Manager, Waste Industries
• Daniel Moran, Senior Director Operations, Healthcare, Covanta Environmental Solutions
• Madelyn Morgan, Planner III, City of Austin, Austin Resource Recovery
• Jake Pack Jr., District Manager, WCA Waste Corporation
• Tania Ragland, Recycling Representative, Specialist in Food Recovery and Organics Diversion Programs, Republic Services
• Katie Raverty-Evans, Government Affairs Representative, Best Way Disposal
• Henry Retamal, Operations President, Wastequip
• Rebecca Rodriguez, Solid Waste Engineering Manager, Lee County Public Utilities
• Andrew Rumpke, East Area President, Rumpke Waste & Recycling
• Michelle A. Salas, President, Lady Green Miami Recycling Co.
• Meredith Sorensen, Strategic Communications Advisor, Harvest Energy Holdings, LLC
• Mike Stoeckigt, District Manager, State of Wisconsin, Advanced Disposal Services
• Tom Szaky, President and Chief Executive Officer, TerraCycle
• Travis Timmerman, National Accounts Manager, Mack Trucks, Inc.
• Srividhya Viswanathan, Senior Project Manager and Vice President, SCS Engineers
• Patrick Winters, Sales Manager, Winters Bros. Waste Systems
• Catherine (Kate) Wolff, President, CJD E-Cycling

Additionally, Dr. Matanya Benasher Horowitz, chief executive officer of AMP Robotics Corporation, has won the first Waste360 Innovator Award, which was created to recognize innovators and forward thinkers who often use technology to better the industry. Horowitz has used technology to help haulers, landfill operators and materials recovery facility operators reach their diversion and recovery goals. A panel of expert judges from Waste360 evaluated the nominations and consulted with an external advisor to select the finalists and winners.

The winners will be honored during an awards ceremony at WasteExpo, North America's largest solid waste, recycling and organics industry event, May 6-9, in Las Vegas. View past classes of Waste360 40 Under 40 awards winners:  

 

