The report details the company’s commitment to transparently sharing progress toward its 2030 sustainability goals and integrating sustainability into all aspects of its business strategy.
Ball Corp., an aluminum packaging company based in Westminster, Colorado, has released its inaugural combined report covering 2021. The report provides stakeholders with a comprehensive overview of how environmental, social and economic sustainability are driving growth across the company's global aluminum packaging and aerospace businesses.
According to a news release from Ball, the report details its commitment to transparently sharing progress toward its 2030 sustainability goals and integrating sustainability into all aspects of its business strategy.
"While 2021 presented challenges such as the pandemic and supply chain issues, we continued to work together as a global team to drive sustainable innovation and deliver results for shareholders, customers and our communities," says Dan Fisher, president and CEO-elect of Ball. "At Ball, sustainability is a business imperative. We remain committed to driving systemic change throughout our company and industry. The progress made last year is a testament to that."
Ball's sustainability strategy covers the company's entire value chain. It focuses on improving product stewardship by supporting customers' goals, developing net zero-emission and circular strategies for its products and accelerating positive social impact for employees and the communities the company operates.
Highlights from the 2021 report include:
strides on renewable energy, including sourcing 44 percent of global electricity demand in 2021 from renewables, resulting in the elimination of nearly 409,000 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions annually;
year-over-year reduction of carbon emissions associated with global beverage direct operations by 19 percent, progress toward the company's 1.5 degree science-based emissions reduction target;
earning Aluminum Stewardship Initiative (ASI) certification for 35 of its beverage packaging facilities in South America and Europe, the Middle East and Africa (ASI certification enables Ball to create a stronger and more resilient supply chain while underscoring the company's commitment to source 100 percent of its aluminum needs from certified sustainable sources by 2030.);
increased sports and entertainment venue adoption of the Ball aluminum cup, a recyclable product that helps venues meet sustainability goals by eliminating 271,000 plastic cups and bottles in 2021;
launching the Ball Aerospace-built Operational Land Imager 2 instrument aboard Landsat 9, the latest in a series of missions between NASA and the United States Geological Society which provide monitoring of key natural and economic resources from orbit;
more than 60 percent of the aluminum supplied for Ball's aerosol packaging originated from low carbon sources;
increased annual spending with minority- and women-owned business suppliers in the United States by 32 percent to $138.2 million; and
contributed $5 million in global support for Ball communities impacted by COVID-19.
In addition to reporting progress toward the company's 2030 sustainability goals, the combined report outlines Ball's role in driving the transition to a circular economy. This builds on the company's 2021 Vision for a Perfect Circle, which provides a comprehensive framework for how the industry can achieve an ambitious circular model. This framework calls for 100 percent collection, extended producer responsibility and improved sorting infrastructure. The report also includes updates on Ball initiatives, like diversity, inclusion and community.
Marcus Randolph holds a Bachelor of Science in mining engineering from Colorado School of Mines and a Master of Business Administration from Harvard University.
Ecobat, a battery recycler based in Irving, Texas, announced executive chairman Marcus Randolph has been named president and CEO. Randolph will continue as chairman of the company's board of directors. Randolph replaces Jimmy Herring, who is no longer with the company.
"I want to thank Jimmy for his years of service and dedication to Ecobat," Randolph says. "He led a significant transformation of the company including the 2019 restructuring of Ecobat, rebranding of the company and creation of a new leadership team at Ecobat."
Before Ecobat, Randolph was executive chairman of Boart Longyear, a drilling manufacturer based in Salt Lake City. Before Boart Longyear, he held several leadership positions at BHP Billiton in Melbourne, Australia, from 1999 to 2013, including chief executive ferrous & coal officer, chief organization development Officer and president of diamond and specialty products. Randolph holds a Bachelor of Science in mining engineering from Colorado School of Mines and a Master of Business Administration from Harvard University.
"The board has great confidence in Marcus," says Ted Lodge, member of the board of directors. "As executive chairman, Marcus has ably overseen the strategic direction of the company since 2020. With the addition of these new responsibilities, we are excited that Marcus will build upon Ecobat's leadership position in the marketplace."
