Heeral Khandelwal’s Post

At Grove, we love to celebrate sustainable wins and lead with optimism when communicating with our customers. However, don't let our optimism fool you- we're acutely aware of the alarming global plastic crisis. Among 225 global companies with annual revenues exceeding $1 billion, none are effectively addressing or making measurable progress in reducing their plastic footprints. As plastic pollution escalates into a critical environmental concern, we are calling on these global leaders to take urgent action and reduce their plastic intensity (pounds of plastic per $100 of revenue) as a key strategy to decouple their growth from reliance on plastic. Our unwavering commitment is to help our customers turn off the plastic tap by avoiding the sale of plastic products in the first place, while also minimizing the impact of single-use plastic on the environment. We continue to disclose our plastic intensity quarterly, demonstrating our dedication to transparency and accountability in our sustainability efforts. Many thanks to As You Sow for issuing the annual Plastics Scorecard report and Elsa Wenzel on the GreenBiz Group team for writing on this existential problem. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/dxieM555

Today, nearly 200 countries, global nongovernmental organizations, and corporations are gathered in Ottawa for the fourth session of the UN Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-4). Together, they will work to advance the world’s first plastics treaty. We continue to encourage the adoption of a legally binding treaty, including language requiring digital marking of plastic packaging. Digital watermarking is a powerful, proven, and incredibly affordable solution to the plastic pollution crisis, and it is available today. We are committed to action and being part of the solution. Today, we want to spotlight a fellow Fortune "Change the World" honoree and global leader: Jim Fitterling, chairman and CEO of Dow. Fitterling has it right. Per Dipka B. at Forbes: (Fitterling) endorses a new digital watermarking technology that developed countries, including the United States, could adopt. “When you get a package, there’s a watermark in it that may not be visible to the naked eye, but an optical sorter can pick it up in an advanced recycling facility and spread it out, so you get a higher quality raw material,” he said. The world faces a significant challenge in recycling plastic due to the vast number of plastic variants created by industry and the limitations of optical sorting technology at recycling facilities. Our solution, Digimarc Recycle, changes this dynamic. It applies covert digital watermarks to precisely identify plastic packaging, allowing for the creation of the variety, volume, and quality of recycled plastics necessary for a thriving circular economy.  Our offer to license our groundbreaking technology to partners around the world for less than $1 per capita per year underscores our belief that the time to act is now. Please join us in being a part of the solution. We invite conversation but, more importantly, collaboration and action in solving the world's plastic crisis. Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/gAysukX2 #INC4 #digitalwatermarks #plasticrecycling #notimetowaste #earthday2024

5 Stats on Plastic Recycling and ‘Circularity’ Investments: 1. $32 billion was the recent yearly average investment in plastics circularity From 2018 to 2023, global investments in plastics circularity totaled $190 billion, averaging $32 billion annually, with over half in North America. Despite these investments, this is far below the $1 trillion needed yearly by 2040 to reduce global plastic mismanagement. Most funding came from banks, followed by corporations, private equity, and others. Only 6% of investments reached "emerging" economies hardest hit by plastic pollution. 2. 82% of global plastics circularity investments are going to recovery and recycling Investments were still heavily skewing toward plastics recovery and recycling between 2018 and 2023, according to the Plastics Circularity Investment Tracker. Just 4% were tracked to refill and reuse, one example being PepsiCo’s more than $3 billion acquisition of SodaStream International in 2018. 3. The global economy is 7.2% ‘circular’ That’s down from 9.1% in 2018, “meaning more than 90% of materials extracted are either wasted, lost, or remain unavailable,”. BofA Global Research projects that “plastic consumption, waste, emissions and leakage” could rise by 50% to 70% by 2040 as global use of the material grows. 4. The US residential recycling rate for PET bottles is now 28% The statistic was featured in an August report from the PET Recycling Coalition, a brands-backed initiative of The Recycling Partnership. Since 2022, the coalition has worked to increase the capture of PET bottles; widen acceptance of trays, cups and clamshells in community recycling collection programs; unlock new supplies of recycled material for packaging manufacturers; and strengthen recycling systems of pigmented and opaque material. 5. Plastics Pacts globally have increased recycled content by 44% That’s according to a six-years-in impact report on the Plastics Pact Network from WRAP (the U.K.’s Waste and Resources Action Programme) and the Ellen MacArthur Foundation. According to the report, the first such pact launched in the U.K. in 2018, and pacts now cover 19 countries, where members collectively account for one-third of the plastic packaging placed on the market in those nations. #PlasticRecycling #CircularEconomy #Sustainability #ZeroWaste #hubbaLtd

