An industry-wide expansion of sustainable plasticinitiatives such #Dell ’s recycled plastic and Algix’s bioplastic could deliver $3.5 billion in environmental savings, according to a paper by Trucost.
But to achieve these benefits, business have to massively scale up these efforts.
“There are many blockers to scaling up sustainable plastics,” Trucost chief executive Richard Mattison told Environmental Leader. “Lack of investment, lack of awareness, lack of credibility and lack of knowledge sharing are combining to mean that small scale innovations do not become widespread. This is a classic innovation problem. The best ideas don’t always win. Our study highlights sustainable plastic innovations and illustrates what would happen if they were scaled across their respective industries.”
Circular economy approaches such as closed-loop recycling, plant-based plastic and biodegradable polymers can reduce the environmental cost of conventional, fossil fuel-based plastic. Not enough companies, however, are pioneering these new processes and technologies.
Scaling Sustainable Plastics: Solutions to Drive Plastics towards a Circular Economy includes case studies of companies that have worked with Trucost to measure the environmental benefits of such initiatives, including computer giant Dell and clean technology company Algix.
For example, Dell’s OptiPlex 3030 computer is produced using recycled plastic recovered from electronic equipment from its own take-back program. Trucost’s environmental benefit analysis identifies environmental cost savings to society of $700 million per year if the entire computer manufacturing industry switched to closed-loop recycled plastic.
Scott O’Connell, director of environmental affairs at Dell, says his company has experienced “significant benefits” by employing a circular economy approach. “Our closed loop plastics supply chain enables a resource-efficient product made from recycled content that costs Dell less. Companies need to realize sustainability programs are just good business.”
Algix makes a low-carbon polymer called Solaplast from algae. Trucost estimates that if the footwear sector switched to Solaplast, it could reduce its environmental cost by $1.5 billion per year. If the soft drinks sector used the algae-based plastic, it could deliver $1.3 billion in benefits.
https://www.environmentalleader.com/2016/05/23/recycled-bioplastics-3-5-billion-savings-opportunity/
