The Center for the Circular Economy at Closed Loop Partners recently released a report detailing ways forward for durable reusable packaging systems that reduce the need for single-use packaging. In the report, Bringing Reusable Packaging Systems to Life, Closed Loop Partners draw on insights from multiple reusable cup pilots conducted in partnership with the NextGen Consortium and IDEO, outlining key lessons learned and sharing a blueprint and open-source resource to encourage collaboration and the growth of reuse models.

“Reuse models are a critical tool in the fight against plastic waste, and brands and retailers are increasingly exploring them as a viable waste reduction strategy,” says Kate Daly, managing director of the Center for the Circular Economy at Closed Loop Partners. “Reusable packaging and cups are just the beginning; refill, resale and rental models that keep materials in circulation are poised to reinvent all kinds of product formats and industries. The future for reuse is bright, and now we need to work collaboratively toward it.” 

Closed Loop Partners convened the NextGen Consortium, with founding partners Starbucks and McDonald’s, among others, to address the world’s single-use food packaging waste by advancing the design, commercialization and recovery of packaging alternatives––starting with the hot and cold, to-go fiber cup system. Through the efforts of the NextGen Consortium, robust testing, funding and scaling of reusable cup models have been underway. Most recently, the Consortium ran pilots with NextGen Cup Challenge winners, CupClub and Muuse, across clusters of local cafes in the City of San Francisco and City of Palo Alto, Calif.

NextGen used a validated methodical approach to test and evaluate various reuse models, Closed Loop Partners says. These include engaging diverse stakeholders, making sustainable material choices, selecting appropriate locations, choosing the right payment model and optimizing health and safety protocols. It was decided that reuse models must provide a seamless, convenient experience for companies and customers.

“McDonald’s cups are an iconic part of the customer experience and can serve as a key gateway to increasing circular systems for our restaurants,” says Marion Gross, chief supply chain officer, North America, McDonald’s. “We remain committed to meaningful collaboration and solutions that will reduce waste and impact change at scale.” 

“Now is the perfect moment to design, implement and scale reuse models, as technological developments, regulatory pressures and consumer demand for eco-friendly alternatives converge,” says Chris Krohn, project lead, IDEO. “Piloting the reusable packaging models helps us better design a system that works for all.”   

“With single-use packaging volumes on the rise amidst the pandemic, safe and hygienic reuse models are critical to addressing the urgent issue,” says Erin Simon, head, Plastic Waste and Business, World Wildlife Fund. “The NextGen Consortium’s reusable cup pilots are critical for providing the necessary data and understanding to advance these kinds of models as a whole and reduce waste.”  

“Changing mindsets and offering consumers reuse options must be part of our efforts to end plastic pollution once and for all,” says Kristin Hughes, Director of the Global Plastic Action Partnership, the platform for accelerating plastic pollution and waste action at the World Economic Forum. “It is crucial and very exciting to see innovative models being tried and tested on the ground by the NextGen Consortium and others.”

Waupaca Foundry Inc., headquartered in Waupaca, Wisconsin, produces iron castings largely from scrap metal for use in the transportation, construction, agriculture and industrial markets. The company, which has been owned by Tokyo-based Hitachi Metals Group since 2014, says it is committed to continuous improvement and dedicated to “advancing technology, safety and productivity.” One item missing from that list is sustainability.

An original recycler

​Iron foundries are among the original recyclers, creating new products out of recycled steel scrap and iron.

Founded as the Pioneer Foundry in 1871 by John Rosche on the banks of the Waupaca River, the company took the Waupaca Foundry Inc. name in 1955 when Clifford Schwenn purchased it.

Waupaca Foundry now operates six iron casting foundries and two machining facilities in Wisconsin, Indiana, Tennessee and Illinois, as well as a location in Ironwood, Michigan, where castings produced at its Waupaca foundries are cleaned and finished. Recognizing that capacity exceeded demand, in the summer of 2020, the company closed a seventh foundry in Lawrenceville, Pennsylvania. That facility primarily produced automotive suspension components, including steering knuckles, control arms and brackets.

According to the company, it melts up to 9,500 tons of iron daily across its six foundries.

Brian Powell, director of procurement and supply at Waupaca Foundry, says, “Approximately 85 percent of the materials used in our melt process come from recycled materials.”

