Laura Stewart replaces Darrel Collier, who retired earlier this year.

The National Association for PET Container Resources (NAPCOR), Charlotte, North Carolina, and its board of directors have announced that Laura Stewart has been named to the post of executive director, effective Aug. 1. She replaces outgoing Executive Director Darrel Collier, who retired in April of this year.

Founded in 1987, the NAPCOR is the trade association for the PET plastic packaging industry in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Since joining NAPCOR in 2017, Stewart served as communications director, and most recently, director of operations. Prior to joining NAPCOR, she was vice president, sales and marketing, at Placon Corp., a Madison, Wisconsin-based designer and manufacturer of stock and custom-designed plastic thermoforming and injection molded packaging. At Placon, she was instrumental in promoting the use of recycled PET in the company’s packaging lines. During her tenure with the company, she served as NAPCOR’s first Thermoform Council Chairperson, after the organization expanded its membership to include PET sheet and thermoform members in 2008.

“Laura brings our organization strong leadership and deep industry experience as we look to continue to develop and grow the PET value chain,” says Tom Busard, NAPCOR chairman and chief procurement officer for Plymouth, Michigan-based Plastipak Packaging Inc., and President of Clean Tech, Plastipak’s recycling affiliate. “She has been instrumental in developing our Positively PET communications campaign and refining its target audience, which continues to further our mission of protecting and promoting the PET package.”

“I am extremely honored to be given this opportunity to lead NAPCOR,” Stewart says. “The PET industry has a great story to tell about this versatile, recyclable material that will be central as we transition to a circular economy and more sustainable future. With emerging technologies that have the potential to reform recycling infrastructure, the PET industry is uniquely positioned to grow.”  

SABIC, along with Finboot, Plastic Energy and Intraplás, will use blockchain technology to track the circularity of feedstock.

Saudi Basic Industries Corp. (SABIC), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, launched a pilot project in November 2021 that will initially run for 12 months with technology firm Finboot, advanced recycling firm Plastic Energy and packaging specialist Intraplás to investigate the possibilities of blockchain technology in supporting end-to-end digital traceability of circular feedstock in customer products. To improve the process of tracing the journey of feedstock through the petrochemical value chain and support the delivery of that product to customers, SABIC says it launched this pilot project to demonstrate the feasibility of using a blockchain-based, value-chain IT application.

According to a news release from SABIC, Finboot’s MARCO software solution will act as a middleware layer to track TACOIL produced by Plastic Energy from its recycling process as well as the delivery of this oil to SABIC for conversion into its Trucircle polymers and finally the delivery of the polymers to Intraplás for conversion into its packaging solutions. SABIC says it expects this platform will reduce costs, time and improve data integration for value chain partners. The company says the technology also ensures that all data gathered remains immutable while shared across suppliers, customers and regulators, providing transparency, auditability and accountability in a complex industrial ecosystem.

“This pilot has the potential to make a big impact in the value-chain, providing a new level of traceability and transparency for recycled plastics, and demonstrating how advanced recycling can play a valuable role in the circular economy of plastics,” says Carlos Monreal, founder and CEO of Plastic Energy.

According to SABIC, blockchain technology helps to validate sustainability proof points and organizations’ environmental, social and governance (ESG) credentials. The technology also reduces the administrative efforts associated with the certification process of materials and is also a more reliable process, due to the reduced risk of human error.

Waleed Al-Shalfan, vice president Polymers Technology & Innovation at SABIC, says, “At SABIC, we have a deep commitment to innovation and technology that can help us to deliver more sustainable solutions to our customers. Our vision to create a circular economy for plastics requires a total transformation of the value chain and pioneering partnerships with partners both upstream and downstream. Blockchain technology holds exciting potential for the provision of our Trucircle products to customers, and therefore for our commitment to supporting customers in their sustainability ambitions.”

“The blockchain technology project will reinforce our objectives even more, as it will help us to improve performance, create additional transparency to the supply chain and promote digital traceability for our certified circular packaging,” adds Marisa Alves, chief procurement officer at Intraplás. “This is an Intraplás contribution, through more concretely sustainable solutions, to a real circular economy.”

According to SABIC, the announcement of the project follows the successful completion of the first end-to-end transaction from end-of-life plastic processing by Plastic Energy, through cracking by SABIC, to the production of a yogurt cup by Intraplás. "We have proven that we can trace the food package to its plastic waste raw materials," the company says. "We are currently fine-tuning the mapping of product to feedstock, as well as improving the look and feel of the traceability results to make it easily accessible and understandable for end-consumers."

*This article was updated Aug. 3, 2022, to add the duration of the pilot and the details of the first end-to-end transaction.

The company's labeling protocol applies to rigid PP tubs, bottles, jugs and jars recycled in the United States, but Greenpeace USA questions the impact of the move.

How2Recycle, the North American packaging recyclability labeling system, has announced it is upgrading the eligibility of rigid polypropylene (PP) tubs, bottles, jugs and jars from "check locally" to "widely recyclable" in the United States.