The three-year partnership will see Rubicon’s products installed in the city’s entire solid waste and recycling fleet of 400 vehicles in the nation’s fourth-largest city.
Rubicon, Lexington, Kentucky, has announced it has entered into a three-year partnership with Houston to help improve residential waste and recycling services for more than 2.3 million residents.
According to a news release from Rubicon, the company’s products, like RUBICONSmartCity, will be Installed across its entire waste and recycling fleet, numbering 391 vehicles. The partnership will give the city greater insight into what is happening in the field, helping to increase the productivity of the city's solid waste department.
“Partnering with Rubicon will help our great city optimize its solid waste operations and make it possible for us to digitize our entire waste and recycling management system,” said Mayor Sylvester Turner. “Houston is committed to providing the highest level of service to its residents. This partnership will allow us to provide better services, save taxpayer dollars, and deliver a better quality of life for Houstonians.”
The company says RUBICONSmartCity is a proprietary, cloud-based technology suite that helps city governments run faster, smarter and more effective fleet operations. The platform includes a mobile app, an onboard data collection device and a web-based portal that will allow the city’s Department of Solid Waste to track key metrics including service verifications, missed truck pickups and issues at the curb and vehicle usage and maintenance information. The company says this will lead to more efficient operations, increased recycling rates and ultimately improved service for its customers and citizens.
“We are thrilled to partner with Houston to provide digital waste and recycling solutions to the city’s residents,” says Nate Morris, chairman and CEO of Rubicon. “Houston is one of the largest cities in America, and its decision to work with us speaks volumes about the value provided by Rubicon’s products and the service improvements and savings they deliver to taxpayers in cities all across the United States.”
The partnership aims to improve customer service for residents by providing enhanced reporting tools for use by waste and recycling operations, enabling drivers to document issues and exceptions along their routes, including instances of recycling contamination and bins not being placed out on time.
“The city’s Department of Solid Waste can use this information to advise and educate residents around service scheduling, best practices for waste and recycling management and reduce costly return trips,” says Mark Wilfalk, director of the city's solid waste management department. “These insights, alongside route optimization and digitization efforts, are set to deliver an optimal operation to Houston.”
The company says its products have been installed and will help the city maintain and expand service levels as they embark on rebuilding and revitalization projects.”
RUBICONSmartCity has been rolled out in over 70 cities across the United States, including Asheville, North Carolina; Baltimore; Columbus, Ohio; Durham, North Carolina; Fort Collins, Colorado; Fort Smith, Arizona; Glendale, Arizona; Greenville, North Carolina; Hartford, Connecticut; Kansas City, Missouri; Memphis, Tennessee; Montgomery, Alabama; Santa Fe, New Mexico; San Antonio; Savannah, Georgia; Spokane, Washington and Roseville, California. The solution is available to purchase on Sourcewell, the Amazon Web Services (AWS) Marketplace, the HGACBuy consortium and Marketplace.city.
Adam Estelle will oversee several market development initiatives designed to raise the value of copper and copper alloy products.
The Copper Development Association Inc. (CDA), McLean, Virginia, has appointed Adam Estelle as its next vice president. Estelle joined the CDA in 2008 as a project engineer and has climbed the leadership ranks, becoming a thought leader in areas ranging from antimicrobial copper to substitution defense.
“Adam is a valuable global expert with 14 years of copper industry experience,” says Andrew Kireta Jr., CDA president and CEO. “His expert knowledge of copper products and markets, keen strategic thinking, strong management skills and the respect he commands from members, staff and the copper industry position him well to help CDA succeed.”
As vice president, Estelle will oversee several market development initiatives designed to bring the value of copper and copper alloy products to society, including CDA’s Brass Rod, Flat Products and Tube & Fittings Product Councils. He also serves as a subject matter expert on emerging markets for copper alloy touch surfaces based on their inherent antimicrobial properties and leads an industry working group formed to protect the viability of the copper and brass recycling stream.
Global Recycling Foundation names its 2022 Recycling Heroes.
The Global Recycling Foundation (GRF), which was created by the Brussels-based Bureau of International Recycling (BIR), has announced the 10 winners of its Recycling Heroes 2022 awards.
