Dow Urges 100% Packaging Recyclability

March 12, 2009

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Dow Chemical Co. is challenging other firms in the packaging supply chain to convert to recyclables.

If 100 percent of packaging were recyclable, some of society’s great challenges could be addressed, said Glenn Wright, commercial vice president for Dow’s North American Basic Plastics business, in a press release.

Wright said that too many consumers – and captains of industry – view plastic packaging as waste.

“Packaging should be viewed as a waste reducer,” Wright said. “It contributes to the extended shelf life of many food products and reduces the amount of product lost to contamination.”

Converting to thinner and lighter-weight packaging can save tangible amounts of resources, he said.

After packaging has delivered a product, Wright sees other uses for it.

“All the players in (the packaging) industry need to work together to demonstrate the concept of life-cycle thinking when it comes to plastic packaging – from first uses to multiple re-use or traditional recycling, and eventually to the concept of recycle-to-energy – sometimes known as energy-from-waste,” he said. “This last idea is exciting because it could potentially allow us to make two good uses of plastic packaging, first to save resources when used in a package and second as a source of energy that we could harness.”

If all packaging materials were recyclable, there would no longer be a need for recycling numbers on rigid plastic containers. This would reduce confusion among consumers and spur greater tonnage of recycling, he said.

Still, the economic slowdown is reducing demand for recyclables.

Dow is making commitments to sustainability in other areas. Its headquarters is mostly powered by wind energy.

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Reader Comments

There’s a new video from WWF on Sustainable Business innovation – it’s very good:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gP8Frk2VidQ

Jonathan Allen | March 12th, 2009

Since most of America’s packaging comes from China, let’s start by including them in the conversation. Also, when recycling plastic, let’s keep the recycling facilities in the United States rather than ship our discarded plastic packaging to China for processing.

Celeste Sayles | March 13th, 2009

Great news! What about the pallets transporting that packaging; there’s no reason why it can’t be 100% recyclable as well. GreenLight’s UNIPAL Pallet carries the reyclable product and the message of sustainability. GreenLight has just moved production of this pallet from Spain and Korea to Oregon, let’s keep this push forward.

Christina Casanueva | March 13th, 2009