Sustainability-Linked Financing Framework
Sustainable Manufacturing
Reducing the impact of manufacturing on natural resources and our communities is integral to our sustainability vision. From the choice of raw materials and sources of the energy we use to make our products to the thousands of jobs we create and training we provide, we know manufacturing makes a difference. In turn, sustainable manufacturing provides our customers with packaging solutions that offer convenience, hygiene, food safety and the means to reduce food waste for millions of consumers every day.
Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Novolex has set a goal to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from energy used in operations (Scopes 1 and 2) by 30% per ton of production by 2030. Our target includes annual emissions reduction requirements which we must achieve as part of our Sustainability-Linked Financing Framework which also includes a requirement that our GHG inventory be verified annually by a third party. The third-party assurance of our 2022 GHG inventory is available here. Longer term, we plan to develop a supplier-focused Scope 3 emissions inventory to complete our understanding of our carbon footprint.
Recycling Plastic Film
North Vernon, IN
Novolex operates two world-class recycling centers in the U.S. and invests to expand capacity in recycling operations. Our North Vernon, IN facility has historically specialized in high molecular weight high density polyethylene (HDPE) film recycling. Today, the facility processes not only post-consumer high molecular weight HDPE but also low-density polyethylene (LDPE) and linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE) items such as retail bags collected at “store drop-off” locations as well as HDPE plastic film from dry cleaning, produce, newspapers, paper towel wrappers and other over-wraps, resealable bags and more. In 2020, a new water treatment system was installed to increase capacity for the recycling of plastic retail bags and other films collected via store drop-off programs. Our North Vernon operations are showcased in the Recycling Is Real series sponsored by the Plastics Industry Association.
View Recycling is Real
Shawano, WI
Novolex operates a recycling facility in Shawano, WI that specializes in recycling linear low-density (LLD) stretch wrap that has been reclaimed and sold back into the marketplace for recycling. The Shawano facility also recycles post-industrial film. Learn more about plastic recycling at Recycling Is Real.
Managing Waste
Reducing Waste To Landfill
Novolex is committed to reducing waste at our facilities to promote operating efficiencies and reduce our impact from operations on the environment. In 2022, we made significant progress measuring waste generation across our facilities and published in our sustainability report data on waste from our operations that was recycled or landfilled. In 2022, Novolex diverted over five million pounds of waste that would have otherwise been sent to landfills. As well, our Waddington Europe operations received Zero Waste To Landfill certification from Valpak for its three manufacturing sites in the United Kingdom and Ireland for the third year in a row. Employees worked with experts and market leaders to review processes and waste streams to ensure anything that could be recycled was recycled. Recycled material included waste from offices, break rooms, and cafeterias, as well as all plastic waste produced during production put back into the manufacturing process.
Zero Waste To Landfill
Operation Clean Sweep Blue
As a manufacturer of resin-based packaging products, we understand our responsibility to keep plastic used in our manufacturing facilities out of the environment. To achieve this goal, Novolex participates in Operation Clean Sweep (OCS) Blue, a worldwide initiative co-sponsored by the Plastics Industry Association and the American Chemistry Council to prevent the escape of plastic pellets, flake, and powder into the environment. Operation Clean Sweep has been in place for more than 25 years. OCS Blue enhances program management, measurement, auditing at participating facilities.
operations clean sweep blue
Compliance
All Novolex facilities comply with environmental regulations in every jurisdiction in which we operate. We conduct internal and third-party site audits to review compliance with regulations and standards, evaluate programs, and review processes. We incorporate audit findings into our policies, regularly updating them to reflect best practices to reduce the environmental impacts of our facilities. Programs that manage waste diversion and recycling, manage hazardous waste, and maintain safe workplaces in combination with Novolex governance policies ensure compliance with applicable laws, regulations and industry standards.