U.S. Plastics Pact Creates Reuse Catalyst to Support Reuse & Refill Pilots

Walpole NH, (September 20, 2022) – Today the U.S. Plastics Pact (U.S. Pact) begins accepting applications for its Reuse Catalyst, a program designed to support and develop innovators that have scalable reuse and refill solutions for the United States. Reusable packaging reduces the demand for non-renewable virgin plastic packaging, and offers a strong economic growth opportunity: if 20% of global plastic packaging is converted to reusable packaging, $10 billion would be added into the economy.

“The Reuse Catalyst aims to bolster the development of emerging and established reuse innovators, and the broader industry, through shared learnings, expertise, connectivity, and amplification,” said Emily Tipaldo, Executive Director, U.S. Plastics Pact. “This program aligns with the U.S. Pact’s Target 2 in the Roadmap to 2025, specifically in increasing the amount of reusable and refillable plastic packaging.” The Reuse Catalyst was jointly created by the U.S. Pact, Closed Loop Partners, the Reusable Packaging Association, and World Wildlife Fund. 

Selected companies will gain unparalleled access to reusable experts and investors, as well as increased visibility as a “U.S. Pact Reuse Catalyst Partner.” The U.S. Pact now consists of more than 110 organizations spanning the plastics value chain. There is no cost to apply to the Reuse Catalyst or participate in the program. 

Who is Eligible:

• Companies of all sizes that are testing or piloting commercial reusable or refillable packaging systems within the United States.

• Both U.S. Pact Activators and organizations that are not presently participating in the U.S. Pact can apply. 

Judging Criteria:

Each applicant’s reuse or refill program will be scored using the following considerations:

• Environmental, including the product material, the number of possible reuses, and greenhouse gas emissions;

• Social, including the accessibility, affordability, and customer desirability of the product;

• Economic, including market demand, cost-savings models, and additional values provided by the reuse product or system;

• Scalability, including the diversity and scale of partnerships, interoperability of the product, location, and the product category.

Winners Will Receive:

• Access to the U.S. Pact network, including the potential for 1:1 meetings with retailers, investors, and mentors, which could lead to learning opportunities and partnerships

• Meetings with all participating innovators to collaborate and discuss progress, obstacles, and assistance

• Brand recognition as formal “U.S. Plastics Pact Reuse Catalyst Partners”

The Reuse Catalyst’s application is now open and will close on October 20, 2022. Selected businesses will participate in the Reuse Catalyst program for 6-18 months.

"As the preferred inner loop activity in a circular economy, the reuse of packaging products in a system of continuous purpose offers tremendous value-creating potential,” said Tim Debus, President & CEO, Reusable Packaging Association. “Collaborations across stakeholders and service providers are important elements to optimize that value. The U.S. Pact’s Reuse Catalyst program will help reuse entrepreneurs tap into the Pact’s collaborative network of experts to support their developing reusable or refillable packaging solution.”

“As we transition from a linear to circular economy, widespread incorporation of reusable packaging can help to drive down single-use plastics. Data-driven solutions are needed to ensure meaningful implementation of reuse at scale, including to lower the environmental footprint of packaging systems and to guarantee equity and access as reuse systems serve to improve the communities they operate within,” said Erin Simon, Vice President and Head of Plastic Waste and Business, World Wildlife Fund. “The U.S. Plastics Pact's Reuse Catalyst program will catalyze a network of stakeholders and help fill critical data gaps as we work together to advance reusable packaging solutions.”

“Reusable packaging models can play an important role in reducing single-use plastic packaging waste and keeping valuable materials in play. It’s critical that a transition to circular and reusable systems is supported by data-driven insights and iterative testing, to ensure we are in fact reducing the environmental footprint of packaging systems. The U.S. Plastic’s Pact’s Reuse Innovator Support Program helps us collectively drive toward this,” said Kate Daly, Managing Director, Closed Loop Partners.