SP Conducting Feasibility Analysis for Consolidation of Automotive Supply Chain Packaging for Recycling
The Suppliers Partnership for the Environment (SP) – an association of automakers and their suppliers working together to advance environmental sustainability through the supply chain – is pleased to announce it has recently launched a new project, “Feasibility Analysis for Consolidation of Automotive Supply Chain Packaging for Recycling”.
Many different packaging materials are currently used in the automotive industry to ship parts damage free through the supply chain. Returnable containers are a staple in the automotive industry for domestic shipments and the outer container is generally recycled or reused after the life of the program.
The internal plastic dunnage – including materials such as foams, films, and other low-weight plastics – however can be more challenging to recover due to factors such as mixed material compositions and the logistics of economically collecting and transporting these materials from many different facilities along the supply chain.
SP’s Sustainable Packaging Work Group has been working in recent years to minimize automotive packaging waste and address barriers to recyclability / reuse, including through the development of sustainable packaging guidelines intended to improve packaging design for recyclability.
This new project will provide a feasibility analysis and business plan development study to develop, evaluate and recommend models for economically and practically collecting, aggregating, and pre-processing plastic packaging materials generated by the automotive industry in Michigan. SP intends to build on this study in Michigan to address packaging recycling models for other key automotive states in the future.
SP has selected Resource Recycling Systems (RRS) – a sustainability and recycling consulting firm headquartered in Ann Arbor, Michigan – as an expert consultant partner to support this research project.
This project is supported by a Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE) Recycling Market Development Grant, with matching grant funding provided by Magna International.
To learn more about this project and opportunities to get involved, please contact SP at info@supplierspartnership.org
About SP
The Suppliers Partnership for the Environment (SP) is an association of automakers and their suppliers working in collaboration with the US EPA and other governmental entities toward a shared vision of an automotive industry with positive environmental impact.