Plastics Pollution: Applying Life Cycle and Strategic - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

ACLCA- September 2019 Plastics Pollution: Applying Life Cycle and Strategic Sustainability Assessment Methods to the Most Significant Land and Water Based Sustainability Challenge Facing the 21 st Century John M. Beath, P.E. (Texas), LCA-CP Kristen Rowe, MEM John Beath Environmental, LLC Striving to make something better every day Striving to make something better every day

The Plastic Problem Scarr & Hernandez. Reuters Graphics (2019) Striving to make something better every day

The Plastic Problem “Some 27,000 tons of plastics enter the ocean – every single. day 1 . That’s equivalent to almost 10 million tons per year. The cost of marine plastic pollution for the consumer goods industry alone is estimated to be at least 1 Boucher, J. and Friot D. (2017). Primary Microplastics in the Oceans: A Global Evaluation of Sources. Gland, Switzerland: IUCN. 43pp.; 2 UNEP (2014) Valuing Plastics: The Business Case for Measuring, Managing and $13bn per year 2 .” Disclosing Plastic Use in the Consumer Goods Industry. Striving to make something better every day

Global Releases of Primary Microplastics to Oceans Boucher, J. and Friot D. (2017) Striving to make something better every day

Presentation Outline Guidelines for Building a Plastic Flow Inventory and Leakage Inventory Analysis The Intersection of LCA and Plastics Solutions Translating Information into Action Striving to make something better every day

How to Collect Data and Quantify Plastic Flow and Leakage Raw Materials Manufacturing Distribution Use End of life Striving to make something better every day

Plastic Flow and Leakage: Raw Materials and Manufacturing • Collect data by plastic type • Account for manufacturing loss rates • Track industrial waste end of Raw Materials Manufacturing life • Account for regional waste management practices • Find in-plant recycling opportunities Striving to make something better every day

Data Collection: Bottom Up Option 1: Individual component and scale up Striving to make something better every day

Data Collection: Top-Down Option 2: Use procurement data Striving to make something better every day

Plastic Leakage: Distribution • Tire abrasion while driving account for 28% Distribution of microplastics releases to oceans • Road markings (weathering and abrasion by vehicles) account for 7% of microplastics releases to oceans Emerging Consideration: Leakage from Plastic Roads Boucher, J. and Friot D. (2017) Striving to make something better every day

Plastic Leakage: Product Use Phase • Abrasion during laundry account for 35% of microplastics releases to oceans Use • Personal care products (pouring during use) represents a 2% of the microplastic releases Striving to make something better every day Boucher, J. and Friot D. (2017)

Plastic Leakage: End of Life End of life Striving to make something better every day Ritchie and Roser (2019)

Plastic Flow and Leakage Inventory Data for illustrative purposes only Striving to make something better every day

Quantitative Plastic Impact Assessment: In Development Boucher et al, 2019 Striving to make something better every day

Beyond LCA: Economic and Social Considerations Striving to make something better every day

Presentation Outline Inventory Analysis The Intersection of LCA and Plastics Solutions Striving to make something better every day

Example 1: Updated PET Bottle LCA Model Striving to make something better every day

Example 1: Updated PET Bottle LCA Model 8% overall reduction in GWP impacts • PET resin manufacturing processes are more efficient + 25% recycled content input • Less packaging cardboard • Distribution and use [refrigeration] input parameters updated • End of life modeling: recycled content approach assumed in updated model; avoided burden assumed in former model Striving to make something better every day

Example 2: Future of LCA and Sustainability Reporting? Product Plastic Inventory by Material Type 25 kg plastic material per study 20 Product Packaging % of Total Plastic Input functional unit 15 Product A 1% 10 Product B 16% 5 0 Product A Product B Disposable water bottle ABS HDPE PP Polystyrene PET Note: This is not a traditional LCIA impact category Striving to make something better every day

