Breakthrough advances Pact and Eastman collaboration for beauty-to-beauty recycling
Published 05-21-24
Submitted by Henkel
KINGSPORT, Tenn., May 21, 2024 /CSRwire/ - Pact Collective and Eastman announce they have qualified the use of clean, multicolor PET waste from Pact members and consumers as feedstock for Eastman’s methanolysis technology. This process addresses the challenge of multicolored PET received at material recovery facilities (MRF), which in some instances is unlikely to be mechanically recycled due to color variations. Eastman’s methanolysis process enables the upcycling of this material into Eastman Renew materials — high-quality copolyesters and PET for the beauty industry that offer a quality on par with virgin materials.
"Eastman's collaboration with Pact Collective has been a journey of shared vision and commitment. Our combined efforts are ensuring a more sustainable future for the beauty industry,” said Tara Cary, Eastman cosmetics packaging segment manager. “By harnessing our methanolysis technology, we are turning challenges into opportunities and leading the way towards a future where beauty packaging waste is a valuable resource, not a burden."
Pact Collective, a nonprofit organization, spearheads the management of beauty packaging take-back programs at retail and consumer levels. These programs play a vital role in ensuring that packaging waste is managed in an environmentally responsible way.
“Pact works to identify the highest and best use for the material we collect through our collection programs, always starting with mechanical recycling when possible. Eastman’s technology gives Pact’s material that may otherwise be destined for waste-to-energy the opportunity for a better end of life,” said Pact Executive Director Carly Snider. “Eastman may even help us keep this plastic material in circulation, creating more post-consumer recycled content that can be used in future beauty packaging.”
Eastman’s molecular recycling technologies are ideally suited to managing the complex waste collected through these take-back programs. Eastman’s methanolysis breaks down hard-to-recycle PET waste to its essential building blocks (monomers) that Eastman uses to create its high-performance materials.
Eastman and Pact are committed to validating more complex streams of beauty packaging waste for Eastman’s molecular recycling. This ongoing effort aims to reduce the dependency on less sustainable options like waste-to-energy or landfilling, paving the way for a more sustainable future.
About Eastman
Founded in 1920, Eastman is a global specialty materials company that produces a broad range of products found in items people use every day. With the purpose of enhancing the quality of life in a material way, Eastman works with customers to deliver innovative products and solutions while maintaining a commitment to safety and sustainability. The company’s innovation-driven growth model takes advantage of world-class technology platforms, deep customer engagement, and differentiated application development to grow its leading positions in attractive end markets such as transportation, building and construction, and consumables. As a globally inclusive and diverse company, Eastman employs approximately 14,000 people around the world and serves customers in more than 100 countries. The company had 2023 revenue of approximately $9.2 billion and is headquartered in Kingsport, Tennessee, USA. For more information, visit www.eastman.com.
About Pact Collective
Pact Collective is a nonprofit organization that unites the beauty industry to take responsibility for its packaging waste and to collaborate toward more sustainable solutions. Pact provides the most transparent solution for closing the loop on hard-to-recycle beauty packaging and uses its findings to inform the beauty industry on designing more sustainable packaging at the start of the design process.
Media contact
Kristin Parker
1-423-229-2526
kristin@eastman.com
Pact Collective contact
press@pactcollective.org
About Henkel in North America
In North America, Henkel operates across its three business units: Adhesive Technologies, Beauty Care, and Laundry & Home Care. Its portfolio of well-known consumer and industrial brands includes Schwarzkopf® hair care, Dial® soaps, Right Guard® antiperspirants, Persil®, Purex®, and all® laundry detergents, Snuggle® fabric softeners as well as Loctite®, Technomelt® and Bonderite® adhesives. With sales of around 6 billion US dollars (5 billion euros) in 2019, North America accounts for 26 percent of the company’s global sales. Henkel employs approximately 9,000 people across the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico. For more information, please visit www.henkel-northamerica.com, and on Twitter @Henkel_NA.
About Henkel
Henkel operates globally with a well-balanced and diversified portfolio. The company holds leading positions with its three business units in both industrial and consumer businesses thanks to strong brands, innovations and technologies. Henkel Adhesive Technologies is the global leader in the adhesives market – across all industry segments worldwide. In its Laundry & Home Care and Beauty Care businesses, Henkel holds leading positions in many markets and categories around the world. Founded in 1876, Henkel looks back on more than 140 years of success. In 2019, Henkel reported sales of more than 20 billion euros and adjusted operating profit of more than 3.2 billion euros. Henkel employs more than 52,000 people globally – a passionate and highly diverse team, united by a strong company culture, a common purpose to create sustainable value, and shared values. As a recognized leader in sustainability, Henkel holds top positions in many international indices and rankings. Henkel’s preferred shares are listed in the German stock index DAX. For more information, please visit www.henkel.com.
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