REAL WORLD RECYCLING SOLUTIONS
DRIVEN BY LCA
.
The Carton Council and its
Carton Recycling Access Campaign
INTRO TO LCA
• Quantifies environmental impacts associated with
the life-cycle of a good or service, from extraction of
raw material to final disposal
• All emissions, resource consumptions and other
environmental interventions are assessed for
relevant impact indicators
• Provides full picture of environmental performance
for a product or service
• Methodology standardized with ISO 14040/
44:2006 to achieve quality and transparency
Jeffrey Fielkow
The “Life Cycle”
Jeffrey Fielkow
Life Cycle Assessment Methodology
Jeffrey Fielkow
Where does LCA
Fit for Packaging?
Jeffrey Fielkow
LCA in Packaging – Indicators/Metrics
• Packaging Sustainability Attributes
» Environment – e.g. packaging weight, total resource inputs,
recycling rate, renewable content, etc.
» Economics – cost, service value, indirect costs/impacts
» Social- workplace, labor force, safety, health, etc.
• LCA – the Environmental Profile
»
»
»
»
Renewable/non-renewable energy demand and impact
Water consumption in production and utilization
Emissions of greenhouse gasses, particulates, toxics
Land utilization and impact
These are broad categories in multi-layer indicator sets
Jeffrey Fielkow
LCA in Packaging Marketplace
• CGA Global Packaging Project Effort
• Goal to Develop Relevant, Quantitative Measures
• Intuitive to Consumers, CEOs, Government
• Meaningful to LCA Experts and Environmentalists
• Actionable for Packaging Design
Jeffrey Fielkow
Today’s Packaging Marketplace
• Recycling Seen as Tool to Address Climate Change
• Shift Towards Producer Accountability
• Beverage Industry Leaders (Coke, Nestle) are Raising
the Bar with Respect to Corporate Role
• Consumers Want to Recycle Containers and Hold
Manufacturer Responsible for Recyclability
• Sustainability Message is Lost Without Recyclability
Jeffrey Fielkow
The Carton Challenge – A Case Study
Jeffrey Fielkow
Cartons
One of the Most Sustainable Packages
RENEW
REDUCE
RECYCLE
Jeffrey Fielkow
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Made mainly from paper
Paper is a 100% renewable resource
Fiber comes from well-managed forests
Light weight and compact
Low package-product ratio
Low carbon footprint through lifecycle
Cartons are recyclable
In fact…
Cartons
have a Great Environmental Profile
Maximize use of
renewable
resources
Need to increase
collection &
recycling
Minimize waste
& resource use
Increase use of
certified paper
board
Distribution and
storage efficiency
Efficient
operations
Jeffrey Fielkow
The Carton Recycling Challenge
To go from this…
?
Aluminum
Can
Glass
Bottle
Jeffrey Fielkow
Steel
Can
Plastic
Bottle
The Carton Recycling Challenge
…to this:
Cartons
Aluminum
Can
Glass
Bottle
Jeffrey Fielkow
Steel
Can
Plastic
Bottle
Carton Basics
What are Cartons Made From?
Refrigerated cartons
contain about 80% paper
and 20% polyethylene.
No Wax!
Jeffrey Fielkow
What are Cartons Made From?
Shelf-stable cartons contain
on average 74% paper,
22% polyethylene and 4% aluminum
No Wax!
Jeffrey Fielkow
How are Cartons Recycled?
Cartons placed in
recycling bin
Made into new
products
Jeffrey Fielkow
Positive sort at
recycling facility
Baled and sent to
Paper mill
Separated paper
fibers are ready to
be reused
Blended with water to
separate paper fibers from
plastic and aluminum
The Challenges Facing
Carton Recycling
Why Cartons Are Not Being Recycled
•
•
•
•
•
Carton recycling unregulated - not mandated
Total volume is less than .4% of MSW
Wet strength prevents pulping at most mills
Sorters won’t accept cartons without markets
Recyclers won’t accept cartons without financial
support
Jeffrey Fielkow
Cartons
The Misunderstood Commodity
• High value material
» 100% virgin fibers
• High yield
• 68%-75%
Jeffrey Fielkow
How are Cartons Recycled Today?
Mixed paper formula does not work!
+ Mixed with paper
+ Wet strength causes
problems at mills
+ Poly or Poly Au
+ Cannot export
= Material goes to landfill
Not Acceptable to Carton
Manufacturers
Jeffrey Fielkow
How Cartons Should be Recycled
Tissue Mill Formula Works!
+
Positive Sort
High Quality Fibre
Jeffrey Fielkow
=
+
PolyAl End Market
Tissue Products
Achieving the “Right Formula”
• Support facility capital/operational changes
• Marketplace guarantee for sale of materials
• Educational and marketplace support to grow
carton stream
• How can these things happen?
