1. science
2. ecology
3. waste management
4. recycling

Improving Recovery &
Driving Sustainability
Through Industry Collaboration
Jeff Wooster
Global Sustainability Director
Packaging & Specialty Plastics
April 2015
The Dow Chemical Company
Promoting a Fully Recyclable Waste Stream
Make sure all plastic packaging is recovered
instead of ending up buried in a landfill somewhere
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Business Sustainability Strategy
Drive Science
Promote Positives
Improve Performance
Utilizing the
Teachable Moment
4
Sustainability Fundamentals
Performance
or Value
Resource Use
or Footprint
…utilizing life cycle thinking
Choosing solutions with multiple environmental, social & economic attributes
5
An Example Product Lifecycle
6
Dow Partners With Thought Leaders to Improve Science,
Attitudes, and Actions
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Influencing Recycling Behaviors
• National public awareness campaign to
INCREASE PE film recovery
• Flexible Film Recycling Group (FFRG) provides
signs, bins and other materials to PROMOTE
effective PE film recycling
• Label from SPC communicates action to
consumers
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Packaging Science can Help Drive Life Cycle Thinking
COMPARED to a paperboard + liner package with equivalent contents, a package using
PE SUP Technology from Dow offers the following ADVANTAGES:
88%
54%
89%
90%
less total
material weight
less total energy
consumed in production
and product
transportation
fewer Green House
Gas emissions over
the package life cycle
less post
consumer solid
waste
AND allows mechanical recycling
with bags and PE films
Data per Dow tests conducted using Simplified Environmental Impact Calculator
(developed exclusively for The Dow Chemical Company by Allied Development Corp).
Data based on 1,000 grams of packaged product; Test protocols and additional
information available upon request.
Pouch illustration is for representative purposes
only; Dow does not manufacture the actual pouch,
nor produce these types of retail products.
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Energy Bag Pilot Project
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Finding Value in Consumer “Waste”
=
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Energy Bag Pilot
Detailed Project Report
Documentary Video & Trailer
available at:
www.dow.com/EnergyBag
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The Next Step:
Automated Sorting of Flexible Packaging at the MRF
• One Bin for Maximum Participation & Collection
• Automatic Sorting for High Speed Efficiency
• Multiple Options for Beneficial Use After Sorting
What it Will Take:
• Collaboration & Research to Optimize Separation
• A Willingness to Change the Status Quo
• Driving Forces to Overcome the Action Energy
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Thank
You
Jeff Wooster
+1.281.796.0307
[email protected]
NOTICE: No freedom from any patent owned by Dow or others is to be inferred. Because use
conditions and applicable laws may differ from one location to another and may change with time,
Customer is responsible for determining whether products and the information contained in this
document are appropriate for Customer’s use and for ensuring that Customer’s workplace and disposal
practices are in compliance with applicable laws and other governmental enactments. Dow assumes no
obligation or liability for the information in this document. NO WARRANTIES ARE GIVEN; ALL IMPLIED
WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE
EXPRESSLY EXCLUDED.
All environmental marketing should be in compliance with FTC’s “Guides for the Use of Environmental
Marketing Claims”.
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