Earth911, Unilever in the USA Pioneer Mass Recycling Program for Deodorant Sticks and Two-Resin Packaging

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., Nov. 15, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Recycling resource Earth911, an Infinity Resources Holdings company, and Unilever, the maker of Axe, Degree, Suave and Dove deodorants, today announced a project that will test the hypothesis that deodorant sticks can be economically recycled.  The project team, with supporting partners Nextlife and FundingFactory, look to demonstrate that the many millions of deodorant sticks currently thrown in the trash represent a significant raw material resource to communities that recycle plastics.  

The project will enlist the help of students within 50 high schools and colleges to collect deodorant sticks for the recycling test.

"Our program partners are committed to working with Unilever to recycle complex plastic packaging," said Michael Hughes, Unilever's senior manager, packaging research and development for North America. "If the program is successful, we will be able to provide the recycling industry with information that shows multi-resin deo-sticks can be profitably recycled.  National recycling of deodorant sticks will reduce the environmental footprint of our brands as well as our competitors."

Each partner brings expertise to this program: Unilever and Earth911 bring national scale and consumer engagement; FundingFactory is a fundraising-by-recycling program for schools and nonprofits enabling participates to recycle electronic waste such as ink cartridges, small electronics, and cell phones in exchange for cash or new technology and other products.  FundingFactory will facilitate the collection of deodorant sticks at the schools and universities and send the products to Nextlife for processing into recycled polypropylene resin.

Earth911 President Corey Lambrecht said, "It's the perfect outcome of companies working together to reach a common goal. Earth911, using our network, facilitated a solution for Unilever to fulfill a product stewardship initiative. FundingFactory and Nextlife get valuable recyclable materials out of the waste stream. And, as an added bonus, schools will get fundraising opportunities until enough sticks are collected for the project. It is a true triple bottom-line win for everyone."

Sean Michaels, president of FundingFactory added, "Until now, recycling deodorant tubes was not available to most consumers. FundingFactory is looking forward to working with our partners in hopes of making this project grow."

The deodorant recycling program is a step for Unilever to fulfill the goals set forth in its Sustainable Living Plan. Established in 2010, the Plan involves more than 50 targets under three main initiatives.  By 2020, Unilever has committed to:

• helping more than one billion people improve their health and well-being;
• halving the environmental footprint of its products;
• sourcing 100% of the company's agricultural raw materials sustainably

To achieve change on the scale needed, Unilever is working with others – governments, other businesses, NGOs and other third parties – to change the way business is done. 

About Unilever North America

Unilever is one of the world's leading suppliers of fast moving consumer goods with strong operations in more than 100 countries and sales in 190. With products that are used over two billion times a day around the world, we work to create a better future every day and help people feel good, look good and get more out of life with brands and services that are good for them and good for others. In the United States and Canada the portfolio includes brand icons such as: Axe, Becel, Ben & Jerry's, Bertolli, Breyers, Caress, Clear Scalp & Hair Therapy, Consort For Men, Country Crock, Degree, Dove personal care products, Good Humor, Hellmann's, I Can't Believe It's Not Butter!, Just for Me!, Klondike, Knorr, Lever 2000, Lipton, Magnum, Motions, Nexxus, Noxzema, Pond's, Popsicle, Promise, Q-tips, Ragu, Simple, Skippy, Slim-Fast, Soft & Beautiful, St. Ives, Suave, tcb, TIGI, TRESemme, Vaseline, and Wish-Bone. All of the preceding brand names are trademarks or registered trademarks of the Unilever Group of Companies. Dedicated to serving consumers and the communities where we live, work and play, Unilever employs more than 13,000 people across North America –generating over $9 billion in sales in 2011. For more information visit www.unileverusa.com or www.unilever.ca.

About Earth911

Earth911 gathers, distributes and analyzes localized recycling information to assist manufacturers, organizations and consumers with product end-of-life solutions. Working to increase the recycling and disposal of consumer goods since 1991, Earth911′s services enhance and support companies' responsible waste initiatives. The Earth911 Recycling Directory is the largest and most accurate in the nation, with more than 1.5 million ways to recycle more than 300 types of materials. Follow @Earth911BizNews or visit http://business.earth911.com to learn more. Earth911, Inc. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Infinity Resources Holdings Corporation (YCNGD – OBB). Infinity Resources Holdings companies provide innovative waste reduction and landfill diversion solutions for recycling and proper disposal of commercial and consumer waste streams. Visit http://www.infinityresourcesholdingscorp.com.

About Nextlife

Nextlife is the global leader in the manufacturing of sustainable plastic resins from postconsumer plastic waste. Their high performance re-engineered sustainable resins can be customized for use in a wide variety of applications, including consumer products as well as in FDA approved applications. The carbon footprint of a Nextlife resin is 70 percent less than that of a virgin resin, helping businesses create high-quality green products that are attractive to consumers. For more information, please visit www.nextlife.com.

About FundingFactory

Since its inception in 1998, FundingFactory has provided more than $31 million in funding to more than 50,000 schools and nonprofit organizations across the United States, and saved 30 million pounds of waste from landfills. FundingFactory is a free recycling fundraiser for schools, nonprofits, and charities. Participating organizations can earn points redeemable for cash or products by recycling empty printer cartridges, cell phones and other small electronics from their communities and supporters. FundingFactory is a program of Environmental Reclamation Services, LLC, a Clover Technologies Group company. Headquartered in Erie, Pa., ERS is an R2 "Responsible Recycling", ISO Certified, Zero Landfill Initiative company with more than 99 percent of its incoming material reused or recycled in 2011. http://www.fundingfactory.com.

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SOURCE Earth911