Technological watch
Berry joins effort to promote PP recycling
Berry Global Group Inc. is joining a coalition designed to increase access to polypropylene recycling.
The Evansville, Ind.-based plastics processor said the Polypropylene Recycling Coalition at the Recycling Partnership "is in line with Berry's efforts to improve polypropylene curbside recycling."
The coalition already has made grants to 13 recycling facilities totaling $4.2 million. The money has helped advance PP recycling for nearly 15 million residents in the United States. The group's financial work has increased recovery by 13 million pounds each year.
The Recycling Partnership, a non-profit group, has grown in stature and reach over the years to become a prominent player in promoting curbside recycling through projects across the country.
"By expanding and modernizing recycling infrastructure, we will capture the economic value that is currently being lost and supply the recycled content necessary to meet commitments," said Robert Flores, Berry's vice president of sustainability, in a statement.
"This is critical to achieving a circular economy and giving natural resources multiple lives," said Flores, who also has been elected to the partnership's board.
PP recycling is currently limited, coming in a distant third behind PET and high density polyethylene, but the material is viewed as having the potential to be more widely recaptured.
"Not only does the material offer high levels of utility, Berry believes it to have the lowest carbon footprint when compared to other substrates. In addition, brand owners benefit from polypropylene's durability and contact clarity for use in applications such as drink cups," Berry said.
The plastics company said joining the Polypropylene Recycling Coalition is part of the company's overall efforts to improve the recycling infrastructure.
Berry recently worked with a materials recovery facility to enable the purchase of a high-speed robotics system to sort PP that will be used by Berry to make new products. "But more importantly, learnings from the robot will be evaluated and shared to enhance and promote polypropylene recycling," the company said.
Berry, along with its corporate headquarters, has a significant manufacturing presence in Evansville.
The Evansville, Ind.-based plastics processor said the Polypropylene Recycling Coalition at the Recycling Partnership "is in line with Berry's efforts to improve polypropylene curbside recycling."
The coalition already has made grants to 13 recycling facilities totaling $4.2 million. The money has helped advance PP recycling for nearly 15 million residents in the United States. The group's financial work has increased recovery by 13 million pounds each year.
The Recycling Partnership, a non-profit group, has grown in stature and reach over the years to become a prominent player in promoting curbside recycling through projects across the country.
"By expanding and modernizing recycling infrastructure, we will capture the economic value that is currently being lost and supply the recycled content necessary to meet commitments," said Robert Flores, Berry's vice president of sustainability, in a statement.
"This is critical to achieving a circular economy and giving natural resources multiple lives," said Flores, who also has been elected to the partnership's board.
PP recycling is currently limited, coming in a distant third behind PET and high density polyethylene, but the material is viewed as having the potential to be more widely recaptured.
"Not only does the material offer high levels of utility, Berry believes it to have the lowest carbon footprint when compared to other substrates. In addition, brand owners benefit from polypropylene's durability and contact clarity for use in applications such as drink cups," Berry said.
The plastics company said joining the Polypropylene Recycling Coalition is part of the company's overall efforts to improve the recycling infrastructure.
Berry recently worked with a materials recovery facility to enable the purchase of a high-speed robotics system to sort PP that will be used by Berry to make new products. "But more importantly, learnings from the robot will be evaluated and shared to enhance and promote polypropylene recycling," the company said.
Berry, along with its corporate headquarters, has a significant manufacturing presence in Evansville.
This project has been co-funded with the support of the LIFE financial instrument of the European Union [LIFE17 ENV/ES/000438] Life programme
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