The winning organizations receive $1,000 each and “are drawn from individuals and business leaders, sole traders and multinationals who, despite continuing hardships, have managed to sustain their efforts to promote the value of recycling,” states the foundation.
“The world has been enduring exceptionally difficult times and we are delighted to have received so many remarkable entries from around the world,” remarks Ranjit Baxi, founding president of the GRF. “Indeed, to recognize the efforts made by a large number of startups despite two years of the coronavirus pandemic, GRF has decided to make four additional awards of $250 each.”
The winners of the $1,000 awards are:
Schuler Rohstoff GmbH, Germany – Each year the firm recycles about 280,000 tons of scrap and is described by GRF as “particularly proud that they can inspire so many women for our love of scrap.” Half of the administrative staff are “women empowering women and promoting their interest in the recycling industry.”
Una Mano per la Scuola, Italy – This committee made by parents of primary and secondary school students in Inveruno, Milan province, Italy, is raising awareness of recycling and sustainability matters by organizing, with the support of the municipality of Inveruno, for students to collect materials for recycling in the “Trash Challenge,” as well as promoting the planting of trees.
Vintz Plastic, Kenya – The company describes itself as recycling at least 25 tons of plastic scrap per day. “Our business model is unique because we promote circular manufacturing economy by making storage tanks and household items using the recycled plastics as the raw material,” writes the firm. “We place a strong emphasis of working with and training women in the process of collecting and sorting plastic.”
Baby On The Move, New Zealand – The organization focuses on diverting expired child restraints from going to landfill. Its stewardship solution involves recycling car seats.
Ecocykle Limited, Nigeria – A youth-led social enterprise designed to provide effective waste management services to low-income communities who lack sustainable waste management options. Over the last two years, the company has overseen the training of more than 2,000 young men people on how to start their own recycling enterprises.
Oasis Association, South Africa – Since 1952, the organization has grown to support more than 560 intellectually disabled beneficiaries. The organization’s activities are all supported through recycling and thrift initiatives that fund 56 percent of Oasis’ annual income, providing sustainable employment in recycling.
Brewster Bros., Scotland, United Kingdom – A family business centered on the principles of the circular economy turning discarded construction and demolition (C&D) materials into recycled products that can be sold back into the construction sector, diverting tons of material from landfills.
RecycleForce, Indiana, United States – The organization is committed to reducing crime through employment and job training, while improving the environment through electronic scrap recycling. Since 2006, RecycleForce says it has safely recycled more than 65 million pounds of electronic scrap while providing environmental job training to thousands.
Green Club of Lubanga Primary School, Zambia – School children in the Green Club are promoting recycling by collecting discarded drink bottles to make litter bins for keeping the school clean. One of the biggest environmental issues in schools is litter. The Green Club members collect used drink bottles littered around the school and community and use them for their Green and Clean school project.
Norwegian Refugee Council, Norway – The council works in Bangladesh to address the existing problem of plastic pollution in refugee camps. The NRC initiated a Producing Shelter Materials from Recycled Plastic project in partnership with Field Ready to recycle plastic scrap produced by the Rohingya refugee community and surrounding host community people, to transform the materials into safe and sustainable shelter protection products.
The four additional start-up award winners are:
Japheth Sunday, Nigeria – Japheth is reducing environmental pollution in the community with his JETSAR project by converting biowaste to electrical energy that powers homes, including appliances, thus providing one answer to meet renewable energy needs in the country.
Precious Plastic, India – Precious Plastic is running a ragpicker cooperative that also buys plastic scrap from the discarded paper and textile collectors. The plastic is recycled into granules and sold to plastic product manufacturers. Profits from the sale of granules are distributed equally among the ragpickers.
Circular Shield, Slovenia – The organization describes itself as supporting sorted collection and recycling of used beverage cardboard and creating a local, functioning circular economy “as we return paper products made of regenerated cellulose.”
Çelebi Kalkan, Turkey – A primary school teacher, Kalkan has been working on STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) education for sustainable development purposes since 2015. She believes in promoting educational awareness and sustainable development goals to support present and future generations who must be equipped not only with technical knowledge and skills, but also with a deeper understanding of the values needed to create a peaceful and sustainable future.