The group says it was provided data from The Recycling Partnership's Polypropylene Recycling Coalition as well as other industry investments and notes it is "confident this progression in eligibility continues to be aligned with the Federal Trade Commission's Green Guides."

"The efforts of the Polypropylene Recycling Coalition are a great example of the impact that can be made with collaborative action focused on supporting the full recycling system and we are honored to have been in an advisory role since its inception," How2Recycle Director Caroline Cox says in a statement announcing the upgrade.

She adds, "As rigid polypropylene access, sortation and end markets are on an upward trend across the U.S., we are excited to upgrade this packaging format. ... Thanks to the strength and efficacy of the national data provided, How2Recycle is confident that this change in eligibility continues to be in line with federal law," and notes, however, the entire value chain should continue investing in improving the recyclability of all materials and packaging formats.

The milestone comes as the Polypropylene Recycling Coalition marks its two-year anniversary. Launched in July 2020, The Recycling Partnership, based in Washington, formed the coalition to bring together stakeholders across the PP value chain to improve recovery and recycling in the U.S. and further develop end markets for recycling PP.

The organization says since the launch of the coalition, it has awarded 24 grants totaling $6.7 million to support sorting improvements and community education. According to the Partnership, curbside access to PP recycling will improve for approximately 8 percent of households—about 20 million people—and increase the amount of PP recovered by an estimated 25 million pounds annually.

The Recycling Partnership says it used the Sustainable Packaging Coalition's "2020/2021 Centralized Study on Availability of Recycling" for a prior baseline which indicated rigid PP containers as having a 59 percent recycling access rate. The organizations say they leveraged the Partnership's National Recycling Database to determine the current U.S. access rate of 65 percent and assessed the growth and strength of domestic end markets for PP.

"Achieving success for challenged materials is not a narrative often heard in our industry," The Recycling Partnership CEO Keefe Harrison says. "It was a mere two years ago when we acknowledged the challenges polypropylene recycling was facing and its uncertain future. In forming the Polypropylene Recycling Coalition, we committed to leaning in and taking action in support of the material, to push ourselves and the industry to a more circular future."

Harrison continues, "The power of collaboration across the value chain can be seen through this substantial systemwide shift for polypropylene. The precedent we are setting for materials, coalitions and innovations is exciting and hopeful."

However, according to Greenpeace USA, based in Washington, less than 30 percent of Americans have access to recycling systems that accept PP and the group says the vast majority of PP packaging will end up in landfills and incinerators regardless of if it's put in recycling bins.

"Being able to put something in a recycling bin is not the same as recycling," Greenpeace USA Oceans Campaign Director John Hocevar says. "Many cities allow people to put things in bins that are not locally recyclable. Pretending that polypropylene No. 5 plastics, like yogurt cups, are recyclable only drives down the effectiveness of recycling materials like aluminum and paper."

Hocevar calls the upgrade "greenwashing" and says the global south, in particular, faces real consequences from the announcement. "Misleading the public about the recyclability of throwaway plastic packaging means that more of our waste will be exported to poor countries," he adds. "It also deflects attention from real solutions to the plastic pollution crisis. We have to phase out single-use plastic and invest in reuse, refill and package-free approaches."

Greenpeace published a "Circular Claims Fall Flat: Comprehensive U.S. Survey of Plastics Recyclability" report in 2020, which showed PP only is accepted by 53 percent of U.S. material recovery facilities (MRFs) and said "acceptance of the PP No. 5 tub by a MRF is not proof that the PP No. 5 tub will actually be recycled into a new product."

The report continues, "Compounding the problem of recycling postconsumer PP No. 5 plastic items is that there are a limited number of plastic reprocessing facilities that will buy postconsumer PP No. 5 plastic," with analysis showing less than 5 percent domestic reprocessing capacity for PP postconsumer (PCR) waste. The facilities are primarily in the southern and eastern U.S. and, according to Greenpeace, trucking collected PP thousands of miles from the West Coast or the Northeast to Alabama—home of the largest U.S. processor of PP—is "problematic from a cost or carbon emissions perspective."

The full report can be accessed here.

How2Recycle says other rigid PP packaging formats, including beverage cups, remain at the "check locally" recyclability status, and the group says it is pursuing additional data regarding the access to recycling and end markets of PP beverage cups to determine whether these packages should be upgraded in the future.

The group also notes that each How2Recycle label is backed by scientifically credible data so that the general public can rely on a consistent, standardized recycling labeling system run by a 501c3 environmental nonprofit to help them recycle more accurately.

Canadian hauling and recycling firm will add vehicle to fleet dominated by CNG trucks.

Mack Trucks, Greensboro, North Carolina, says Emterra Group, one of the largest recycling and resource management companies in Canada, has ordered a Mack LR Electric Class 8 refuse vehicle to deploy in the Peel, Ontario, region.

