Eastman

“We had to find a solution for all of our cardboard,” said Marsha Edwards, senior environmental engineer at Eastman. “With our previous recycling partner closed, finding a baler became a top priority to keep cardboard out of the landfill and stay true to our sustainability commitments.”

Edwards searched everywhere for a Kingsport, Tennessee, partner that could take Eastman’s cardboard and bale it for recycling. The monthly volume of cardboard — up to 120 tons — complicated partnerships with local balers.

The Goodwill Industries of Tenneva Area, Inc. knocked on the company’s door.  Goodwill already partnered with Eastman to recycle textiles, the nonprofit organization also had three cardboard balers. Goodwill approached Eastman with an offer to bale cardboard.

The partnership began in April, when Goodwill processed the inaugural shipment of cardboard. The bales are transported on Goodwill’s sustainability truck for recycling by Domtar, a pulp and paper manufacturer in Kingsport.

“Through this collaboration, we’re also lowering our carbon emissions,” Edwards said. “Working with a local organization that’s only about five miles away from our site requires reduced transportation. This is really a win-win for everyone.”

To support growth of the partnership, Goodwill has purchased a fourth baler to handle larger boxes. Goodwill hired two additional employees to manage baler operations, which aligns with mission to provide employment to those in need.

“What truly makes this moment special for me is the promise of job opportunities it brings,” said Morris Baker, president and CEO of Goodwill Industries of Tenneva. “This partnership and its achievements aren't just about cardboard recycling. It's about creating pathways to success and making a tangible difference in people's lives. We see that in the success of Goodwill employees and the benefit this three-company partnership has on our community’s sustainability.”

Eastman

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.

About Eastman in the circular economy: In 2019, Eastman became the first company to begin commercial-scale chemical recycling for a broad set of waste plastics that would otherwise be landfilled or, worse, wind up in the environment. Eastman's molecular recycling technologies can process waste plastics traditional mechanical recycling methods cannot—including polyesters, polypropylene, polyethylene, and polystyrene—derived from a variety of sources, including single-use plastics, textiles, and carpet. These technologies provide a true circular solution of endless recycling for materials, allowing them to be reused repeatedly.

To learn more about how we’re working to make a more circular economy visit eastman.eco.

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