SC Johnson Partners With Molecoola to Increase Recycling in Brazil

RACINE, Wis., October 30, 2019 /3BL Media/– SC Johnson today announced a partnership with reverse logistics startup Molecoola to sponsor recycling centers in São Paulo, Brazil, reinforcing the company’s commitment to recycling and sustainability. Consumers can return empty products from any of SC Johnson’s well-known brands, including Mr Muscle®, Glade® and OFF!®, at any of Molecoola’s locations and earn points that can be redeemed using app technology for goods and services. The points can also be used for charitable donations to communities in São Paulo.

“We are excited to partner with Molecoola to help increase recycling rates in Brazil,” said Tatiana Ganem, Executive Director and General Manager at SC Johnson Brazil. “As a leading manufacturer of household consumer brands in Brazil, we have a longstanding commitment to protecting the environment.”

Molecoola stores collect a broad range of recyclable materials including aerosol cans, beverage cans, paper, cardboard, chipboard, plastic, electronics and cooking oil. Since first partnering with SC Johnson in November 2018, Molecoola has collected more than 360 tons of recyclable materials. 

With more than 25 million tons of recyclable solid waste discarded per year in Brazil¹, this partnership is designed to help reduce the amount of waste entering landfills by incentivizing people to recycle. Molecoola is helping to build a circular economy to expand the current recycling level in Brazil of approximately 3 million tons per year² through its unique one-stop-drop solution that collects a variety of post-consumer materials. This new recycling chain effectively consolidates recyclables, enables the sale of materials directly to recyclers and is 100% traceable via its unique system that works on smartphone devices.

“We are grateful to SC Johnson for their partnership in this important initiative,” said Rodrigo Jobim, Molecoola CEO. “With their help, we are educating consumers on the importance of protecting the environment; changing behaviors; and creating a circular economy that provides direct benefit to consumers, recyclers and most importantly the environment.”

Sustainability Leadership

From minimizing waste, to using renewable energy, to fighting deforestation, SC Johnson has a long legacy of acting to protect the environment. At the close of 2018/19, 100 percent of SC Johnson factories sent zero manufacturing waste to landfill, including the plant in Manaus, Brazil.

SC Johnson also conducts an aerosol recycling program in São Paulo, where it works alongside waste collection cooperatives, enabling more than 1,800 waste collectors and 95 additional workers to become involved in the recycling process while also bringing a positive social impact to the community.

A Commitment to Minimizing Plastic Waste

SC Johnson was a founding signatory to the New Plastics Economy Global Commitment and is a Global Partner with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation. SC Johnson has made the following commitments to reduce its own plastic footprint, and encourage reuse and recycling of plastic products:

• 100% of SC Johnson plastic packaging will be recyclable, reusable or compostable by 2025. Currently, 94% of SC Johnson’s plastic packaging is designed to be recyclable, reusable or compostable.
• Triple the amount of post-consumer recycled (PCR) plastic content in SC Johnson packaging by 2025. SC Johnson already uses 100% post-consumer recycled (PCR) bottles for several product lines, and in 2019 launched the industry’s first 100% recycled ocean plastic bottle made from plastic waste collected within 30 miles of an ocean or waterway in countries that lack effective, formal waste collection.
• Expand the number of concentrated refill options for SC Johnson products by 2025. The company will continue to expand its variety of concentrated refill options and is now rolling out to Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom, China and Japan, enabling consumers there to reuse packaging and reduce waste.
• Continue to remove excess plastics wherever possible. SC Johnson has been relentlessly focused on designing unnecessary packaging out of its products. Over the past year, the company achieved a 1.7-million-kilogram reduction in the amount of plastic used in its primary packaging.
• Work with industry and other organizations to support circular plastic economy models. SC Johnson will work with industry and NGOs to further support the circular plastic economy and keep plastic out of landfills and the environment.

For more information on SC Johnson’s commitment to addressing plastic pollution and to learn how the company is helping to support a more circular plastic economy, visit www.scjohnson.com/plastic

About SC Johnson

SC Johnson is a family company dedicated to innovative, high-quality products, excellence in the workplace and a long-term commitment to the environment and the communities in which it operates. Based in the USA, the company is one of the world's leading manufacturers of household cleaning products and products for home storage, air care, pest control and shoe care, as well as professional products. It markets such well-known brands as GLADE®, KIWI®, OFF!®, PLEDGE®, RAID®, SCRUBBING BUBBLES®, SHOUT®, WINDEX® and ZIPLOC® in the U.S. and beyond, with brands marketed outside the U.S. including AUTAN®, BAYGON®, BRISE®, KABIKILLER®, KLEAR®, MR MUSCLE® and RIDSECT®. The 133-year-old company, which generates $10 billion in sales, employs approximately 13,000 people globally and sells products in virtually every country around the world. www.scjohnson.com

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¹Brazilian Association of Companies for Public Cleaning and Special Residues Management (ABRELP)

²2017 Report on Urban Solid Waste Management by the National System of Sanitation Information (SNIS – Ministry of Regional Development)