Image courtesy of Waupcaca Foundry Inc.

He notes that in its 2019 fiscal year, Waupaca consumed 1 million tons of steel scrap in the production of its various grades of gray iron and ductile iron, including Hitachi Metals HNM Series high-strength and austempered ductile iron. Other metallic inputs include pig iron and copper.

The company purchases scrap from the automotive, appliance and general scrap market, Powell says.

“Melting 9,500 tons daily requires multiple strong partners,” he says. “Waupaca Foundry aims to source locally where, and as often as, possible. At any given time, there is only a four-hour supply of feedstock on the ground.”

According to Waupaca’s sustainability report, 8 of its top 10 supplier relationships go back 25 years or more, and all suppliers are certified through a defined, documented process.

Waupaca employs two types of melt processes—induction, or electric, and cupola—Powell says.

“The advantage of electric melt is the flexibility for frequent material changes and starts/stops,” he explains. “Cupola melting is still generally recognized as the most economical melting process if the furnace is operated continuously, such as is the case at Waupaca Foundry.”

Powell adds that even though the cupola process is 300 years old, it is the more efficient of the two processes and the primary method used at Waupaca.

Given the company’s use of continual and large batch melting, Powell says Waupaca Foundry holds its scrap tolerances to high standards. “There is an audit and review to ensure tramp [metals] are to the specification that allows Waupaca to meet our customers’ high-quality standards. It all starts with melt, and we work closely with our partners to ensure their standards are met.”

Waupaca Foundry Director of Environmental Engineering Bryant Esch says the company melts more than the weight of the Eiffel Tower daily across its operations, which includes a considerable amount of tin cans.

When scrap enters the company’s foundries, Esch says, it is sorted and sized “so it is optimal for our process.” He adds that this helps the company maintain production.

While Esch describes scrap usage as “one of the major cogs of sustainability” at Waupaca, it is not the only one.

“The shift away from ICEs to electrification is accelerating. However, the ratio of pure EVs—EVs that run only on batteries—is forecast to be about 10 percent of vehicles produced in 2030, and, until then, engines will still be installed, including [in] hybrid vehicles. Parts for internal combustion engines will continue to contribute to our portfolio.” Brian Powell, director of procurement and supply at Waupaca Foundry

Sustainable beyond scrap

Despite its significant use of ferrous scrap, Waupaca acknowledges that foundries also consume a good deal of energy and water and produce wastes, including foundry sand, which is why the company has focused on the following sustainability goals for its 2020 fiscal year, which ends March 30:

• reduce energy use intensity by 25 percent;
• reduce water consumption by 80 percent;
• promote alternative processes and maintain advanced pollution control technologies; and
• reduce spent foundry sand generation by 30 percent while promoting off-site reuse/recycling opportunities for remaining spent foundry materials.

Esch says that as of early January, Waupaca has achieved a 23 percent reduction in its energy use relative to 2010 and earned a U.S. Department of Energy 2020 Better Project Award for a system that removes humidity from the air entering the cupola at its Tell City, Indiana, foundry.

The federal program recognizes manufacturers for creating and implementing industrial energy and water efficiency projects, as well as renewable energy and energy resiliency projects.

Esch says plant engineers installed a desiccant cupola blast air drying system that removes water vapor from ambient air prior to introduction to the foundry's cupola, enabling the company to use less coke in the melting process.

“The system passes air through a desiccant air wheel which works like a filter to remove water from the air, increasing the efficiency of the combustion process,” Marco Gonzalez, corporate energy manager for Waupaca Foundry, says in a news release the company distributed after receiving the award in June of last year. “It’s like if you’re trying to light a barbecue during a rainy day, the moisture in the air will consume power from your charcoal and they will take longer to light. By removing the moisture from the air, the fuel can burn more efficiently.”

Removing humidity from the air stabilizes operations throughout the year and reduces energy consumption, according to the company. “Every pound of water removed equals a certain amount of coke reduction,” Esch says.

The cupola system also is designed to recover and return waste heat to the cupola’s melting zone, which further boosts the system’s energy efficiency, he adds.

In addition to the energy savings, the system reduces ash and solid waste produced during the melting process. 

The melting process represents 65 percent of the Tell City foundry’s total energy usage, with coke being the largest energy source.

