MATERIALS / RECYCLING PETplanet Insider Vol. 26 No. 03/25 www.petpla.net 19 Mr Almack. A holistic touch is added by efforts to collaborate with local organisations to provide support at a municipal level that goes beyond waste collection, for example in the areas of health, education and entrepreneurship. “Since launching our fair-trade recycled plastic, we have become the world’s largest source of fairly traded, verified recycled plastic. And we have seen an average annual growth triple over the past six years. Last year we were at US$5 million, for 2024 we expect a turnover of US$15 million. As 58% of global plastics recycling is driven by the informal waste economy, the company is strengthening both its market position and the living conditions of informal waste workers.” More than 14,300 waste pickers in India are currently using the system, which also gives them access to fair wages, protective equipment and training on safety and waste separation, and the trend is rising - also on the customer side. The 15 brands currently participating include Garnier, The Body Shop, Yves Rocher, Corman and MAC, which are also working together to fulfil the demands of consumers and authorities for more sustainable packaging and at the same time drive forward their marketing campaigns. “The rapidly growing demand for packaging in India presents both major challenges and opportunities for plastics recycling,” Mr Almack continued. “As consumption increases, so does plastic waste, putting immense pressure on waste management systems. The recently passed Plastic Waste Management (Amendment) Rules 2022, with its Extended Producer Responsibility mandate, requires the integration of recycled content percentages in the packaging industry. This policy change forces companies to track their plastic consumption and set up systems for waste collection and recycling. Meeting these requirements is a challenge for brands, especially those that rely on virgin plastics, but it also pushes the industry towards sustainable practices. We can support brands with ethical sourcing solutions that not only help companies comply, but also have a social impact by providing them with a way to achieve sustainability goals while supporting the informal recycling sector in India.” Where PFC’s journey is heading is shown by expansion to the Philippines, where plastic waste volumes and the informal waste sector are also high. Further countries are to follow, and the company is actively looking for investors in order to continuously expand its collection network and infrastructure. But how does the company deal with demand versus availability, and the virgin vs recyclate pricing policy? And what more needs to be done on the consumer side to increase recycling awareness? “We meet the challenges of fluctuating prices for recycling materials, which make it difficult to offer competitive prices without affecting the wages of waste collectors, by diversifying our customer portfolio, concluding long-term contracts and closely monitoring the market. Increased recycling awareness requires both educating the population about the value of recycled materials and recognising the role of waste collectors in the recycling chain. To this end, we cooperate with local organisations and run information campaigns via social media to establish plastic as a valuable resource. PFC also works with brands on campaigns to promote sustainable practices and fair trade in recycled plastic and to raise consumer awareness of responsible consumption. In our view, the mix of technology-based transparency, social justice endeavours and fair-trade principles is what sets the plastics recycling industry apart.” www.plasticsforchange.org Lots of valuable material: collection point for PET bottles Collection and sorting of PET bottles The centrepiece of Plastics For Change’s system is the intelligent app
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