The Department of the Interior says it aims to reduce the procurement, sale and distribution of single-use plastic products and packaging on public lands by 2032.
The U.S. Department of the Interior has announced it will phase out single-use plastic products and packaging on public lands by 2032 in an order issued by Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland to coincide with World Ocean Day June 8.
Secretary's Order 3407 aims to reduce procurement, sale and distribution of single-use plastic products on Interior Department-managed land, including national parks, and is part of the implementation of President Joe Biden's Executive Order 14057, which calls for federal agencies to minimize waste and support markets for recycled products.
"The Interior Department has an obligation to play a leading role in reducing the impact of plastic waste on our ecosystems and our climate," Haaland says. "As the steward of the nation's public lands, including national parks and national wildlife refuges, and as the agency responsible for the conservation and management of fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats, we are uniquely positioned to do better for our Earth."
Haaland continues, "Today's order will ensure that the department's sustainability plans include bold action on phasing out single-use plastic products as we seek to protect our natural environment and the communities around them."
The order directs the Interior Department to identify nonhazardous, environmentally preferable alternatives to single-use plastic products, like compostable or biodegradable materials or 100-percent-recycled materials. Single-use plastic products include food and beverage containers, bottles, straws, cups, cutlery and disposable plastic bags.
According to the department, less than 10 percent of the plastic that has ever been produced has been recycled, and it notes that recycling rates are not increasing. In a report by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the plastics recycling rate in 2018 was about 9 percent, and a report from the nonprofit Last Beach Cleanup and Beyond Plastics, an environmental project affiliated with Bennington College, shows the 2021 plastics recycling was less than 5 percent.
The Interior Department lists many alternatives it is considering to "account for the variety of geographic locations and social context in which departmental facilities operate." It notes that paper, bioplastic or composite bags can replace single-use bags; bio-based plastic, glass, aluminum and laminated cartons can replace single-use bottles; and similar material can replace single-use food packaging.
Shawn Byers will replace Jon Sage as parts and service manager.
American Baler Co., based in Bellevue, Ohio, has announced the retirement of Jon Sage, parts and service manager. Sage has worked with American Baler for more than 23 years. His most recent post was parts and service manager.
Shawn Byers has been promoted to parts and service manager to replace Sage. Byers previously worked as a service tech, performing startups, repairs, trouble shooting for American Baler customers, since 2021. Before American Baler, Byers worked for RUF Briquetting Systems as a service tech and later service manager. Outside of work, Byers can be found on boats, golf carts and motorcycles.
American Baler Co. is an industry leader in the manufacturing of recycling balers used in distribution centers, manufacturing, and recycling centers worldwide. For more information, call 800-843-7512 x145, or click here.
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.”