In addition to supporting the direct melting processes, excess “waste” heat from the cupola furnace supplies building heat and is used to heat water at Waupaca Foundry facilities in cold months. Heat recovery systems used at Waupaca Foundry plants provide 70 percent of the foundries’ space heating requirements, and 100 percent of the plants' hot water needs where the recovery technology has been implemented, the company says.

Esch says Waupaca Foundry also wanted to reduce its use of fresh water in its foundry pollution control and noncontact machine cooling applications. He says each of the company’s foundries in Waupaca used 1 million gallons of water per day for these purposes. Plant upgrades substituted these single-use water cooling systems with closed-loop and air-cooled heat exchangers, cutting water demands by nearly 67 percent, Esch adds, and reducing noncontact cooling water discharge to near zero.

The company’s sustainability efforts also have been recognized by the American Foundry Society, Schaumburg, Illinois. In 2020, Waupaca Foundry was awarded the Green Foundry Sustainability Award for initiatives that included implementing the ISO 50001 Energy Management System, a formal management system approach to energy reduction. To gain the ISO certification, the company says it created and implemented a program in energy management at its gray iron foundry Plant 1 in Waupaca and then reviewed and checked data to ensure consistent results. After 12 months of preparation and a verification audit by an independent registrar, the certification was granted in 2017.

Waupaca Foundry says energy is one of the company’s greatest expenses, costing about $150 million in fiscal 2019 across all Waupaca Foundry locations.

Additionally, Waupaca Foundry recycles 450,000 tons of foundry byproducts annually, including sand. One grain of sand can be recycled approximately 50 times internally at the company’s foundries by cooling and reconditioning it, Esch says.

Sand that can no longer be recycled internally is removed from the process and sourced to general construction, road construction, agricultural use and geotechnical fill, according to the company. About 75 percent of Waupaca’s sand is going off-site for beneficial use in these applications, he adds.

Waupaca Foundry’s sustainability initiatives and its focus on continual improvement have helped to position the company for future growth, Esch says. 

 

Room for growth

“Waupaca Foundry is well-positioned to grow,” Powell says. “Waupaca will continue to expand in markets in support of its customers’ growth. This will be realized through key strategic capital investments throughout our facilities. And it can be seen in new technology, such as expanded use of automation, which carries positive social and environmental impacts.”

He says that upon completion of its 2020 sustainability goals, new three-year targets are being developed to facilitate ongoing improvements. “Waupaca is also investigating the procurement of long-term renewable energy, such as solar and wind power, using variable power purchase agreements, as well as to maximize the use of waste heat to work towards a carbon-net-zero business model.”

While sustainability will factor into the company’s future, Powell says Waupaca Foundry’s ongoing use of scrap could be challenged by the growth in the use of specialty metals in many industries. “The more high-strength steel, the more challenging it will be to use a straight scrap supply to melt iron. This indicates more reliance on virgin materials like pig iron, direct reduced iron, etc.,” he says.

For the time being, global trade issues are affecting the supply chain that Waupaca is part of.

Powell says, “The industry supports a global supply chain. Components and commodities move all over the globe.” However, tariffs have affected U.S. metal producers’ ability to sell globally, he adds. “The economic conditions created by tariffs artificially decrease demand with fewer buyers. This puts all the control in the U.S. mill market. We have seen dramatic raw material price increases recently. We expect this volatility will continue in 2021, which began in December 2020.”

One might think that Waupaca Foundry would find the growth in electric vehicle (EV) demand and production a potential threat; however, the company does not see it as such for a number of reasons.

“Waupaca Foundry produces iron castings for both on- and off-highway vehicles with internal combustion engines (ICEs),” Powell says. “The shift away from ICEs to electrification is accelerating. However, the ratio of pure EVs—EVs that run only on batteries—is forecast to be about 10 percent of vehicles produced in 2030, and, until then, engines will still be installed, including [in] hybrid vehicles. Parts for internal combustion engines will continue to contribute to our portfolio.”

Additionally, while EVs may lead to decreased demand for some iron engine components, the company says iron castings will remain in demand for suspension, breaking and driveline components. Waupaca Foundry says a hybrid-electrification model also could present opportunities for new iron components.