And what would be the way to make this possible? Tom Szaky: I think there are two ways: the first, which is what has been worked on the most, is to make it lighter, produce less and less packaging. But the problem here is that by becoming lighter and less recyclable, the concept becomes more linear at the same time. I think it is more interesting to see it from another angle, which is something that has been little considered so far. It's about adopting durable packaging, which is heavier and offers more properties and benefits at the same time. You have to think about how to achieve the properties of this possibility, which are convenience and affordability. We need to create the way to bring consumers a more innovative packaging, with different functions and properties and that could perhaps be reused, but not cost more; and the only way to do it, one that contemplates the real income to the circular economy, is to change a fundamental concept of packaging, closely linked to the old model, in which the consumer bought the container. Today, when you buy a coffee, you are also buying a package that you do not necessarily want, a package that started your life from the forest, that someone turned into a cup, which later the coffee brand acquired and then one receives, but discard after a very brief moment to turn it into waste. Why then possess something we do not want? What we really need to think about is the ownership of the package. What do you think will be the conclusions of the World Economic Forum regarding the waste crisis in the environment? Tom Szaky: The first thing is that I think that companies are taking the crisis of plastics and waste in the oceans very seriously, which is very important and encouraging. The second, something that is recognized, is to begin to accept that traditional models no longer work, and not assume that a single model represents the answer. You have to experiment, because there are as many models as possible directions. One model can propose to eliminate packaging, another increase recycling systems, another create packaging from waste, but you have to experiment again and again. There will not be a single solution but a broad set of solutions. Many governments, companies and NGOs in Latin America and the world are talking about a world without plastics. Do you think that an objective like this can be achieved? Tom Szaky: Something interesting in this regard is that the plastic has been demonized. I personally do not consider it that way, I think all the materials are equally harmful. Metal has its pros and cons, as well as glass, fibers, leathers, all, and plastic has them too. But in plastic, the main negative factor is its one-time use, which is the concept we must address in the first place. In that sense, what elements do you consider essential to make a successful transition from the linear model to the circular one? Tom Szaky: Several things have to happen and one of them depends on the actors. Retail sellers need to understand that there really is a problem, and the only way this happens is when consumers get up and let their voice be heard, and the media, the reporters, the politicians, the legislators act accordingly. But everything starts with consumers. If many consumers meet, the media will meet their demands, and politicians will start working. A large number of the actions of retailers respond to the wishes of consumers. The latter tend to think that they have no power, but I believe that they have everything. Addressing their wishes is what producers and sellers are looking for, so consumers have to take what they buy very seriously and start thinking about a different future. Nothing will happen before this happens. Once that platform is established, things will start to change. What we need to understand is why products are today linear, why something is recyclable or not, what makes something recyclable or not. There is a source of profits for companies that handle garbage and that is the only factor that makes something recyclable. Understanding the reasons that make something recyclable is of the utmost importance. Once this is understood, one can begin to move towards the circular economy concept and define a road map for today, tomorrow, next month, the next five years. What is the scope that you expect the work that you have just published, at this critical moment of the global crisis for waste impacting the environment? Tom Szaky: I do not expect results, what I want is for it to become a pillar for change, to create new models that allow consumers to manifest themselves. Let's talk now about the Loop initiative , which will be presented at this year's Economic Forum in Davos. What is the origin of this idea and how would you describe it? Tom Szaky: The essence of Loop is in the change of the concept of property, and from the passage of cheap disposable packaging to durable, beautiful and reusable packaging. It is a project in which the main world players participate, almost all of them. But let's wait for its launch to refer to this initiative in greater depth. But is it a possibility that will be offered only in the United States? Tom Szaky: No, once presented to the public, it will be extended, and in the spring we will see it applied in France, at the end of the year in London, and then it will be integrated into a global strategy. How long did you work on this idea? Tom Szaky: Two and a half years. And what do you think the impact of Loop will be? Tom Szaky: In the beginning there will be a lot of awareness, people will be very enthusiastic about the idea and then it will come alive in the spring. Then we can measure success with a real measure, which would be, for example, that one percent of consumers' personal purchases are reusable. And you at TerraCycle will continue with the supply project of plastic extracted from the oceans to manufacture new containers? Tom Szaky: Of course, it is necessary to do many things in parallel, we can not limit ourselves to a single solution. It's a crisis and you have to fight it like an army, and the armies have more than one weapon. In the circular economy, we also need more than one weapon, we need to do as many different things as possible. A road map to the circular economy The Future of Packaging: From Linear to Circular, where the perspectives of Tom Szaky and fifteen innovative leaders in the efforts towards sustainability are gathered, was defined by the director of one of the main producer groups of consumer goods as "a course intensive on the concepts of design for the circular economy ". The work contextualizes the historical and economic factors that have given rise to the growing concern of society for the way packaging is arranged, and explains the current state of its manufacture, recycling and resource management, to propose a look criticism of the true role of packaging in today's life. During the launch of the work, Tom Szaky said he had the privilege of creating the book together "with some of the most brilliant minds in the global packaging movement, people who have led this new conceptual framework for decades." The work includes topics such as the evolution of plastics and recommendations and warnings for production and consumption in the circular economy, and questions traditional concepts such as the sustainability of biodegradable plastics and biological base; declares the inability to recycle black plastics, among others. The book will be available from February 5 and could be ordered in advance at Amazon and the Barnes & Noble bookstore. Lilián Robayo Media Director for Latin America at PMMI

