US Flexible Film Initiative Announces First Round of Offtake Agreements to Advance Flexible Packaging Recycling.
More than 3 million pounds of flexible plastic packaging moved from California MRFs to reclaimers as USFFI launches next round of partnerships.
The US Flexible Film Initiative (USFFI), a 501(c)(6) nonprofit membership organization working to demonstrate scalable solutions for the recovery and recycling of flexible plastic packaging, has awarded its first round of contracts.
Through this initial round, USFFI has partnered with Valemi Inc. and GreenWaste, two companies with Materials Recovery Facilities (MRF) collecting residential recyclables in California, as well as EFS Plastics and Merlin Plastics, two plastic film reclaimers. To date, USFFI has moved more than 3 million pounds of flexible plastic packaging from California MRF collection programs to reclaimers in the US and Canada for processing. Following the successful completion of these loads into a variety of commodities, USFFI has facilitated offtake agreements supporting up to eight loads per month of recycled flexible plastic.
Consistent with USFFI’s mission, the awards are intended to help test and demonstrate approaches that can support the collection, sorting, and processing of flexible plastic packaging at scale. The initiative is initially focused on California, with the potential to scale to other states with emerging Extended Produce Responsibility (EPR) programs.
“Moving material successfully is an important first step, but the goal is to create a system that can keep that material moving,” said Maite Quinn-Richards, Executive Director of USFFI. “These long-term agreements create greater certainty around supply, demand and economics, and the more companies that participate, the stronger that system becomes.”
Flexible packaging plays an important role in delivering safe, convenient products while also helping to reduce food waste. However, recognizing the infrastructure and resource challenges facing municipal recycling programs in the U.S., USFFI is focused on helping advance solutions.
“The funding that USFFI provides ensures EFS can process flexible film packaging and supports the development of markets for this PCR resin” said Martin Vogt, President and CEO of EFS Plastics.
This commitment to multi-year contracts with material recovery facilities (MRFs), flexible plastic processors, and recyclers reflects USFFI’s goal of helping the industry move toward a model where flexible films are intentionally collected alongside other recyclables and given a next life.
"Innovation in resource recovery is core to what we do at GreenWaste, and we're excited to partner with USFFI to help lead the industry toward intentional recovery and recycling of flexible plastics. This partnership is one of the key ways GreenWaste is investing in innovative new approaches to achieve sustainability goals for our customers and communities." said Ricky Lopez, VP of Post-Collections at GreenWaste.
The initial RFIs were open to a range of solution providers, including material recovery facilities, processors, and recyclers with the capability or near-term potential to handle flexible plastic packaging. Information gathered through the RFI process helped inform the structure and focus of this first round of contracts and will continue to guide future program development.
USFFI Opens Second Round of RFIs
Building on the results of this first round, USFFI has issued two new Requests for Information (RFIs), inviting responses from California-based material recovery facilities (MRFs) and from plastic reclaimers and secondary processors prepared to receive materials sourced from California MRFs. As with the initial RFI process, USFFI is seeking entities interested in operational funding to support the sorting and baling of recovered flexible plastic films and packaging; the purchase of mixed flexible plastic films and packaging as feedstock for a secondary process that produces flake, pellet, or product; and transparent reporting on material quality, tonnage, and recovery rates.
USFFI encourages all interested stakeholders to review the new RFIs and submit responses to help shape the next phase of flexible packaging recovery.
USFFI recognizes that measurable and effective progress will require coordinated action among brands, recyclers, policymakers, investors, and other stakeholders working across the system.
Kevin Kelly, CEO of Emerald Packaging, said “Joining USFFI as its first associate member reflected Emerald's belief that flexible packaging shouldn't remain the missing piece in the U.S. recycling system. Seeing that membership translate into real contracts with two MRFs and two reclaimers is exactly the outcome we hoped to help create. It shows circularity is achievable when recyclers can sell the material at a profit."
Eadaoin Quinn, Sustainable Packaging Senior Manager at Mars, Inc. said “The momentum USFFI has built is real, and it will only grow stronger with broader participation across the industry. We encourage brands and stakeholders who care about the future of film and flexible packaging to get involved. By bringing more perspectives and expertise to the table, we can accelerate progress and move the industry forward together."
For more information, to review the new RFIs or to get involved, visit usffi.org/who-we-are or email info@USFFI.org.
Inside GreenWaste's high-diversion MRF in San Jose. (Photo courtesy of GreenWaste)
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GreenWaste's MRF was the first in California to receive "high diversion organic waste processing" classification by CalRecycle. (Photo courtesy of GreenWaste)
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EFS-plastics' recycling facility in Listowel, Ontario. (Photo courtesy of EFS-plastics)
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Recycled plastic pellets pass over a vibrating screen at EFS-plastics. (Photo courtesy of EFS-plastics)
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