Infrastructure impacts that arise from the growth of EVs could in turn increase demand for municipal, construction and other industrial components that the company manufactures. Because Waupaca Foundry is diversified across multiple market sectors, the company says it is well-positioned to adapt to this change.

 

Crown Holdings Inc., which is based in Pennsylvania and has operations around the world, in 2020 announced an initiative called Twentyby30, which lists and describes a set of 20 environmental, social and governance (ESG) goals it will strive to meet by 2030 or sooner.

The global packaging producer was founded as Crown Cork & Seal in 1892, long before companies were issuing sustainability reports. Its growing, decades-long presence in the making of bottles and cans, however, always has placed it in the role of creating packaging that consumes sizable amounts of basic materials and also yields recyclable materials.

As of 2021, Crown Holdings produces some $11.5 billion worth of cans, bottles, pouches and other forms of packaging, many of which are highly recyclable or contain scrap content, but others that will likely require additional recycling support.

The firm, which ranks number 272 on the most recent Fortune 500, has more than 130 consumer products packaging plants in the Americas, Europe and Asia and 100 plants in its “transit packaging” division, which makes products to provide protective shipping.

John M. Rost serves as vice president of global sustainability and regulatory affairs for Crown Holdings, working for the firm from suburban Chicago. Recycling Today Senior Editor Brian Taylor asked Rost about how the sustainability movement might spur Crown Holdings to engage further with the scrap recycling sector.

Recycling Today (RT): What forms of packaging are currently in Crown’s portfolio? What is the volume or sales percentage of the largest types (steel cans, aluminum cans, others)?

John Rost (JR): With metal packaging (aluminum and steel) as our primary product, we provide beverage cans, food cans and aerosol cans, as well as caps, closures and promotional packaging. We also produce transit and protective packaging products. Beverage cans, for which demand continues to skyrocket, make up roughly 50 percent of our global sales.

RT: To what extent do brand owners now consistently have conversations with Crown about recyclability? If this is a trend, when did it become noticeable?

JR: Now, more than ever before, sustainability is a top priority of all major food and beverage companies—and their search for more eco-friendly packaging options is what often drives them to cans. Consumer preference toward recyclable materials has trended upward for years but has now taken center stage. Metal packaging’s superior recycling credentials allow us to provide products, both in steel and aluminum, that are 100 percent, infinitely recyclable. An important differentiator with cans is that they are not only recyclable in theory but actually recycled in practice. Consumers recycle aluminum cans, for example, at double the rate that they recycle plastic bottles. That recovered aluminum can be transformed into new cans within just 60 days, preserving resources and helping brands invest in a more sustainable, responsible production process.

RT: What are the recycling and recyclability components of the Twentyby30 program, and are steps underway to get these started?

JR: The main components of our Twentyby30 program that cover recycling focus on two objectives: to raise recycling rates in our major markets and, as a result, to improve recycled content averages in our products. We are already working toward those goals by collaborating with our suppliers, customers and other industry partners and establishing greater incentives for more effective recycling. Our partnership with the Can Manufacturers Institute (CMI) and Ardagh, which will provide grants to material recovery facilities (MRFs) for aluminum can capture equipment in 2021, demonstrates that commitment. We are also investing in consumer education around recycling, so that more used packaging has the opportunity to be recovered and repurposed.

RT: One of the Circularity goals involves “support[ing] increased metal packaging recycling rates in our major markets.” How might this manifest itself in North America?

JR: As mentioned previously, we are working closely with our industry partners, CMI and Ardagh, to fund additional equipment in recycling centers to capture all collected cans. We are also investing in educational programs, like Every Can Counts, in several European markets. Helping as many cans as possible to reach the recycling stream requires dedication at every level—from our side as the manufacturer, from consumers and from other parties that interact with the material throughout its journey.

RT: Considering its use of (highly recyclable) metals, does Crown see a straightforward path to satisfy recyclability concerns, or will the Twentyby30 Circularity measures provide a needed boost?

JR: With metal packaging as our primary product, we are certainly working from a strong foundation of eco-friendly, sustainable materials. The material outperforms other substrates in terms of recycling rates and energy saved during production from recycling. Yet, because consumers are often unaware of proper recycling measures or assume their recycled goods still end up in landfills and therefore don’t recycle properly, metal has not reached its full potential for recycling efficacy. We are focused on helping consumers understand that with metal packaging, every can that is recovered is able to and will be transformed into another product. If consumers can support more successful steel and aluminum recovery, they can have a tremendous impact on resource preservation and reuse. That’s a mission we know people want to get behind, so we’re working to make it as easy, accessible and practical as we can.