And what would be the way to make this possible? Tom Szaky: I think there are two ways: the first, which is what has been worked on the most, is to make it lighter, produce less and less packaging. But the problem here is that by becoming lighter and less recyclable, the concept becomes more linear at the same time. I think it is more interesting to see it from another angle, which is something that has been little considered so far. It's about adopting durable packaging, which is heavier and offers more properties and benefits at the same time. You have to think about how to achieve the properties of this possibility, which are convenience and affordability. We need to create the way to bring consumers a more innovative packaging, with different functions and properties and that could perhaps be reused, but not cost more; and the only way to do it, one that contemplates the real income to the circular economy, is to change a fundamental concept of packaging, closely linked to the old model, in which the consumer bought the container. Today, when you buy a coffee, you are also buying a package that you do not necessarily want, a package that started your life from the forest, that someone turned into a cup, which later the coffee brand acquired and then one receives, but discard after a very brief moment to turn it into waste. Why then possess something we do not want? What we really need to think about is the ownership of the package. What do you think will be the conclusions of the World Economic Forum regarding the waste crisis in the environment? Tom Szaky: The first thing is that I think that companies are taking the crisis of plastics and waste in the oceans very seriously, which is very important and encouraging. The second, something that is recognized, is to begin to accept that traditional models no longer work, and not assume that a single model represents the answer. You have to experiment, because there are as many models as possible directions. One model can propose to eliminate packaging, another increase recycling systems, another create packaging from waste, but you have to experiment again and again. There will not be a single solution but a broad set of solutions. Many governments, companies and NGOs in Latin America and the world are talking about a world without plastics. Do you think that an objective like this can be achieved? Tom Szaky: Something interesting in this regard is that the plastic has been demonized. I personally do not consider it that way, I think all the materials are equally harmful. Metal has its pros and cons, as well as glass, fibers, leathers, all, and plastic has them too. But in plastic, the main negative factor is its one-time use, which is the concept we must address in the first place. In that sense, what elements do you consider essential to make a successful transition from the linear model to the circular one? Tom Szaky: Several things have to happen and one of them depends on the actors. Retail sellers need to understand that there really is a problem, and the only way this happens is when consumers get up and let their voice be heard, and the media, the reporters, the politicians, the legislators act accordingly. But everything starts with consumers. If many consumers meet, the media will meet their demands, and politicians will start working. A large number of the actions of retailers respond to the wishes of consumers. The latter tend to think that they have no power, but I believe that they have everything. Addressing their wishes is what producers and sellers are looking for, so consumers have to take what they buy very seriously and start thinking about a different future. Nothing will happen before this happens. Once that platform is established, things will start to change. What we need to understand is why products are today linear, why something is recyclable or not, what makes something recyclable or not. There is a source of profits for companies that handle garbage and that is the only factor that makes something recyclable. Understanding the reasons that make something recyclable is of the utmost importance. Once this is understood, one can begin to move towards the circular economy concept and define a road map for today, tomorrow, next month, the next five years. What is the scope that you expect the work that you have just published, at this critical moment of the global crisis for waste impacting the environment? Tom Szaky: I do not expect results, what I want is for it to become a pillar for change, to create new models that allow consumers to manifest themselves. Let's talk now about the Loop initiative , which will be presented at this year's Economic Forum in Davos. What is the origin of this idea and how would you describe it? Tom Szaky: The essence of Loop is in the change of the concept of property, and from the passage of cheap disposable packaging to durable, beautiful and reusable packaging. It is a project in which the main world players participate, almost all of them. But let's wait for its launch to refer to this initiative in greater depth. But is it a possibility that will be offered only in the United States? Tom Szaky: No, once presented to the public, it will be extended, and in the spring we will see it applied in France, at the end of the year in London, and then it will be integrated into a global strategy. How long did you work on this idea? Tom Szaky: Two and a half years. And what do you think the impact of Loop will be? Tom Szaky: In the beginning there will be a lot of awareness, people will be very enthusiastic about the idea and then it will come alive in the spring. Then we can measure success with a real measure, which would be, for example, that one percent of consumers' personal purchases are reusable. And you at TerraCycle will continue with the supply project of plastic extracted from the oceans to manufacture new containers? Tom Szaky: Of course, it is necessary to do many things in parallel, we can not limit ourselves to a single solution. It's a crisis and you have to fight it like an army, and the armies have more than one weapon. In the circular economy, we also need more than one weapon, we need to do as many different things as possible. A road map to the circular economy The Future of Packaging: From Linear to Circular, where the perspectives of Tom Szaky and fifteen innovative leaders in the efforts towards sustainability are gathered, was defined by the director of one of the main producer groups of consumer goods as "a course intensive on the concepts of design for the circular economy ". The work contextualizes the historical and economic factors that have given rise to the growing concern of society for the way packaging is arranged, and explains the current state of its manufacture, recycling and resource management, to propose a look criticism of the true role of packaging in today's life. During the launch of the work, Tom Szaky said he had the privilege of creating the book together "with some of the most brilliant minds in the global packaging movement, people who have led this new conceptual framework for decades." The work includes topics such as the evolution of plastics and recommendations and warnings for production and consumption in the circular economy, and questions traditional concepts such as the sustainability of biodegradable plastics and biological base; declares the inability to recycle black plastics, among others. The book will be available from February 5 and could be ordered in advance at Amazon and the Barnes & Noble bookstore. Lilián Robayo Media Director for Latin America at PMMI