Processing equipment manufacturer Hillenbrand has teamed up with Coca-Cola and Net Impact to launch the second Circular Plastics Case Competition, which encourages up and coming business professionals to ‘rethink’ the plastics value chain and drive circularity.
The competition, which is currently open to submissions, seeks to foster solutions that can keep plastics ‘in the economy and out of the environment’, Hillenbrand said in statement.
Participants are invited to collaborate and generate ideas that could bring about significant changes in the industry. The focus this year is on increasing the supply of post-consumer recycled material (PCR), specifically recycled polyethylene (rPET).
Last year’s inaugural competition drew more than 150 participants from 13 countries.
Enhancing sustainability
“Plastics are essential to our economy and will continue to play an important role in our future, making it crucial to concentrate on enhancing sustainability within the plastics value chain,” commented Kim Ryan, President and CEO of Hillenbrand. “rPET is an appealing material because it can significantly reduce the carbon footprint in comparison to creating new plastic, and it can be recycled and transformed into other products throughout its lifespan.”
Hillenbrand and Coca-Cola will set the theme and objectives for the competition, while Net Impact will oversee the event by leveraging its global network of social impact and sustainability leaders.
The finalists in this year’s competition will present their projects at a virtual showcase, which will be broadcast during NPE2024, the largest plastics tradeshow in the Americas, attracting over 55,000 attendees from more than 110 countries.
Circular economy
“The conversation around making a circular economy for plastics is dynamic and incredibly exciting, and this program brings emerging professionals into that conversation by allowing them to grapple first-hand with the complex questions that sustainability practitioners are facing today,” added Karen Johns, CEO of Net Impact.
More information on the 2024 Circular Plastics Case Competition, including information on how to enter, can be found at netimpact.org.
