by Freedonia Industry Studies
May 31, 2022
The circular economy is not just a chance to improve green-cred or as a marketing tool. It can be a financial benefit to a company’s bottom line too. If a company finds a market for something they otherwise would have to pay to dispose of, it's a financial win and a sustainability win.
We're looking at food waste for Packaged Facts this year as it’s a major issue food suppliers/retailers are targeting for sustainability goals (oh so very much waste), but not all food waste is edible or at least not edible in the same way, so...
Interesting case: Ford is using a plastic made using McDonald's coffee chaff (apparently that's coffee bean skin that comes off in the roasting process) for some of its headlight housings. They started working on this in late 2019, but talked about it recently in light of their pledge to reduce virgin conventional plastic use. Such material creativity has become more important, given the fact that recycled plastic materials are not available in large enough amounts to allow all the companies that need it for their sustainability pledges to hit their targets.
Others are also getting creative in making unconventional and more sustainable plastics. Loliware has developed a process using seaweed pellets that can be run through the same equipment that makes plastic straws, utensils, cups, etc. Right now, the company is only making straws and is able to offer these products at a competitive price because it doesn't need special equipment to make these straws. However, Loliware is expecting to expand into other areas with their molder partner Sinclair & Rush.
For more information and discussion of opportunities, see The Freedonia Group’s extensive collection of off-the-shelf research, especially coverage in the Packaging industries, as well as Food & Beverage coverage from our sister publisher Packaged Facts. Freedonia Custom Research is also available for questions requiring tailored market intelligence.