RT: To what extent has Crown traditionally tracked its recycled content percentages, or to what extent does the new measure involve creating new purchasing processes for steel and aluminum?

JR: Traditionally, the metal packaging industry has tracked recycled content via industry averages. We are now working with our suppliers to obtain more granular information about specific recycled contents in their products, but it is important to note that we will continue to work to increase the industry recycling rate and thereby increase the levels of recycled content that appear in new products. Implementing higher levels of recycled content in our cans will boost our own averages, but those changes must be made in a way that supports a full picture of a successful recycling system—not just our piece of it.

RT: Is there a recycled-content certification yardstick Crown will use for aluminum and steel, or will it work with metals producers on a one-on-one basis?

JR: We are working with all of our suppliers one-on-one to identify what improvements they can make and determine how we can support them in those efforts and help improve metal packaging globally.

RT: As a reason to establish Twentyby30 (beyond Crown’s own sustainability sensibilities), have your customers’ internal corporate goals been the most prominent motivator, or have government mandates in some regions been influential?

JR: Several factors drove us to establish the Twentyby30 program, customers and industry standards included, but at the core of the program is a commitment within our global business to help drive change where and how we can. We recognize our duty to operate responsibly and serve as a steward to our environment and communities, and that is why we set measurable targets we can work toward. To make the greatest impact possible, we built this program around the areas our stakeholders—including customers, suppliers, employees, communities and investors—were most invested in and where we could move the needle most significantly.

Peoria, Illinois-based BossTek says its new DustBoss Atom has been engineered to provide an unmatched level of mobility and performance, delivering effective dust and particle suppression for new and existing applications.

With a throw of 100 feet (30 meters), the Atom’s adjustable elevation angle and user-defined oscillation allow precise aiming of a powerful dust-capturing mist comprised of millions of droplets per minute in the 50-to-200-microns range, which BossTek says is “proven to be the most efficient size for most project needs.”

The company describes the DustBoss Atom as “a true innovation in mobile dust suppression: a fan-less, self-contained design that incorporates remote control and 4G LTE telematics technologies as standard equipment to deliver an unprecedented combination of suppression and monitoring.”

The compact, diesel-powered unit fits in the back of a pickup truck, so it can be quickly positioned and relocated to address dust-generating activity directly at the source, such as a demolition or mobile crushing site. It also has forklift pockets on the front and back, says the firm.

“After more than 15 years of designing purpose-built dust suppression equipment in a variety of sizes and styles, we found that some companies expressed a desire for a smaller, more maneuverable unit, with a lower price point,” says BossTek vice president of sales Mike Lewis. “This machine is well suited to demolition projects, recycling operations, transfer stations, bulk material processing, ports/shipping applications, quarrying/crushing, biomass handling, concrete curing and even indoor operations where significant air movement may be undesirable.”

The Atom features a 9.1 horsepower Kohler air-cooled engine that meets Tier-IV Final emissions standards and complies with California CARB requirements, according to BossTek. The engine and pump subassembly is secured by four isolation mounts designed to minimize vibration transfer to the frame while the high-impact stainless steel nozzle features a quick disconnect for easy replacement.

“In addition to its compact size, what really sets this unit apart from other designs is the built-in communications features,” says Lewis. “The hand-held remote controls virtually every function, and the telematics provide a web-based platform to monitor status and streamline service and support.”

He continues, “The system tracks engine hours, operating temperature and average run time per day, and provides readouts of suggested maintenance. It can be programmed to monitor machine location via GPS, and can even troubleshoot remotely or ‘geo-fence’ each unit, so it’ll only function within proscribed locations. The telematics are so sophisticated that users can remotely disable machines, if needed.”

BossTek says is DustBoss and OdorBoss product lines help reduce labor costs compared with manual sprays, freeing up personnel for more important tasks. The automated units also use less water than hoses and sprinklers, with some customers realizing payback in less than six months and netting an annual cost savings of more than $50,000, according to the company.