Sustainable Plastics - March/April 2023 - 10

opinion
The business case for a
plastic sustainability strategy
Plastic pollution is too big of an issue to
ignore, and it is time to review those old,
imprinted habits. The problem is well
acknowledged, but one may wonder
where to start. Whether at a household
or a company operation level, we must
assess and mitigate our plastic footprints.
Authors: Leticia Socal, Sr. Manager, Plastics and Recycling,
and Chris Parker, Director, Plastics Programme at ClimeCo.
T
o begin, product
manufacturers
should evaluate their
complete value chain,
from suppliers to final product
delivery, and implement more
sustainable flows.
For instance, think of a
shampoo bottle and all it takes
to be manufactured and delivered
to the customer. Then
consider service providers,
such as a cruise line, who, in
a less obvious way, often use
an outsized amount of plastic
in their operations. Then
look at one-off activities such
as events where plastic waste
mitigation is getting attention,
given the single-use culture of
our current " take-make-waste "
linear economy.
Calculating a plastics footprint
will empower organizations
to take more meaningful
and impactful environmental
action, creating a baseline for a
plastic sustainability approach.
A robust plastic mitigation
strategy tackles upstream,
operational, and downstream
plastic in the value chain. It
takes a holistic approach to all
aspects of the problem. Plastics
prevention and elimination
actions, followed by increased
recycling and investment in
collection and recycling capacity,
are strategic actions companies
can take to minimize
environmental impacts while
meeting sustainability or environmental,
social, and governance
(ESG) goals.
Once a company has quantified
its plastics footprint,
its next step is improving its
plastic impact and developing
10
March/April 2023
mitigation strategies. Despite
its straightforwardness, the
application and approach can
vary depending on the goals,
purpose, and scope of the assessment.
By gathering procurement
data on the type of
plastics flowing into their facilities,
such as packaging or
shipping materials, a company
can leverage upstream discussions
and possible methods to
reduce waste. One way to do
this is by empowering product
designers and engineers to be
innovative thinkers on reducing
plastics use and designing
for circularity. In addition, final
product design and packaging
should consider current waste
management practices in markets
of interest.
Many organisations use
these findings to help save
money and identify partnership
opportunities across the value
chain. Shifting from single-use
to reuse alternatives typically
results in long-term cost savings
for a company. Reuse is often
associated with high-quality
and high-value products,
followed by increased consumer
preference and loyalty. It is a
win-win for companies and the
environment.
This doesn't mean a company
needs to revolutionize
its value chain and completely
change its product and branding.
Instead, a footprint assessment
provides a road map for
success, where mitigation actions
are taken at a company's
pace. For example, a health
and beauty company recently
learned that with zero investment,
they could reduce waste
Chris Parker
sent to landfills by less than
half (from 62% to 30%) through
immediate internal changes.
An example is proper on-site
sorting and leveraging available
public waste management
at a local recycling centre. This
year, the company plans to
implement additional actions,
with the goal of receiving a zero-waste
operations certification
in 2024.
As companies evaluate materials
to reduce waste and
increase recycling, they often
realize the major global recycling
infrastructure problem.
One way a company can support
environmental plastic
waste collection and recycling
is through the purchase of
plastic credits. A plastic credit
represents the recovery or
recycling of one ton of plastic
material, which has an associated
claim that can be transferred
between organizations.
Companies can use these
credits to mitigate external environmental
plastic waste beyond
an organization's control
and the unavoidable volume
portion of their plastic footprint.
Funding from credits is
currently scaling the removal
of environmental legacy plastic
pollution, building new waste
management infrastructure,
and creating repurposing and
recycling capacity.
Plastic waste recycling credits,
which incentivise the diversion
of plastic waste from landLeticia
Socal
fills or incineration, represent a
viable pathway to accelerating
the investment in plastic sorting
and recycling infrastructure.
These credits, certified
using an independent public
protocol with third-party audits,
can balance the residue of
plastic that can't otherwise find
a home.
Multiple options are available
for companies actively
planning to meet their ESG
targets, depending on their resources
and needs. ClimeCo
is well-equipped with vetted
staff and familiar with the steps
needed to exceed sustainability
goals to help brands begin
setting targets, assessing operational
impact, or balancing
their impact with credits.
Once a company has set
a baseline through a plastic
footprint assessment and built
a mitigation road map, it can
clearly communicate its strategy
to stakeholders and customers.
According to the Shelton
Group's 2021 Good Company
Report, acting environmentally
and socially responsible has
become a risk mitigator. Customer
purchasing decisions
can increase or decrease depending
on whether the perception
is positive or negative.
Therefore, it is as important as
ever for businesses to communicate
their strides regarding
sustainability practices to inform,
instill transparency, and
inspire change.
Sustainable Plastics - March/April 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Sustainable Plastics - March/April 2023
