Welcome to the March edition of the Circular Digest.
And say hello to our 7 new subscribers, we're delighted to have you!
This week we'll cover:
Lego and Mars launch new recycled products!
Increasing battery circularity in the EU
The impact of microplastics and what businesses are doing about it
Read on!
P.S: If you're interested in collaborating, get in touch ๐ฉ
P.P.S: I'd love your feedback on this newsletter. Would you prefer more headlines? Do you enjoy the deep dive? Which topics do you want me to cover next? Reply to this email with your thoughts! ๐
The Headlines
Industry: The LEGO Group has released tyres made from recycled materials! They are over 30% recycled content, made from fishing nets, ropes and engine oil. These tyres already feature in select LEGO sets, with a full transition planned later this year, and are indistinguishable from the virgin tyres that consumers are familiar with. LEGO Group has a goal to make all its products from renewable and recyclable materials by 2032 and this is another milestone in achieving that.
โ
Industry: Mars and Berry Global have launched 100% recycled plastic jars (excluding lids) for M&MโSยฎ, SKITTLESยฎ, and STARBURSTยฎ. The recyclable jars, made from post-consumer content and will eliminate over 1,300 metric tons of virgin plastic annually. This supports Mars Sustainable Packaging Plan to reduce plastic packaging and redesign packaging to ensure it can be reusable, recyclable or compostable.
Policy: The EU has updated its waste codes to improve the circularity of batteries. This update classifies 'black mass' (e.g., shredded batteries) as hazardous waste, enabling better control of black mass shipments and a ban on its export to non-OECD countries to keep black mass and the critical raw materials in the economy for longer. Batteries are a key technology to drive the green transition, support sustainable mobility, and contribute to climate neutrality by 2050.
โ
Research: In Petaluma, California, a citywide experiment with reusable cups highlighted that cost and convenience play pivotal roles in consumer engagement. With a return rate of 51%, the initiative showcased environmental advantages while also uncovering logistical hurdles. Most cups found their way back to restaurants or designated collection bins, although some were recycled or retained by customers. Supported by companies like Starbucks and KFC, the project emphasized that clear communication and easily accessible return options are key to boosting participation.
Tiny Pollutants, Massive Impacts
Itโs well known by now how ubiquitous plastics are. This marvelous and polarising material invented in the 19th century changed our world. It provided us a safe and inexpensive way to transport items, particularly food. It allowed us to create products of all shapes and sizes. They are found in almost every single sector, whether via production, commercialisation or usage.
With its ubiquity, comes one of the biggest challenges (if I may so myself) facing humanity. That challenge is microplastics! Microplastics have been found in the Antarctic sea ice, in the intestines of animals inhabiting the deepest sea levels and in our brains. What are microplastics, what are the impacts and what are businesses doing about them?
โ
What are microplastics?
Microplastics are fragments of plastic, less than 5mm in size, which require a microscope to see. Its smaller cousin, nanoplastics, have a less agreed upon size range, but typically are considered to be between 1 ฮผm to 5 mm.
Microplastics are a side effect of the chemical and structural properties of plastics. In other words, they are an inevitable byproduct.
Conventional, oxo-degradable plastics are engineered to be durable and resistant to degradation. This means they break down into smaller fragments rather than fully decomposing, becoming persistent in our environment.
This process of degradation can occur through a number of ways:
Photodegradation - UV from the sun breaking down the chemical bonds in plastic, resulting in fragmentation.
Mechanical degradation - physical forces reducing the size of plastic fragments. A common cause of microplastics from mechanical degradation is via tyre abrasion!
Biodegradation - breakdown of plastics from biological organisms. In nature, this is often slow and incomplete.
These tiny particles persist in our ecosystems for decades, if not centuries. Initially, the durability of plastics was seen as a great strength. However, overproduction and overconsumption, fueled by our linear economy's take-make-waste model, have turned this strength into a double-edged sword. Now, microplastic pollution is one of the most pressing environmental challenges of our time.
โ
What are the impacts?
With its ubiquity in the environment, microplastics are often ingested by animals. From large seabirds to tiny crustaceans. When organisms lower down the food chain ingest microplastics, it bioaccumulates. This means larger animals further up the food chain can ingest a large amount of microplastics, resulting in serious impacts. Microplastics can have both toxic and mechanical effects, including reduced food intake, suffocation, behavioural changes and genetic alterations.
Humans are affected by microplastics too. It is in the food we eat and the water we drink. In fact, microplastics have been detected in both tap and bottled water and have been found in many kinds of human tissue, including the placenta and brain. The effects of microplastics on human health is a nascent issue, and research is still developing. Plastics are produced using many chemicals, including bisphenol A, phthalates and flame retardants, and research has shown that they can leach into the body. These chemicals have been linked to developmental disorders, cancer and endocrine disruption, impacting women in particular as they can disrupt normal secretion of hormones such as estrogen.
Microplastic pollution even impacts agriculture. A recently published study estimated that between 4-14% of crop yields are lost every year due to microplastics hindering their photosynthesis ability. Microplastics can also block nutrient and water channels, further reducing growth. Affected crops include staple ones from across the world such as wheat, maize and rice and could increase the number of people at risk of starvation by 400m in the next two decades.
โ
What are businesses doing about it?
So Iโve told you all the bad stuff. Microplastic pollution is scary! But there are also many businesses working on innovative solutions to reduce microplastic leakage into the environment.
Textiles are responsible for a third of all microplastic pollution so naturally there is a lot of work happening in this sector. Inditex and BASF developed a laundry detergent designed to prevent microplastic shedding from clothes by up to 80%. Under Armour have developed a breakthrough low-shed material and have pledged to produce 75% of fabrics from it by 2030!
There are also startups from all over the world developing solutions to remove microplastics from the environment, or prevent them from getting there in the first place. Microo have developed a plastic digesting enzyme which can break down microplastics into biodegradable substances during washing, biodegrading them at its source, before they enter our ecosystems!
Lastly, your business does not need to be a leader in material science or a fancy envirotech startup to reduce your microplastic pollution! Persistent microplastics are caused by oxo-degradable plastics, the impacts increased exponentially with single-use plastics. Substituting to biodegradable and compostable plastics reduces the persistence of the microplastics leaked. Reducing and reusing plastics, aligning with the top tiers of the waste hierarchy and minimising overall consumption, is even better!
Image credits: Under Armour
Find me at...
๐ค Edie 25 in London, 26th-27th March. On the first day I'll be joining a panel about how we can turn the tide on single-use plastics.
Come say hi!
What did you think of this edition of Circular Digest? If you have any thoughts, questions, or ideas for future content, reply to this email. ๐
โ See you next month!
โ
Kayleigh
Want to support Circular Digest?
Here are a few ways you can help grow the newsletter. 1. Add kayleigh@circulardigest.com to your contacts so you never miss an edition.
2. Share Circular Digest with other circular economy professionals using this link here.
3. If you're interested in collaborating, reply to this email, and let's chat!
โ