Whenever discussing the unsustainable nature of plastics, a frequently the questions arises: "Can we replace plastic packaging, cups, and products with alternatives? Would people accept such changes? Wouldn't it be more effective to optimize and recycle plastics? Is a world without single-use plastic even feasible?" Sian Sutherland puts it perfectly in the article below: "The answer to whether it's possible is this: for the last 50 years, we have largely halted material innovation because we discovered this 'miracle' known as plastic. It has become the default for almost everything—products, packaging, building materials, textiles." Sutherland describes plastic as a "toxic, indestructible material" and argues that banning it would spur innovation, quickly filling the void with safer, nature-compatible alternatives. She emphasizes that innovation is stifled by the myths that plastic recycling is effective and sufficient. I couldn't agree more - we now understand that most plastics are harmful to us, and that recycling is not just an inadequate solution but in many cases, it exacerbates the problems associated with plastics—accumulation of toxins and microplastics in the environment that end up in our bodies, reliance on fossil fuels, pollution from the recycling process, and the overarching fact that plastic recycling is not operationally and economically scalable, despite claims to the contrary by the fossil fuel industry over the past decades. Can or should we eliminate all plastics worldwide? No, in certain scenarios such as medical care, plastics play a crucial life-saving role precisely because of their single-use nature. However, what is beneficial for one sector does not necessarily translate well to another—plastic, especially of the single-use variety, has no place in our food, our wardrobes, and our living environments. A bad solution is often worse than no solution at all, because as long as we can pretend that recycling might someday solve our plastic pollution crisis, we are not compelled to search for alternatives. Necessity is the mother of all innovation, but not as long as we continue the charade. We must be pushed out of our comfort zones. Reimagining our lives without plastic will require a significant cultural and economic shift, moving away from the 'disposability model' and necessitating a new wave of material, business, and social innovation. Like every major change, it starts with admitting we have a problem with plastic and recognizing that recycling is not the solution. Only when we overcome this mental barrier can we begin to envision a different world. The upcoming UN Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on Plastic Pollution negotiations on a plastic treaty represent a perfect opportunity to cut through the fossil fuel industry’s lobbying bullsh*t and confront policymakers with the facts: recycling is not the solution, so we must #closeoffthetap!

According to a new report surveying 225 companies’ plastic-related sustainability efforts, there are zero companies making at least $1B in annual revenue who are doing enough to reduce, reuse, and/or recycle plastics. Of the companies assessed and scored by As You Sow and Ubuntoo, none received an “A” grade, and nearly 50% failed. The best grade awarded to a major company was a B+. This scorecard judged companies on their combined efforts toward plastic reduction, material reuse, and recycling expansion. The results are glaring: major companies are failing to live up to their sustainability commitments, and they must do more. The authors of the study suggest that companies focus on six areas of improvement, including Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR). At Polycarbin, we see how EPR legislation - which requires producers to take responsibility for the end of life of their products - is increasingly prevalent in the US, Europe, and beyond. Companies need to prepare for the changing legislative landscape as governments embrace EPR. Thinking critically about a product’s end of life and designing thoughtful solutions is a pathway to a cleaner planet and, hopefully, higher grades on future plastic scorecards. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/ec856VtH #circularity #plastics #EPR

Happy Earth Day! This year’s Earth Day theme is Planet vs. Plastics, and I couldn’t be happier about the opportunity to bring more attention to this pressing issue. About how ineffective recycling programs are, and how most plastic ends up not being recycled. ♻️ About how detrimental plastic is to our oceans and Earth at large. 🌊 About how we all contribute to this in ways we don’t even think about, every single day. 🚮 About how, while all plastic is sinful, single-use plastics should truly be outlawed to save our planet.  🌍 It’s true, we need governments and businesses to step up to mitigate plastic production and consumption. But as consumers, we do have some power. Power to demand more from the brands we buy from, and power to persuade our local politicians to consider our futures, and the futures of our children. I’ll bet many of us are also using plastics in more ways than we think. So I’m challenging my LinkedIn connections to think about your plastics consumption today, and I’ll have you focus on just single-use plastics. Now, go through your day – from your morning routine to bedtime. Think about all the single-use plastics you’ll use – your shampoo bottle, soap dispensers, your toothpaste tube, any food containers (takeout or from the grocery store), your trash bags, cleaning products, etc. How many single-use plastics do you use in a typical day? Now, take some action – think about ways you can reduce that number. Ditch the single-use soap dispensers and buy glass ones you can refill. Buy toilet paper that arrives in boxes vs. plastic wrap. Consider toothpaste tabs, cleaning products that come in cardboard or aluminum packaging, buy items made from recycled plastic, purchase produce directly from local markets to avoid grocery-store nonsense like plastic-wrapped bananas. Remember that just doing ONE of those things can make a difference, and hopefully even inspire someone else to take action, too. You don’t need to do it all, I can assure you I am far from perfect. It’s about harm reduction, not putting the literal weight of the world on your shoulders – advice I need to take myself when I’m feeling hopeless about the state of climate change. But doing something is far better than doing nothing, and can help spread awareness for how we contribute to the problem, and how to become a part of the solution. #EarthDay2024 #PlanetvsPlastic #plasticwaste #endplasticpollution

