Eastman announced an agreement with Procter & Gamble (P&G) to further accelerate the transformation of plastic packaging and collaborate on recycling solutions. Increasing its use of recycled plastics through this agreement, P&G will use Eastman Renew materials in select products and packaging, supporting both companies’ goals to reduce the use of virgin plastic from fossil resources. The companies will also collaborate on advocacy initiatives aimed at reducing reliance on virgin plastic and providing a circular economy for several of the products people use daily.
Procter & Gamble Senior Vice President of R&D Lee Ellen Drechsler said that eliminating waste plastic from our environment is a complex global challenge that requires a comprehensive and collaborative approach across the entire plastics lifecycle. Stating that P&G is taking a thoughtful approach addressing the collection, processing, revitalization, and reuse of materials, Drechsler relayed that they selected Eastman’s molecular recycling technologies which enable former waste to be transformed into useful products.
“Eastman advanced recycling technology complements traditional methods”
Eastman Renew materials are produced through Eastman’s molecular recycling technologies, using waste plastic that would go to landfills. The company argues that these advanced recycling technologies act as a complement to traditional recycling by expanding the types and amounts of plastic that can be recycled. It is stated that this process, which is asserted to give the materials an extended useful life, also diverts plastic waste from landfills or the environment.
The two companies will also engage in other activities for recycling
In addition to packaging innovation, P&G and Eastman will also collaborate on infrastructure initiatives needed to increase plastic recycling rates. These initiatives are expected to complement the current recycling streams in the US and provide additional recycling options for consumers who want to help solve the plastic waste problem. The two companies will work to expand the collection of hard-to-recycle plastics and further divert waste from landfills. These expanded recycling streams will be used to create new materials via Eastman’s molecular recycling technologies.
New plastic-to-plastic recycling facility to be completed in 2022
Eastman’s Division President of Plastics Scott Ballard said that they are excited to have Procter & Gamble as a partner to put molecular recycling into practice. He said; “Together, we can create value from waste and show the world what’s possible through innovation. The value created will help drive the critical changes in our recycling infrastructure that are necessary to solve the plastic waste crisis.”
P&G is working to integrate Eastman Renew materials into select product packaging later this year. Eastman is constructing one of the world’s largest plastic-to-plastic recycling facilities in its Kingsport, Tenn., location. It is stated that the molecular recycling facility, which is expected to be completed in 2022, will consume over 200 million pounds annually of landfill-bound waste plastic in the making of Eastman Renew materials.
However, experts point out that there is a need for more research on the environmental effects of chemical recycling technologies, and said that thus, it can be clarified how this process meets the sustainability criteria in the light of new information.