The companies will work together to develop plastic recycling operations in Ghana and India.

Ahead of the United Nation's 2022 World Ocean Day, Burt’s Bees and rePurpose Global have announced a multiyear partnership to finance critical recycling infrastructure that prevents plastic waste from flowing into the ocean. The initiative will support frontline waste enterprises in India and Ghana and promises to eliminate over 1.5 million pounds of plastic waste otherwise bound for the ocean by the end of 2024.

According to Burt's Bees, at least 1 billion people living within 100 kilometers (62.1 miles) of coastlines lack equitable access to waste collection services, while at the same time, 15 million waste workers are engaged in the often exploitative informal sector worldwide. Creating recycling infrastructure in coastal regions in collaboration with waste worker communities is an impactful lever to reduce the flow of plastic into the marine ecosystem, Burt’s Bees says.

The partnership will oversee the development and operations of new waste infrastructure in a tailored approach for two coastal regions. In Kerala, India, it will enable recycling facility upgrades and sustained door-to-door waste collection services for around 2,000 households. In Accra, Ghana, the project will partner with buyback centers in the region and expand local collection networks. Together, the company says, the initiatives will improve health and safety, working conditions and wellbeing standards for 350 local waste workers, the majority of whom are female, as well as create additional income streams from low-value waste materials.

“Plastic waste is a huge challenge for our industry and the planet, and it demands true collaboration to tackle it,” says Matt Kopac, associate director of sustainability at Burt’s Bees. “Not only does this partnership stop plastic from leaking into the ocean, but it also creates crucial opportunities to economically empower waste workers and their communities. We are very proud to join forces with rePurpose Global and support their thoughtful approach to tackling plastic pollution.”

The initiative is a key part of Burt’s Bees’ commitment to achieve net-zero plastic to nature by 2025, the company says. The brand is committed to a 50 percent reduction in virgin packaging materials (plastic and fiber) by 2030, and moving towards a target of 100 percent recyclable, reusable or compostable packaging by 2025. The company will also invest in critical plastic recycling infrastructure in the U.S. and around the world in cooperation with The Recycling Partnership and rePurpose Global – to recover and recycle at least as much plastic as their own footprint.

“Taking action on the plastic problem requires genuine intent, systems thinking and meticulous execution,” says Svanika Balasubramanian, CEO & co-founder of rePurpose Global. “We are so glad that the leadership team at Burt’s Bees shares our ethos, and we are thrilled about working with such a cohort of forward thinkers to tackle ocean-bound plastic on land before it becomes waste.”

The company says the panel can be made with recycled cardboard and plastic.

Xeriant Inc., an aerospace company based in Florida, has announced the development of a multipurpose, high-strength fire- and water-resistant composite panel made from a formulation of Retacell and a cardboard fiber-reinforced polymeric resin, which can be sourced from recycled materials.

The panel is fabricated through a compression molding process and can be produced or cut in varying thicknesses and sizes, including standard 48-inch-by-96-inch sheets. Depending on the application, the panel can have different colors, textures or decorative finishes, Xeriant says. Potential interior and exterior construction applications include walls, ceilings, flooring, framing, siding, roofing and decking. Xeriant says it is planning to license the technology to major manufacturers of building products.

“We have been impressed with the Retacell panel’s performance and believe it can compete effectively with many of the building products on the market such as OSB, plywood, drywall and engineered wood flooring, to name a few," Xeriant CEO Keith Duffy says. "The superior flexibility, resistance properties, insulating ability and mechanical strength of this product may also reduce the cost and complexity of SIP systems. Our team in Slovakia is currently testing the panel’s tensile and thermal properties for certification."

The investment will help catalyze a circular economy for polyethylene film and food-grade high-density polyethylene packaging in the upper Midwest.

Closed Loop Partners, New York, has announced that its Closed Loop Infrastructure Fund and Closed Loop Circular Plastics Fund committed $5 million to help establish a flexible film recycling plant in Minnesota for South African-based recycler Myplas.

The project is led by the MBold coalition, a group of companies working to solve agricultural issues in Minnesota. It will work to develop a regional circular economy for flexible films and other plastic packaging materials in the Upper Midwest region of the U.S. Closed Loop Partners says the investment in this project aims to grow recycling infrastructure and increase the supply of recycled materials available for use.

Myplas’ new $24 million plant is under construction in Rogers, Minnesota, northwest of Minneapolis, and at full capacity will employ about 300 people.

“This is a very important step to advance recycling capability in the U.S. and particularly in the Upper Midwest,” said Andrew Pieterse, CEO of Myplas USA. “We’re very excited and proud to establish our first plant in Minnesota with the State itself and many important global brands headquartered here, investing in and supporting this initiative. The funds and support provided by Closed Loop Partners will be critical to ensure our collective success.”