We've been hearing a lot about #AdvancedRecycling, or #Pyrolysis. Is it really the next best thing for how to recycle plastic? Let's break it down. - Most old plastic in pyrolysis doesn’t become new plastic; only 15-20 pounds of reusable plastic can be expected from 100 pounds of plastic waste. - Pyrolysis heavily relies on extracting fossil fuels, with resulting plastic containing no more than 10% recycled material (which is generally overstated and is more likely to be between 2%-5%) - Critics like Neil Tangri have labeled pyrolysis a "fairy tale" due to the lack of evidence supporting its effectiveness. This is why Mind Your Plastic is advocating for the reduction of harmful and hard-to-recycle plastics and upstream solutions. Transitioning towards sustainable packaging solutions and innovative alternatives is key in addressing plastic pollution effectively. #plasticpollution #recycling #sustainability #circulareconomy

Recycling plastics is a MYTH! 🚫 The truth is that MOST plastic was NEVER MEANT to be recycled, and that fact is not going to change – not with regular recycling and certainly not with “advanced recycling.” Only 6% of plastics are recycled in the U.S., and that number is expected to drop further as more plastic is produced! And the small amount that is recycled releases huge amounts of microplastics known to cause various diseases. The way forward: 1️⃣ Banning single-use plastics and packaging. 2️⃣ Investing in reuse systems! Learn more 👇 and help us fight back against plastic pollution! 🌍 #SaveThePlanet #environmentalist {hashtag|\#|greenwashing} {hashtag|\#|climatechange}

The Critical Role of Recycled Plastic in Creating a Sustainable Future Plastic pollution is one of the world’s most pressing environmental challenges. Nearly 9 million tons of plastic enter the oceans each year, causing harm to wildlife, ecosystems, and human health. As the problem grows, recycled plastic is emerging as a powerful solution to mitigate this crisis and promote sustainability. Recycling plastic is crucial in reducing waste, conserving resources, lowering carbon emissions, and advancing a circular economy. Here’s why plastic recycling matters: The Environmental Impact of Plastic Waste Plastic is used in virtually every industry, but its non-biodegradable nature means it accumulates in landfills, oceans, and natural habitats. It poses serious threats to marine life and takes centuries to decompose, releasing toxins along the way. How Recycled Plastic Helps 1. Waste Reduction: Recycling prevents plastic from polluting the environment and reduces the volume of waste in landfills. 2. Resource Conservation: Plastic production requires valuable resources like petroleum. Recycling helps conserve these resources by reusing plastic materials. 3. Energy Efficiency: Recycling plastic uses significantly less energy than producing new plastic from raw materials, cutting down on CO2 emissions. 4. Circular Economy: Recycled plastic enables the creation of a circular economy, where materials are reused, reducing the need for virgin plastic production. Innovations in Plastic Recycling New technologies are making recycling more efficient: Closed-Loop Systems: Post-consumer plastic is turned into new products of the same type, ensuring minimal waste. Advanced Sorting Tech: AI and infrared sensors improve the accuracy The Role of Businesses and Consumers Businesses should adopt sustainable packaging and use recycled materials to reduce plastic waste. Consumers can help by correctly sorting and disposing of plastic waste, supporting eco-friendly brands, and advocating for environmental policies. Governments must incentivize recycling and implement policies that reduce plastic production. The Future of Recycled Plastic The demand for recycled plastic is growing, with industries like fashion, automotive, and packaging increasingly turning to recycled materials. Companies like Adidas. #RecycledPlastic hashtag #SustainableFuture hashtag #PlasticRecycling hashtag #CircularEconomy hashtag #WasteReduction hashtag #Sustainability hashtag #EcoFriendly hashtag #GreenInnovation hashtag #PlasticPollution hashtag #ClimateAction hashtag #GreenManufacturing hashtag #ReduceReuseRecycle hashtag #PlasticWaste hashtag #SustainableSolutions hashtag #EnvironmentalImpact hashtag #InnovationForSustainability hashtag #SustainableDevelopment hashtag #CleanPlanet hashtag #SustainableBusiness hashtag #EcoConscious hashtag #CircularEconomySolutions hashtag #PlasticFree hashtag #ConserveResources

In the face of a global plastic waste crisis, giants like Procter & Gamble, Nestlé, and L’Oréal are banking on advanced recycling technologies to transform the sustainability landscape. But as ambitious deadlines loom, the real-world application of these innovations faces hurdles. Discover how the commitment to a 'circular economy' and the quest for environmental goals unfolds amidst challenges. #Sustainability #PlasticWaste #RecyclingInnovation #EnvironmentalImpact #ShipandShoreEnvironmental