Jeffrey Fielkow
The Carton Council was Created
Mission of the Carton Council
Committed to reducing the environmental
impact of cartons by expanding recycling
programs across the county and continuously
improving the environmental performance of
cartons
Jeffrey Fielkow
Who is The Carton Council?
Jeffrey Fielkow
Achieving Carton Council Goals
• Carton Recycling Access Campaign
• Working with Recycler stakeholders
•
•
•
•
Communities
Facilities
Service Providers
Mills
• Developing recycling infrastructure
• Financial and promotional support
Jeffrey Fielkow
Carton Recycling
Access Campaign Strategy
Carton Recycling Strategy –
Working Backwards from End Markets
Developing
Markets for
Poly/Alu
Component
Strategy: Start with
End Markets
Jeffrey Fielkow
Recycling Supply Chain
Seeking Leverage
Cities
•
•
•
•
Sorters
Brokers
Mills
Secure leverage throughout the supply chain
Leverage sorters to increase household access
Leverage sorter volume to contract with broker
Leverage brokers to increase North American
paper Mill access
Jeffrey Fielkow
Carton Recycling Strategy – Long Term
Increase Access
•Increase household access rate
from 20% to 50%
Develop Markets
• Create North American demand
for the high quality carton fiber
• Develop recycling solution for
the poly alum component
Jeffrey Fielkow
Sustainable Recycling
•Implement a supported
infrastructure
•Enable processors to sort
cartons into a source separated
grade
Create Awareness
•Create world class top-of-mind
awareness rivaling other
container commodities
Access Campaign Progress to Date
Jeffrey Fielkow
Climbing the Household
Access Ladder
2014
2013
2012
2011 - 30-35%
2010
2009
- 25-30%
- 18%
Jeffrey Fielkow
- 35-40%
- 40-45%
2015 - ?
- 45-50%
Carton Recycling Across the US
No access to carton
recycling
Jeffrey Fielkow
30 States have carton
recycling programs
Expanding Access – Identifying Opportunities
Households in Metro Areas
Without Carton Recycling Access
West:
12 million
households
Central:
17 million
households
Jeffrey Fielkow
East:
47 million
households
Develop Markets – Current Mill Buyers
RCM
Great Lakes
Tissue
Southern Tissue
(Q1 2012)
GET Mill
Jeffrey Fielkow
Postindustrial
gable top only
Develop Markets –Target Added Buyers
RCM
Great Lakes
Tissue
Southern Tissue
(Q1 2012)
GET Mill
Jeffrey Fielkow
Postindustrial
gable top only
Sustainable Recycling– Large MRFs
Optical Sort Solution
• Strategy: Install 30 to 40 optical sorters
• Potential for 15 million households
Jeffrey Fielkow
Sustainable Recycling
Medium Sized MRFS
• Less than 125 tons per day
residential recyclables
• May include sorting conveyors,
with heavy reliance on manual
labor for sorting
• May include screens to separate
paper from containers, eddy
current, steel belt conveyor, selfunloading silos for sorted
material
• Typical capital need: $20,000
• Typical capital need: $70,000
» Hoppers for storage of manually sorted cartons
(no available sorting silo/bunker for cartons)
Jeffrey Fielkow
» Extend containers sorting conveyor
» Extend sorting platform
» Add silo for sorted cartons
Creating Awareness – Feature Article,
Resource Recycling Magazine
Jeffrey Fielkow
Creating Awareness - Toolkits for
Cities, Haulers, MRFs
Jeffrey Fielkow
Creating Awareness – School Toolkit
Jeffrey Fielkow
Creating Awareness – Website Update
– RecycleCartons.com
Jeffrey Fielkow
2010 Successes
Increase Access
•Added/Improved access in
20 metro areas
•600 communities added
•12 mm households added
•30% access reached!
Develop Markets
• End markets secured at 9
domestic paper mills
• Development work in
western US, Mexico, Asia
Jeffrey Fielkow
Sustainable Recycling
•30 sorting centers added
•Development work for many
others set to flip in 2011
Creating Awareness
•Toolkit
•School Recycling Guide
•Website update
•Locator real time
•Media coverage
2011 Goals
Increase Access
•Increase household access rate
to 30-35%
Develop Markets
• Secure contracts with West
region mills
• Secure Mexico and Asia mill
end markets
Jeffrey Fielkow
Sustainable Recycling
•Add 20-40 sorting center
locations
•Install 20+ optical sorters
Creating Awareness
•Expand and implement toolkit
with new communities
•Partnerships with regional and
state agencies
•Website upgrade – Phase II
Carton Recycling Targeted Outcomes
Increase Access
Sustainable Recycling
Carton
Recovery
Develop Markets
Creating Awareness
Validates
Improves
Jeffrey Fielkow
Volumes of Cartons
Collected for Recycling
Carton Council Recycling Access
Campaign --Support Team
Resource Recycling Systems
Waste and Recycling
Thank You!
Biomass Fuel, Organics and
Composting
Green Supply Chain Change Management
Jeffrey Fielkow