REAL WORLD RECYCLING SOLUTIONS DRIVEN BY LCA. The Carton Council and its Carton Recycling Access Campaign

Jeffrey Fielkow 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 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 LCA in Packaging – Indicators/Metrics

Jeffrey Fielkow 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 LCA in Packaging Marketplace

Jeffrey Fielkow 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 Today’s Packaging Marketplace

Jeffrey Fielkow The Carton Challenge – A Case Study

Jeffrey Fielkow Cartons One of the Most Sustainable Packages RENEW RECYCLE REDUCE 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…

Jeffrey Fielkow Cartons have a Great Environmental Profile Increase use of certified paper board Need to increase collection & recycling Efficient operations Distribution and storage efficiency Minimize waste & resource use Maximize use of renewable resources

Jeffrey Fielkow The Carton Recycling Challenge ? Steel Can Plastic Bottle Glass Bottle Aluminum Can To go from this…

Jeffrey Fielkow The Carton Recycling Challenge …to this: Cartons Steel Can Plastic Bottle Glass Bottle Aluminum Can

Carton Basics

Jeffrey Fielkow 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 Positive sort at recycling facility Baled and sent to Paper mill Blended with water to separate paper fibers from plastic and aluminum Made into new products Separated paper fibers are ready to be reused

The Challenges Facing Carton Recycling

Jeffrey Fielkow 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 with paper + Wet strength causes problems at mills + Poly or Poly Au + Cannot export = Material goes to landfill Not Acceptable to Carton Manufacturers Mixed paper formula does not work !

Jeffrey Fielkow How Cartons Should be Recycled Tissue Mill Formula Works! Positive SortHigh Quality Fibre PolyAl End Market Tissue Products + + =

Jeffrey Fielkow 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

Carton Recycling Access Campaign Strategy

Jeffrey Fielkow 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 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 CitiesSortersBrokersMills

Jeffrey Fielkow Sustainable Recycling Implement a supported infrastructure Enable processors to sort cartons into a source separated grade Sustainable Recycling Implement a supported infrastructure Enable processors to sort cartons into a source separated grade Carton Recycling Strategy – Long Term Create Awareness Create world class top-of-mind awareness rivaling other container commodities Create Awareness Create world class top-of-mind awareness rivaling other container commodities Develop Markets Create North American demand for the high quality carton fiber Develop recycling solution for the poly alum component Develop Markets Create North American demand for the high quality carton fiber Develop recycling solution for the poly alum component Increase Access Increase household access rate from 20% to 50% Increase Access Increase household access rate from 20% to 50%

Jeffrey Fielkow Access Campaign Progress to Date

Jeffrey Fielkow Climbing the Household Access Ladder % - 18% % % % % ?

Jeffrey Fielkow Carton Recycling Across the US No access to carton recycling 30 States have carton recycling programs

Jeffrey Fielkow Expanding Access – Identifying Opportunities West: 12 million households Central: 17 million households East: 47 million households Households in Metro Areas Without Carton Recycling Access

Jeffrey Fielkow Great Lakes Tissue Southern Tissue (Q1 2012) GET Mill RCM Post- industrial gable top only Develop Markets – Current Mill Buyers

Jeffrey Fielkow Develop Markets –Target Added Buyers Southern Tissue (Q1 2012) RCM GET Mill Great Lakes Tissue Post- industrial gable top only

Jeffrey Fielkow 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 May include screens to separate paper from containers, eddy current, steel belt conveyor, self- unloading silos for sorted material Typical capital need: $70,000 »Extend containers sorting conveyor »Extend sorting platform »Add silo for sorted cartons Less than 125 tons per day residential recyclables May include sorting conveyors, with heavy reliance on manual labor for sorting Typical capital need: $20,000 »Hoppers for storage of manually sorted cartons (no available sorting silo/bunker for cartons)

Jeffrey Fielkow 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 Sustainable Recycling 30 sorting centers added Development work for many others set to flip in 2011 Sustainable Recycling 30 sorting centers added Development work for many others set to flip in Successes Creating Awareness Toolkit School Recycling Guide Website update Locator real time Media coverage Creating Awareness Toolkit School Recycling Guide Website update Locator real time Media coverage Develop Markets End markets secured at 9 domestic paper mills Development work in western US, Mexico, Asia Develop Markets End markets secured at 9 domestic paper mills Development work in western US, Mexico, Asia Increase Access Added/Improved access in 20 metro areas 600 communities added 12 mm households added 30% access reached! Increase Access Added/Improved access in 20 metro areas 600 communities added 12 mm households added 30% access reached!

Jeffrey Fielkow Sustainable Recycling Add sorting center locations Install 20+ optical sorters Sustainable Recycling Add sorting center locations Install 20+ optical sorters 2011 Goals Creating Awareness Expand and implement toolkit with new communities Partnerships with regional and state agencies Website upgrade – Phase II Creating Awareness Expand and implement toolkit with new communities Partnerships with regional and state agencies Website upgrade – Phase II Develop Markets Secure contracts with West region mills Secure Mexico and Asia mill end markets Develop Markets Secure contracts with West region mills Secure Mexico and Asia mill end markets Increase Access Increase household access rate to 30-35% Increase Access Increase household access rate to 30-35%

Jeffrey Fielkow Carton Recycling Targeted Outcomes Carton Recovery Sustainable Recycling Creating Awareness Develop Markets Increase Access Validates Improves Volumes of Cartons Collected for Recycling

Carton Council Recycling Access Campaign --Support Team

Jeffrey Fielkow Resource Recycling Systems Waste and Recycling Biomass Fuel, Organics and Composting Green Supply Chain - Change Management Thank You!