“Emterra has been a company on the leading edge of providing progressive green solutions for a number of years, and we are pleased that they chose the Mack LR Electric as its first electric vehicle in the fleet,” says Jonathan Randall, Mack Trucks senior vice president. “Mack is pleased we are delivering Mack LR Electric refuse vehicles to customers to meet their timetables and their sustainability goals.”

The Mack LR Electric will be the first battery-electric vehicle (BEV) in Emterra’s fleet, according to Mack. In 2019, Peel’s Regional Council declared a Climate Change Master Plan that has an interim target of reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 45 percent below 2010 levels by 2030. This “was the primary reason Emterra chose to operate the vehicle there,” Mack says.

Emterra currently operates 150 refuse vehicles in Peel Region, most of which are powered by compressed natural gas (CNG).

“Reducing emissions and ensuring waste is collected in an environmentally responsible manner are important outcomes for the Region of Peel,” says Norman Lee, director of waste management for the Region of Peel. “Having the first Mack LR Electric vehicle servicing our community brings us one step closer to achieving our goal of zero greenhouse gas emissions from residential waste management.”

Paulina Leung, Emterra chief sustainability officer, says, “This is a pivotal moment for Emterra to reinforce our commitment to be a catalyst of change since our founding in 1976, with one woman and a truck collecting cardboard and newspaper from back alleys.”

She continues, “Since then, we’ve expanded our mission of transforming waste into resources in the circular economy across Canada and into the state of Michigan. We chose to order the Mack LR Electric because of Mack’s leadership in producing reliable and durable refuse vehicles, and we are confident that they can match our execution timelines to receive the vehicle this year.”

Leung concludes, “Nobody doubts the environmental impact, and we are excited to learn how the LR Electric will help us recruit and retain the next generation of drivers.”

CEO of steel producer praises EAF method but does not include scrap in metallics assessment.

In a late July earnings report conference call with steel industry analysts, executives from Pittsburgh-based United States Steel Corp. talked about the state of its growing electric arc furnace (EAF) presence and the metallics used to feed its EAF plants. Largely missing from the conversation, however, was scrap.

U.S. Steel President and CEO David Burritt, Senior Vice president and Chief Financial Officer Christie Breves and Senior Vice President and Chief Strategy and Sustainability Officer Rich Fruehauf were among the executives who offered comments and fielded questions during the call.

Burritt said, “The United States remains the leader in sustainable steelmaking as many in our industry have embraced the electrification of the steelmaking process, which is the most sustainable way to make steel.”

He added, “The well-timed Big River Steel acquisition has outperformed expectations. Our new minimill segment now represents nearly 30 percent of our domestic flat-rolled steel EBITDA [earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization]. It’s lowering our capital and carbon intensity and is expected to deliver more consistent results.”

Ferrous scrap has long been the mainstay raw material in EAF steelmaking in the U.S., with EAF producers such as Nucor Corp., Steel Dynamics Inc. and Commercial Metals Co. not only melting millions of tons of scrap each year but also processing it at sizable yard networks. Even fellow blast furnace\basic oxygen furnace producer Cleveland-Cliffs now owns a network of scrap facilities.

Comments by Burritt and the other two executives, however, focused on pig iron, direct reduced iron (DRI), hot briquetted iron and other virgin materials metallics often used by other EAF producers as scrap additives or alternatives.

“As we expand our low GHG [greenhouse gas] emissions electric arc furnace footprint, raw materials will be a key differentiator,” Burritt said, adding, “While 10 percent of our metallics are in-sourced today, that number could increase to 40 percent by 2024 with addition of pig iron at Gary Works and the proposed Granite City pig iron facility in collaboration with SunCoke.”

Burritt continued, “We’re also expanding our metallic strategy by upgrading our iron ore pellets. We’re investing to upgrade our capabilities at Keetac [in Minnesota] to make direct, reduced-grade pellets. These actions will allow us to become increasingly self-sufficient to feed our minimill segment with key metallics.”

The only mention of scrap came from Fruehauf, who commented, “Having these virgin iron ore metallics in our footprint and able to supply the EAF fleet is a huge advantage for us because then we won’t be as exposed to the ups and downs of the scrap market or cut off of supply or price spikes in pig [iron].”

Regarding pig iron pricing, Breves said a scramble for the material after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has been a balance sheet factor at U.S. Steel. “We continue to work through more costly inventory and therefore expect meaningfully sequentially lower EBITDA at Big River Steel in the third quarter,” she commented. “In Europe, the conflict in Ukraine and the negative impact on raw material and energy prices are reducing industrial and manufacturing demand. As a result, in the third quarter, our [Europe] segment is experiencing significant margin compression as steel prices have softened while raw material costs remain elevated.”

Going forward, though, Fruehauf said U.S. Steel is “focused on pig first and foremost” while considering DRI “an opportunity for the future. It’s not a question of if, it’s when and where.”

While scrap metal recycling seems not to be receiving foremost attention in the U.S. Steel mix, Burritt nonetheless closed the conference call by commenting, “We look forward to growing with you toward a greener future.”