Welcome to our series aimed at spotlighting the NLCRC members and partners.

Discover how these companies are addressing pressing challenges around environmental sustainability issues, such as energy, greenhouse gas emission reduction, packaging, product recyclability, and what inspires each of them to include lubricant packaging recovery and recycling into their ESG objectives and how they hope to make an impact in the lubricant value chain.

In this issue of our spotlight series, we present Valvoline, a founding and principal member of the NLCRC.

Connect with Valvoline on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Valvoline’s Innovation in Lubricant Container Recycling

Valvoline Inc. (NYSE: VVV) is a global leader in vehicle care powering the future of mobility through innovative services and products for vehicles with electric, hybrid and internal combustion powertrains. As a global company, Valvoline understands the significant impact it can have on our environment. Through its green initiatives such as striving to reduce its carbon emissions and advancing the development of more environmentally friendly vehicles and engines, Valvoline is committed to operating in a manner that will result in positive change. 

In keeping with Valvoline’s global corporate carbon reduction strategy, which focuses on avoiding carbon emissions, reducing emissions within its operations, and then mitigating the remaining emissions, participation in The National Lubricant Container Recycling Coalition’s vision of establishing solutions for post-consumer recovery and recycling of plastic lubricant containers, well positions Valvoline to innovate, as well as, further reduce carbon emissions. 

Karl Kocher, Director Light Duty Product Strategy at Valvoline, shares his insights into Valvoline’s corporate sustainability goals and Valvoline’s participation in the National Lubricant Container Recycling Coalition. 

What are Valvoline’s long-term sustainability goals and how do these relate to lubricant packaging? 

Valvoline is committed to a comprehensive product stewardship program to deliver products that maximize benefits to our customers and their vehicles, while minimizing impacts on the environment. We achieve this by, among other things, working to develop cutting-edge products to improve fuel efficiency and ICE engine life, and to service the growing number of hybrid and battery electric vehicles on the road.  Valvoline, as a global company, understands our critical responsibility in pushing sustainability forward. We continually update our goals and post them on our CSR site here, along with our most recent 2020 CSR report. The Valvoline 2021 CSR report will be published in April 2022 and can be found in the upper right of this site.  In only our second year of participating in the CDP Climate Change Survey, Valvoline received a “B” score which CDP identified as above average for the chemical sector. Valvoline attributes this score, in part, to the company’s transparency, efficient operations, product research, and development efforts. CDP category scores show Valvoline received high scores in business strategy and financial planning, governance, value chain engagement, risk, opportunity disclosures and emission reduction strategies. Valvoline is working to further improve its CDP scores by setting more aggressive decarbonization and sustainability targets and initiating work on verification and the collection of supply chain scope 3 emissions. In line with our product stewardship commitment, we have a long history and commitment to recycling and recovering the natural resources in our spent products.  In 2020 Valvoline owned quick lube stores sent 9.2 million gallons of automotive fluids to re-refineries to be recovered and our retailers offer convenient oil recycling locations. We believe this is critically important as we push toward a more circular economy.   

How does Valvoline’s sustainability goals relate to lubricant packaging?

The majority of our product is shipped and distributed in bulk, therefore, not requiring packaging but we also recognize the need for packaging for the do-it-yourself customers.  Our supply chain plant and warehouses have been recycling damaged bottles since we converted to HDPE packaging.  We recognize the need to extend this option to our customers to recycle empty bottles into plastic products through the NLCRC program.

How does Valvoline’s NLCRC membership help the company to meet its sustainability goals and commitments? 

“Valvoline views its founding and participation with the NLCRC as a key component to achieving our larger sustainability goals and commitments. We see the importance of ensuring our products continue to provide consumers with the highest levels of quality, protection, and performance while also ensuring that the containers these products come in have avenues for recyclability. Unlocking recyclability enables us to ensure that our containers go on to have additional lives as other products, including our own bottles, to reduce the reliance upon virgin plastic moving forward. Valvoline is committed to ensuring a better, more sustainable world for today and tomorrow.” Karl Kocher, Director Light Duty Product Strategy 

What does Valvoline value most about the collaborative nature and membership with NLCRC?

“The high level of engagement and collaboration in itself is what Valvoline values most. This is a true testament to all organizations that raised their hands and joined this group realizing the critical nature around creating a recycling stream. Without this collective effort and energy, the solutions the NLCRC is actively rolling out would not be possible. We would continue to encourage others within the industry to join to help broaden the push toward close-loop lubricant packaging. Valvoline looks forward to continually partnering with all members of the NLCRC to drive toward long-term sustainable solutions.” Karl Kocher, Director Light Duty Product Strategy 

About Valvoline 

Valvoline Inc. (NYSE: VVV) is a global leader in vehicle care powering the future of mobility through innovative services and products for vehicles with electric, hybrid and internal combustion powertrains. Established in 1866, the Company introduced the world’s first branded motor oil and developed strong brand recognition and customer satisfaction ratings over the years across multiple service and product channels. The Company operates and franchises approximately 1,600 service center locations and is the No. 2 and No. 3 largest chain in the U.S. and Canada, respectively, by number of stores. With sales in more than 140 countries and territories, Valvoline’s solutions are available for every engine and drivetrain, including high-mileage and heavy-duty vehicles, and are offered at more than 80,000 locations worldwide. Creating the next generation of advanced automotive solutions, Valvoline has established itself as the world’s No. 1 supplier of battery fluids to electric vehicle manufacturers, offering tailored products to help extend vehicle range and efficiency. To learn more, or to find a Valvoline service center near you, visit valvoline.com.

About NLCRC 

The National Lubricant Container Recycling Coalition or "NLCRC" is an industry-led technical coalition, established in 2021 by a committed consortium of lubricant manufacturers and associated plastic packaging manufacturers, focused on establishing solutions for post-consumer recovery and recycling of plastic lubricant containers. Members include Castrol, Valvoline, Pennzoil - Quaker State Company, Graham Packaging, Plastipak Packaging, Berry Global, Petroleum Packaging Council, and Chevron. For more information, visit our website, or connect with NLCRC on LinkedIn and Twitter. If you have any questions or inquiries, send us an email at hello@nationallcrc.com. 

™ Trademark, Valvoline or its subsidiaries, registered in various countries

℠ Service mark, Valvoline or its subsidiaries, registered in various countries