FALL 2018 SMART BUSINESS RECYCLING NEWSLETTER
In this issue of our newsletter, we want to share with our readers what is meant by “zero waste”. In a two-part series on zero waste, Waste360, a waste industry publication, provides an overview on how business can help achieve Zero Waste, and improve their financial performance by developing strategies to create sustainable packaging, products, and systems to pull out landfill-bound recyclables that have other benefits.
On the Way to Zero Waste (Part One)
From the perspective of rethink/redesign and reduce/reuse, the article explains the importance of manufacturing businesses’ role in designing products and packaging to be sustainable and reusable. To learn more, click here.
On the Way to Zero Waste (Part Two)
Entities moving to zero waste will need to identify waste materials that can be recycled and/or somehow reused. Zero waste advocates suggest the benefits of businesses developing zero waste plans to create sustainable packaging and products that can be diverted from the landfills. To learn more, click here.
The Food Waste Problem
Food waste continues to remain a challenge for food service establishments to manage. In the United States, approximately 40% of all food is wasted. In fact, food is the most common type of waste being sent to landfills. Meanwhile, 1 out of 7 people in Los Angeles County are food insecure (lacking regular access to quality nutritious meals).
Below is an article and a report on how businesses can improve their financial performance and receive environmental, social and governance (ESG) recognition by tackling the food waste problem.
Supply chains could help spare $270B of food waste with a few fixes
Enhancements to the supply chain infrastructure and efficiency could reduce the amount of food wasted by $270 billion. To learn more about how a few fixes to the supply chain infrastructure an efficiency could reduce food waste, click here.
Tackling the 1.6-Billion-Ton Food Loss and Waste Crisis
A new report from the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) estimates food waste to be a $1.5 trillion problem by 2030. To quantify food waste lost and help businesses combat food waste, BCG created various food loss and waste tracking models and tools. To learn more about BCG’s Report, click here.
Food Rescue Organizations Go for Scale
Food rescue models are emerging to address food waste and hunger. Scaling food rescue efforts involves building strong networks, fast work and ironing out plenty of logistical details. To learn more about food rescue organizations that match generators of surplus food with organization serving the needy click here.
New Material Recovery Facility
With diminishing recycling markets overseas, the U.S. now have new opportunities to reduce and reuse materials and develop material recovery facilities to process the oversupply of mixed paper and rigid plastics. Below is an article about a new material recovery plant that recently open in Vernon, CA.
rPlanet Earth Mega PET Plant to Cut Carbon Footprint
A green tech company, rPlanet, will open a PET (polyethylene terephthalate, a plastic resin and a type of polyester) processing facility in Vernon, California during the 4th quarter of 2018. Incorporating several processes under one roof, the plant will have the capacity to convert 100% recycled PET recyclables into approximately 75 million pounds beverage and food packaging. To learn more about how rPlanet completes the entire process at one facility for the lowest carbon footprint possible click here.