Rigid Plastic Packaging Container Conference

Perspectives on the RPPC Law

Tim ShestekAmerican Plastics CouncilMay 15, 2000

Presentation Outline Plastics in Perspective

Why do we have plastics? Plastics role in resource conservation. Voluntary industry initiatives.

California’s RPPC law Issues from the industry perspective.

Plastics in Perspective Primary function of packaging is to

protect goods during shipping, handling, and merchandising.

In many cases, plastics offer the best protection while using minimal resources & creating less waste.

Plastics in Perspective FACT: 400% more material by

weight would be needed to make packaging if there were no plastics

FACT: Without plastics, the volume of packaging would more than double.

Plastics in Perspective Plastics help conserve resources by using

less material to produce packaging.

FACT: Just 2 pounds of plastic can deliver nearly 8 gallons of a beverage. It would take 3 pounds of aluminum, 8 pounds of steel, and 27 pounds of glass to do the same job.

Plastics in Perspective Plastics are attractive based largely

on its ability to do more with less.

meet manufacturers’ and consumers’ needs while consuming less material and energy.

Plastics in Perspective FACT: Today’s 2-liter soda bottle

uses 25% less plastic than it did in 1977.

RESULT: At today’s consumption rates, 250 million pounds of packaging have been eliminated each year.

Plastics in Perspective Plastics production has increased

because it is replacing other packaging materials.

By using plastics, product manufacturers save enough energy to power a city of 1 million homes for roughly 3 ½ years.

Plastics in Perspective How much plastic are we talking

about?

Cascadia Consulting estimates that RPPCs account for 1.06% of California’s municipal waste stream. (1999 figures)

Plastics in Perspective What is industry doing?

Source reduction activities achieved by using plastics are done because it makes good environmental and business sense to reduce packaging.

Plastics in Perspective APC / CIWMB / Albertsons / GMA and

others launch No. Cal. recycling awareness campaign. Point-of-sale materials Radio / TV Do you part…Please recycle plastic

bottles!”

Plastics in Perspective Moving recovered material to

market: APC / Moore Recycling Associates, Inc.

undertake Recovered Plastics Market Referral Service

1-888-753-7485 www.caplasticsmarkets.com “Linking Buyers & Sellers”

Plastics in Perspective APC publications help consumers

buy-recycled:

Shop Recycled Guide Recycled Plastic Products Sourcebook Garden & Landscaping Sourcebook

Perspectives on the RPPC Law

Participation in recycling programs is key.

In recent years, market demand and reclamation capacity have outstripped the supply of recovered plastic containers.

Perspectives on the RPPC Law

Nov. 1999 APR letter to Wall Street Journal: “Capacity and demand exist to process more bottles if the public participates more vigorously. Plastics recycling is not in a state of crisis, it is in a state of growth.”

Perspectives on the RPPC Law

City of Napa, CA case study:

35% of the plastic containers targeted by the city’s collection program were ending up in the waste stream.

For pigmented HDPE, more than half wound up the garbage can instead of the recycling bin.

Perspectives on the RPPC Law

Issues with the current RPPC law: Does not address consumer

participation in existing plastics recycling programs.

Doesn’t recognize manufacturers’ initiatives to reduce waste • Switching from glass to plastic should be

not be penalized.

Perspectives on the RPPC Law

No recognition for “other” resource conservation benefits of plastics (i.e. energy efficiency, fuel savings, pollution reduction)

Prospective recycling rate necessary for product manufacturers to make important decisions.

Perspectives on the RPPC Law

During the last decade, has the RPPC law: Increased plastic recycling rates? Increased consumer participation in

existing plastics recycling programs? Assisted in increasing supply of PCR to

meet growing demand? Spurred further packaging innovations?