Environmental Leader

The Procter & Gamble Company (P&G) plans to pilot the use of renewable sugarcane-derived plastic on selected packaging for its Pantene Pro-V, COVERGIRL and Max Factor brands, starting in 2011. The sustainable packaging also is 100 percent recyclable in existing municipal recycling facilities.

P&G says the sugarcane-derived plastic is a significant development in sustainable packaging because it is made from a renewable resource. The company explains that the new material is made in a process that transforms sugarcane into high-density polyethylene (HDPE) plastic, a type commonly used for product packaging.

P&G plans to source the plastic from Braskem SA, which manufactures the material using ethanol made from sustainably-grown Brazilian sugarcane. The pilot will be rolled out globally over the next two years, with the first products expected to be on the shelf in 2011.

In 2007, P&G replaced all of its liquid detergents portfolio in North America, which included brands such as Tide, Gain, Cheer, Era and Dreft, with double-strength laundry detergents in packages that were half the regular size, using at least 22 percent less packaging.

In May, P&G launched a sustainability scorecard and rating process to measure the environmental performance of its key suppliers. The new scorecard will assess P&G suppliers’ environmental footprint by measuring energy use, water use, waste disposal and greenhouse gas emissions on a year-to-year basis.

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