Example 3: Product Container Streamlined LCA Rigid Container Flexible pouch Reusable bottle+ concentrated refills Striving to make something better every day

Example 3: Including Additional Metrics Product to Package Ratio* Fossil Fuels Consumption Global Warming Potential Recycled content Emissions Recyclability Water Consumption Plastic Consumption End of life fate *Product weight/Package weight Higher number = More efficient use of materials (less packaging by weight is being used to protect the product) Striving to make something better every day

Example 3: Sustainable Packaging Design Trade-Off’s Reusable Bottle with 3-pack Refills Flexible Pouch (*Single Reusable –Single 3-Pack Refill) Rigid Minimize Materials Plastics Content ( g's/ounce ) Included and Increase Recycled Content % Design for Transport minimize hops Minimize Water Consumption and Energy Efficiency Design Strategy ( liters/ounce ) Minimize Risks Associated with Potentially Toxic and Hazardous Materials Use Renewable and/or Recyclable Materials Source Responsibly Design for Reuse Design for Recovery Design for Waste Reduction Design for Consumer Accessibility ( eCommerce ) Provide Use and Disposal Information to Consumer Striving to make something better every day

Presentation Outline Inventory Analysis Solutions Translating Information into Action Striving to make something better every day

Solutions Across the Value Chain Packaging R&D Corporate and Design Reduction Commitments Value Chain and Promote New Marketing and Stakeholder Plastics Circular Consumer Education Engagement Economy Striving to make something better every day

Translating Information into Action Actions Challenges 100% recyclability of packaging across all its product categories and its target to achieve 25% recycled content in all plastic packaging by 2025. By 2025, 100% of our plastic packaging will be refillable, rechargeable , recyclable or compostable Clearly, a huge gap exists between existing Triple the amount of post-consumer recycled corporate sustainability goals and the current (PCR) plastic content in SC Johnson packaging by 2025 state of the U.S. RPET market (M. Bermish, Wood Mackenzie) 2030 goals: Create solutions so no packaging finds its way to the ocean Striving to make something better every day

Taking Action: Colgate Tom’s of Maine The first challenge involves changing manufacturing equipment to handle the new design. The next challenge will be teaching both recycling plants and consumers that toothpaste tubes can go in recycling bins . Striving to make something better every day

Consumer Outreach and Marketing Striving to make something better every day

Relevant Organizations Striving to make something better every day

John M. Beath, P.E. (Texas), LCA-CP LLC Manager, Senior Technical Consultant and Environmental Coach Kristen Rowe, MEM Sustainability Practice Lead Amy Caffarella Senior Environmental and Sustainability Consultant Bonnie Nixon Senior Sustainability Consultant Soni Mohan Senior Environmental Consultant Temis Coral, MEM Sustainability Consultant Thank you! John Beath Environmental, LLC Striving to make something better every day Striving to make something better every day

Sources Boucher, J, Carole Dubois, Anna Kounina, and Phillipe Puydarriex. Review of plastic footprint methodologies. IUCN Reuters Graphics (2019). https://graphics.reuters.com/ENVIRONMENT- PLASTIC/0100B275155/index.html?fbclid=IwAR3jg_JhCFbR__v_plbUPUsoSoQioGjCBSzb23w0PVT3ZUggN7gx7Dqlek4 Hannah Ritchie and Max Roser (2019) - "Plastic Pollution". Published online at OurWorldInData.org. Retrieved from: 'https://ourworldindata.org/plastic-pollution' [Online Resource] Boucher, J. and Friot D. (2017). Primary Microplastics in the Oceans: A Global Evaluation of Sources. Gland, Switzerland: IUCN. 43pp. Simon, Nils & Knoblauch, Doris & Mederake, Linda & Schulte, Maro & Masali, Supriya. (2018). No more Plastics in the Ocean: Gaps in Global Plastic Governance and Options for a Legally Binding Agreement to Eliminate Marine Plastic Pollution. Striving to make something better every day