An improbable ocean voyage to end plastic waste

In response to John Tierney’s rallying cry to bury and burn waste instead of recycling it, Conrad MacKerron, founder of the EPR advocacy group As You Sow, says, "If recycling doesn’t make economic sense, then Tierney needs to ponder why the CEOs of Walmart, Procter & Gamble, Colgate-Palmolive, and even Goldman Sachs last year established a $100 million loan program, the Closed Loop Fund, to boost the effectiveness of recycling by improving curbside infrastructure and recovery markets."

Waste, Circular EconomyAs You SowJuly 22, 2017Conrad MacKerron, Consumer Packaging

Can activist investors encourage better carpet recycling?

As You Sow has engaged as shareholders with the electronics, consumer goods and beverage industries over the past two decades to promote corporate responsibility for recycling products and packaging. Carpet makers represent another important industrial sector struggling to make meaningful progress on recycling, and we intend to engage with shareholders of several large publicly traded companies to improve performance in light of problems that have surfaced recently.

"We intend to engage with shareholders of several large publicly traded carpet companies to improve performance in light of problems that have surfaced recently."

"Carpet makers should spend less time hindering vendors to engage on recycling policy and more time figuring how to redesign carpet to make it recyclable."

Waste, Invest Your Values, Circular EconomyConrad MacKerronJuly 20, 2017Conrad MacKerron

McDonald's brings foam cups back to Chicago despite shareholder pressure

"It seems strange to bring something like this back," said Conrad MacKerron, senior vice president of As You Sow, a corporate responsibility group that has pushed for a phaseout of polystyrene at McDonald's and other restaurant chains and retailers. "It's kind of curious that they're doing this now."

Waste, Circular EconomyAs You SowJuly 5, 2017McDonalds, Consumer Packaging, Conrad MacKerron

Target says it will phase out polystyrene packaging

Polystyrene foam used for direct-to-consumer packing materials is rarely recycled, As You Sow says. “More than 100 U.S. cities or counties and nine countries have banned or restricted foam packaging in various forms,” states the group.

“We are pleased that Target has committed to work with corporate partners and peers to press for alternatives to environmentally harmful foam,” says Conrad MacKerron, As You Sow senior vice president.

Waste, Circular EconomyAs You SowApril 7, 2017Consumer Packaging, Conrad MacKerron

As You Sow calls out McDonald's, Amazon, Wal-Mart, Target for polystyrene use

Phasing out the use of polystyrene has been a priority of As You Sow's for years. Based on a 2011 shareholder resolution they encouraged McDonald's to try a pilot program that eventually resulted in the company making a full switch to paper in 2013. Though the company has yet to do this outside of the U.S. and Dunkin' Donuts hasn't followed up on a similar promise. Resolutions have also been filed with Amazon and Target, which mainly use the material for shipping.

Waste, Circular EconomyAs You SowFebruary 7, 2017McDonalds, Consumer Packaging

Shampoo bottle made from ocean plastics hailed as ‘technological breakthrough’

Waste, Circular EconomyAs You SowJanuary 25, 2017Consumer Packaging

Consumer goods giant Unilever and Ikea buy into green myth

As You Sow’s release noted: “The shareholder advocacy organization As You Sow has been engaging the company for more than a year to make its packaging recyclable, focusing especially on multi-laminate plastic sachets and pouches used for shampoos in small packages marketed in Asia that cannot currently be recycled,” said As You Sow’s release. “Much of this packaging is discarded and ends up polluting waterways in developing Asian countries due to the lack of solid waste management systems.”

Waste, Circular EconomyAs You SowJanuary 24, 2017Consumer Packaging

What happened to Dunkin' Donuts' vow to get rid of Styrofoam cups?

"They're being reactive," said Conrad MacKerron, senior vice president of As You Sow. They have been trying for years to get Dunkin' Donuts to get rid of their foam cups. "They're in a comfortable spot because they've made the commitment, and now they say they're just trying the get the logistics right."

Waste, Circular EconomyAs You SowSeptember 26, 2016Consumer Packaging, Conrad MacKerron

Big Pharma Under Pressure to Pay For Drug Take-Back Programs

The pressure on pharma is not likely to die down. Recently, a non-profit “As You Sow” launched a campaign to push pharma companies to pay for take-back programs. The nonprofit sent a letter to the heads of ten pharmaceutical firms asking the companies to issue policy statements, notes STAT. It also placed shareholder resolutions calling on three drug makers to review their policies on take-back programs.

Waste, Circular EconomyAs You SowApril 30, 2016Pharmaceutical Waste

Non-profit urges big pharma to take responsibility for drug take back programs

As You Sow recently sent a letter to the heads of ten pharmaceutical firms on behalf of the funds asking the companies to issue policy statements on drug take back programs. These programs are designed to reduce environmental contamination and lower the risk of prescription drug abuse from unused drugs.

The non-profit As You Sow is building on this local interest and hopes to force companies to address the disposal problem. In its letter, the group asks for companies to develop policies on the take back of unused drugs.

In addition, As You Sow has proposed shareholder resolutions requiring that Merck, Johnson & Johnson and AbbVie pay for the take-back programs. The reception from the three companies has been relatively cold, with all three drugmakers recommending shareholders vote against the proposals, according to Stat.

Waste, Circular EconomyAs You SowApril 27, 2016Pharmaceutical Waste

Activists call for Oreo, Chips Ahoy packaging to be recyclable

Come May 18, at the company's annual meeting in suburban Lincolnshire, Mondelez shareholders will vote on a proposal introduced by As You Sow, a California-based nonprofit that challenges corporations on social and environmental issues. The group has brought similar proposals to Mondelez investors for the last three years, receiving about 28 percent support last year.

"We are sending a message here that's slowly catching on," said Conrad MacKerron, senior vice president of As You Sow. "We'll see what happens."

Oreo and Chips Ahoy cookies are "increasingly packaged in flexible film or other plastic packaging, such as pouches, that are not recyclable," according to As You Sow's proposal.

As You Sow is requesting a report that would assess the environmental impact and financial risks of using nonrecyclable packaging and set a timeline for phasing out such materials.

As You Sow doesn't typically buy shares of a given company directly, instead partnering with like-minded shareholders who sign off on the group representing their interests, MacKerron said.

"Over the years, McDonald's has engaged in constructive dialogue with As You Sow on a variety of topics, such as a multistakeholder project to address supply chain working conditions in Chinese toy factories and general conversations with updates on McDonald's packaging," McDonald's spokeswoman Lisa McComb said in an email.

The proposals are intended to "forestall harm, create value for the company or hopefully both," said Danielle Fugere, president and chief counsel of As You Sow. And even shareholder proposals that receive very little support can start a conversation within a company.

"It's an important process no matter what the outcome is in a given year," Fugere said.

Waste, Circular EconomyAs You SowMarch 30, 2016Consumer Packaging, Conrad MacKerron, Danielle Fugere