The facility will be the first in the United States for South African recycler Myplas. Slated to begin operations in spring 2023, the 170,000-square-foot mechanical recycling plant will produce recycled low-density polyethylene pellets and food-grade high-density polyethylene pellets. It aims to recycle nearly 90 million pounds of material annually at full capacity, diverting these valuable materials from landfills.

“There is a growing demand for recycled polyethylene across the value chain, yet only 11 percent of polyethylene film is recovered in North America today,” says Ron Gonen, founder and CEO of Closed Loop Partners. “This new facility is an important piece of circular economy infrastructure needed to develop local market capacity to manage hard-to-recycle plastics.”

The operation will manufacture recycled-content polyethylene films.

Indevco Plastics, a plastics packaging manufacturer based in Longview, Texas, is expanding its portfolio of recycled industrial films with sustainable multilayer polyethylene (PE) films in its recently opened Orangeburg, South Carolina, facility.

Construction of the flexible packaging 100,000-square-foot facility began last year in Orangeburg County Industrial Park, and houses manufacturing, warehousing, offices and laboratory space. The company has invested $25 million in the first phase and expects to generate 50 jobs.

“Our plant in Orangeburg further cements the commitment of our board of directors and owners to grow Indevco Plastics in North America,” says Chady Zablit, senior vice president of manufacturing. “It confirms our purpose to create opportunity for people, just as we create packaging solutions for customers as an essential part of their value chain.”

The operation will manufacture polyethylene converting films, FFS and stretch hood films. The company says the facility will support the petrochemical, lawn and garden and salt markets.

“Sustainable films are our growth focus,” says Scott Sirmans, divisional sales director for Indevco Plastics. “We are aligning our supply chain to ensure we can deliver recycled and recyclable films to help customers reduce their environmental impacts while meeting their product performance requirements.”

Indevco Plastics produces polyethylene flexible packaging for appliances and electronics, beverage, building material, chemical and petrochemical, industrial salt and minerals, lawn and garden, packaging converting, pet food and animal nutrition and transport packaging markets.

The company says its Carbon Footprint Reduction Program is designed to help customers quantify and reduce their impacts through sustainable packaging metrics, including raw material reduction or downgauging, use of post-industrial recycled (PIR) and post-consumer recycled (PCR) content, and product design for 100 percent recyclability.

The bill, which allows customers to repair their own electronics, including phones, tablets and computers, now goes to Gov. Kathy Hochul's desk.

The New York State Senate has approved the Digital Fair Repair Act, which will expand consumer access to parts, tools and information to repair personal electronics. The act was approved June 3 by a vote of 145-1.

The bill requires original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to make diagnostic information, spare parts, schematics, special tools and firmware available to independent repair providers, says Nathan Proctor, the senior right to repair campaign director for the United States Public Interest Research Group or U.S. PIRG.

“This means repair shops that are fixing those devices are going to get the support they need without jumping through hoops that manufacturers make them go through to control their process do their jobs,” Proctor says. “I hope this will put pressure on the industry to expand access to repair their devices.”

However, the bill’s scope has been narrowed. Originally, it included provisions for agricultural equipment, public service equipment and home appliances. Now, the bill only focuses on devices like computers, phones and tablets. Gaming consoles are not covered by the act, according to Proctor.

The bill could have a wide range of impacts in New York and across the country. The U.S. PIRG says the legislation will increase competition, boost the economy and drive down prices for electronics repair in the state. The bill could also serve as the blueprint for other states interested in enacting right to repair laws.

“For independent repair shops, this news is huge. Independent shops will finally be able to compete with manufacturers, resisting the repair market consolidation manufacturers have created by restricting access to parts and tools,” says Kyle Wiens, the founder of iFixit. “People who want to fix their own stuff can. And your repair experience should improve even if you’re intimidated by the thought of cracking open your laptop or phone. Where before, manufacturers could push consumers to use manufacturer-authorized shops, now they’ll have to compete.”

Twenty-five states are considering right to repair laws, including Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Massachusetts. States like Arkansas, Kansas and Vermont are considering right-to-repair laws for agricultural equipment, Proctor says. Recently, a right to repair bill failed to pass the Senate committee.

Last year, President Joe Biden issued Executive Order 14036, which paves the way for new regulations for original equipment manufacturers. The order directs the Federal Trade Commission to draft regulations that limit OEMs’ ability to restrict independent repairs of their products.

The bill has yet to be signed by Gov. Kathy Hochul. Once it is signed, it will take a year to take effect in New York.

“There will still be a long way to go before we’ve legally secured a Right to Repair for everything, across the whole world,” Wiens says. “Many other states are considering bills of their own, and we’ve still got appliances, tractors and medical devices on our dream docket. Nevertheless, this victory is the biggest the Right to Repair movement has seen so far.”