SC Johnson and Biobox invite the public to celebrate Earth Day by recycling PET
As part of their commitment to reduce the use of single-use plastics, SC Johnson and Biobox will place PET collection machines from April 19 to May 20 in strategic locations in Mexico City.
MEXICO CITY, Mexico, April 21, 2022 – As part of Earth Day actions, SC Johnson, the maker of household brands such as Pato®, FamilyGuard®, Windex®, and Mr. Muscle®, announced a new partnership with Biobox, a 100% Mexican startup that aims to promote environmental awareness and generate a more practical and accessible recycling culture in Mexico City. This partnership will allow to set up PET and other plastics collecting machines at strategic points in the city that, for a limited time, will receive the containers of some of the company's products such as Pledge®, Windex®, Mr. Muscle®, FamilyGuard® and Pato®, to be recycled and put to a new use.
“At SC Johnson we are convinced that working together with organizations that share our values, such as Biobox, plus the efforts of citizens committed to the environment, it is possible to achieve great changes. Our partnership with BioBox is one of the many actions we are taking around the world to reduce waste, increase our use of recyclable plastic in our products” said Alan VanderMolen, Senior Vice President, and Chief Communications Officer at SC Johnson.
From April 19 to May 20, consumers and the general public will be able to take the brand's plastic containers to the collecting machines that Biobox and SC Johnson will have installed in strategic points such as the city’s Historic Center, and the Colonia del Valle, Condesa, Polanco, Irrigación, Granada and Cuauhtémoc neighborhoods, among other locations.
To participate, consumers only need to follow four simple steps:
- Download the Biobox app
- Locate the nearest Biobox machine and scan the QR code
- Choose what they want to recycle and scan the barcode on the SC Johnson product packaging
- Place the container or containers inside the collecting machines, which will be recognizable through the company logo on them
The alliance with SC Johnson will allow Biobox to continue with their monthly collection of 500,000 containers, which will be transformed into products that benefit rural communities, such as benches and desks for schools, asphalt folders, nylon to create t-shirts, blankets, and textiles in general, as well as playground equipment and play structures for parks. In addition, by continuing to promote the culture of recycling, users will obtain points in the Biobox application, which can be exchange for products, coupons or with which it will be possible to make payments for services such as electricity and internet.
Throughout the country, our social responsibility and environmental awareness project seek to generate a positive impact through the installation of collection machines and partnerships with companies such as SC Johnson. The collection machines technology allows a more efficient process in the correct separation of materials for recycling, as well as new transformation processes to continue promoting a circular economy", said Chantal do Rego, Commercial Director of Biobox.
According to the Quantitative Study of the Plastics Recycling Industry in Mexico, carried out by the Mexican National Association of Plastic Industries (Anipac), during 2021 over 910,000 plastic packages, bottles, etc., were recycled in the country, which placed Mexico as one of the main countries in Latin America to take action in favor of a circular economy. However, there is still much to be done, according to INEGI data, in the country, only 32% of discarded plastic is recycled and only in Mexico City. Environmental NGO, ECOCE, indicates that, 31% of the 12,700 tons of solid waste daily, are single-use plastic containers.
SC Johnson is Working for a Better World Through Global Waste Reduction
SC Johnson has a long history of acting in favor of the environment and helping create a world free of waste. Since 2018, the company has eliminated an estimated 6.1 million kilograms of plastic by redesigning spray bottles to reduce their weight and increase their recyclability, finding new ways to eliminate multilayer films and shrink sleeves that are difficult to recycle, among other actions.
Additionally, globally, the company has committed to making 100% of its plastic packaging recyclable, reusable or compostable, along with tripling the amount of post-consumer recycled (PCR) plastic content by 2025. Currently, 65% of SC Johnson's plastic packaging is designed with such plastic, and 19% of its product packaging is made with PCR, compared to 14% in 2019.
The SC Johnson plant located in Toluca, Mexico, 60% of the waste generated during the manufacturing processes is recycled, while 35% is reused. For its part, 5% of the waste that cannot be reused or recycled due to its composition, is sent for energy recovery, that is, it is treated as fuel for boilers in the cement industry.
SC Johnson and Biobox encourage their consumers and users to join in the efforts of both organizations to increase the amount of plastic that will have a second life and also benefit communities in need. To learn how to get the Biobox app, as well as to find out the locations of the participating machines, you can visit www.scjsustentabilidad.com.mx
About SC Johnson
Founded in 1886 and headquartered in Racine, Wisconsin USA, SC Johnson believes that a more sustainable, healthier and transparent world that inspires people and creates opportunities isn't just possible – it's our responsibility.
A heritage of innovation and bold, transparent decisions is why our high-quality products and iconic brands – including OFF!®, Raid®, Glade®, Windex®, Scrubbing Bubbles®, Ziploc®, Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day®, method®, Autan®, Baygon®, Mr Muscle®, Duck®, Lysoform® and more – are in homes, schools and businesses in virtually every country worldwide.
As a global, purpose-led company, we are committed to making the world a better place today and for future generations. That means relentlessly bringing our expertise in science, innovation and partnerships to bear on some of the world's most pressing environmental and health issues like reducing plastic waste and eradicating malaria. Around the world, we use our resources to unlock greater economic and educational opportunities for people and communities where access may be limited, but curiosity and potential are limitless.
See how SC Johnson is a Family Company At Work For a Better World by visiting scjohnson.com or joining us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and YouTube.