RRS’s Expertise in Store Drop-Off Assessment, Life Cycle Assessment, and EPR Systems

At Resource Recycling Systems (RRS), we’re leading the way with innovative approaches in key areas like store drop-off assessments, life cycle assessment (LCA), and extended producer responsibility (EPR) for bottle deposits. Through partnerships, technical expertise, and a commitment to circularity, we’re helping businesses meet and exceed their sustainability goals.

Store Drop-Off Assessment: Strengthening the Collection of Flexible Plastics

Flexible plastic packaging, particularly polyethylene (PE) films, presents a significant challenge in the recycling system. To address this, RRS partnered with the Sustainable Packaging Coalition (SPC) and the Plastics Industry Association to develop a comprehensive store drop-off (SDO) directory. This effort is designed to improve the collection and recovery of film and flexible plastics, ultimately helping brands and retailers close the loop on this challenging material.

In 2024, recognizing the growing importance of consumer access to recycling solutions, RRS collaborated to create a rigorous methodology for evaluating and verifying store drop-off locations across the U.S. The directory goes beyond simply identifying collection points; it evaluates how accessible these programs are to consumers and assesses the handling of collected materials. This tool aims to increase transparency, build consumer confidence, and drive higher recovery rates for these plastics by confirming what happens to collected films post-drop-off.

Our Principal and Vice President of Global Corporate Sustainability, Anne Johnson, is pivotal in this initiative. With over 27 years of experience in sustainable packaging design and recovery, Anne’s leadership ensures that this effort is grounded in circular economy principles, delivering actionable data that retailers and brands can use to optimize their programs.

Anne will present alongside other industry experts at the upcoming SPC Advance 2024, a premier event for sustainability professionals hosted in Chicago from September 30 to October 2. The session, held on October 1, will showcase how this collaborative effort is transforming store drop-off recycling and setting new standards for recovery. More details on the event can be found here.

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA): A Blueprint for Sustainable Packaging

In today’s market, brands must understand the environmental footprint of their packaging to make informed decisions. That’s where life cycle assessment (LCA) comes in. RRS’s growing LCA practice, led by Senior Consultant Jacqueline Ebner, provides comprehensive insights into the environmental impacts of products, from material extraction to end-of-life.

RRS’s LCA services help businesses and organizations assess the sustainability of their packaging by analyzing various stages in the supply chain, including raw material extraction, energy usage, production processes, and waste management. The data-driven approach empowers clients to evaluate trade-offs between materials, explore opportunities for using recycled content, and design products that minimize environmental impact.

At SPC Advance 2024, Jacqueline will explore the power of the U.S. Life Cycle Inventory (LCI) Database, developed by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). Her session, held on September 30, will highlight how the LCI can support more informed decision-making for packaging sustainability by providing detailed datasets on materials, products, and processes. This foundational tool allows brands to conduct LCAs that align with their sustainability goals and generate credible claims about environmental impact.

Jacqueline’s extensive background in sustainability and LCA, including over 20 years of experience and her work teaching LCA at institutions like Bard College and Rochester Institute of Technology, positions her as a leading voice in the field. Her expertise ensures that RRS delivers top-tier LCA services that guide clients to make smarter, more sustainable packaging choices.

Driving Accountability through EPR and Real-World Policy Impact

As the shift towards a circular economy gains momentum, policies like Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) and Deposit Return Systems (DRS) play a critical role in driving recycling and shared responsibility for waste management. At RRS, we’re actively engaged in advancing and modeling these systems to provide a clear understanding of their financial and environmental impacts.
Our work involves analyzing EPR and DRS frameworks through a data-driven lens. Recently, we’ve been tasked with developing models that explore the return on investment (ROI) of EPR and DRS programs, both independently and in combination. These models evaluate factors such as cost efficiency, recovery rates, and greenhouse gas (GHG) reductions, providing businesses and governments with crucial insights for designing more effective recycling systems.
Building on previous research for clients across the U.S. and Canada, our goal is to recommend policy frameworks that deliver high recovery rates, equitable access, and significant GHG reductions. By engaging industry stakeholders and incorporating real-world data, RRS’s work ensures that these policies are not only theoretical but actionable in state and national legislative landscapes.

Navigating Policy with Signalfire Group: A Partner in Circular Economy Solutions

Good progress needs good policy. Signalfire Group, a key partner in sustainable materials management and a subsidiary of RRS, specializes in helping manufacturers, retailers, and governments navigate the complex landscape of recycling policy. Their focus on EPR and circular economy policies aligns closely with our mission at RRS, creating a powerful partnership that transforms policy into tangible results.

Signalfire Group provides invaluable support by interpreting rapidly evolving policy landscapes and advising organizations on leveraging regulations to meet their circular economy goals. Whether through monthly updates from their Policy Compass newsletter or deeper policy briefings, Signalfire Group ensures that clients stay informed and can strategically influence active legislation.

Together, RRS and Signalfire Group work to drive meaningful change. Our combined expertise in policy development, coupled with an operational understanding of waste and recycling systems, helps organizations craft workable and effective programs. Whether modeling the cost and impact of EPR and DRS frameworks or guiding clients through the nuances of policy advocacy, we provide the tools and insights needed to advance sustainability.

For more information on Signalfire Group’s services, including strategic research, policy analysis, and program development, visit SignalFire Group.

Join Us at SPC Advance 2024:

SPC Advance 2024 is our fall members’ event, hosted in Chicago from September 30 to October 2 at the Hilton Chicago Hotel. Building on this spring’s theme, “Less Carbon, Better Packaging,” the fall event will expand on the urgency of moving Further and Faster to develop and implement innovative solutions for reducing carbon emissions from packaging. The program will feature sessions based on SPC’s Pillars of Innovation, Recovery, Packaging Design, and Policy, alongside highlights from the recently launched Innovation Trends Report.

RRS will be participating in two key sessions:

• Life Cycle Assessment Workshop: Monday, September 30, 9:00 AM – 9:45 AM CDT, featuring Jacqueline Ebner.
• Store Drop-Off Assessment Panel: Tuesday, October 1, 9:00 AM – 9:45 AM CDT, featuring Anne Johnson.

For more details on SPC Advance 2024 and registration, visit SPC Advance 2024 Event Page.

Let’s continue the conversation on how data and collaboration can transform packaging sustainability. To schedule time with us at the event, reach out to Anne Johnson, Jacqueline Ebner, or Coco Freling.