Sonoco joins The Recycling Partnership

National nonprofit The Recycling Partnership, headquartered in Falls Church, Virginia, has added global packaging provider Sonoco, Harstville, North Carolina, as its newest funding partner. Sonoco joins the ranks of companies and associations from across the supply chain supporting The Recycling Partnership in reshaping the recycling industry, the nonprofit organization says.

“Most people take it for granted that recycling is universally available in this country, but that’s far from true,” says Jeff Meyers, vice president of operations for The Recycling Partnership.

“Sonoco’s support strengthens our ability to bring better recycling programs to communities all over America. Not only will we be growing access to recover more consumer packaging,” he continues, “we will be leading the charge to improve the quality of the recovered material.”

Throughout the past two years, The Recycling Partnership says it has worked directly with more than 250 communities, improving recycling for 10 million households. Its grants have catalyzed more than $21 million in new recycling infrastructure and helped place more than 395,000 recycling carts, and its communications work has touched more than 40 million people, the organization adds.

“Sonoco has set aggressive sustainability goals, and we are dedicated to not just meeting but exceeding those goals,” says Laura Rowell, manager of global sustainability for Sonoco. “The expanding impact of The Recycling Partnership is one of the most exciting developments in the industry today, and together we can magnify those results.”

To date, The Recycling Partnership’s efforts have resulted in a projected 500 million pounds of new material that will be recovered over the next 10 years, with a projected value of $20 million. Further impacts include savings of 1.3 billion gallons of water and 600,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions.

“2017 will be another exciting year for our work,” Meyers says. “We’re securing projects in our largest cities yet, expanding our statewide programs and continuing to create tools and leverage funding to take recycling to the next level. More than ever before, this is our year.”