As COP26 is underway, there is an increased urgency to accelerate collective mitigation and adaptive efforts to counter the effects of climate change. Topics include addressing renewable energy, as well as, greenhouse gas emissions generated via food production and manufacturing process, use, and disposal. Clearly, present-day processes are not in alignment with targets set in the Paris Agreement in 2015.  A dramatic redesign of the economy needs to occur to achieve climate neutrality by 2050 as set forth in the Agreement at COP15. 

What does this mean on a practical level? 

For starters, it means products and materials need to be reused. Businesses sit at the core of the transition to a circular economy, and the collaboration with suppliers and customers to build the infrastructure needed is the path towards a system that benefits the whole society.

Currently, most of the products and disposal systems are designed in a way that more than 80% of waste goes to landfills, is incinerated, or leaks into the natural environment. Once products and materials are designed without the component of reuse, it is hard to reverse due to the lack of infrastructure for post-consumer use. With the circular design of products, materials, and processes, the creation of waste and pollution can be prevented right at the core or reverted after post-consumer disposal.

In the US, the National Lubricant Recycling Coalition (NLCRC) is working towards redesigning the economy of the lubricant container post-consumer use. The NLCRC is an industry-led technical coalition of lubricant manufacturers, plastic packaging manufacturers, and other lubricant value chain experts.

The NLCRC is working towards establishing a program that recovers and recycles plastic packaging used to transport lubricants for commercial and consumer use that, at a minimum, meets the definition of recyclable. We are focused on the lubricant packaging industry, to develop a sustainable post-consumer recovery and recycling program across the US.

For the most part, post-consumer lubricant containers are currently deemed not recycled, and those that are collected are often later incinerated or landfilled due to their lack of market value. To begin the transition towards creating a market from these materials, the NLCRC is working to connect all stakeholders within the lubricant container value chain to collaborate and develop solutions for sustainable recovery and reuse – from manufacturers to customers, retailers to transporters, recyclers to packaging producers.

As a first step, we are preparing to launch a pilot project in a market in the US to demonstrate an understanding of market dynamics by partnering with service providers and retailers, collection companies (haulers), recycling companies (processors), and other critical stakeholders to then scale recycling solutions to lubricant containers in multiple cities and markets within the US and develop a national program that is economically sustainable and adapts easily to changing legislation.

This pilot will focus on the collection, transportation, and recycling of lubricant containers into post-consumer recycled content, with potential end-users as secondary materials or back into lubricant containers.

Inaction to contribute to reducing the impact of post-consumer disposal of hard-to-degrade plastics through sustainable solutions will cripple the economy. We must start investing in our future and change will start being visible until we all make it happen. 

From industries to households, everyone has an essential role in reducing the lubricant container waste problem in the US. The NLCRC founding leaders include Castrol, Valvoline, Pennzoil - Quaker State Company, Graham Packaging, and Plastipak Packaging. 

Learn how the NLCRC is addressing the waste problem by becoming a member. Connect with us through LinkedIn and Twitter. If you have any questions or inquires, send us an email at hello@nationallcrc.com.