Minnesota-Based Initiative Launches Circular Economy for Flexible Films in Upper Midwest

A groundbreaking collaboration led by Minnesota’s MBOLD coalition has united leading global businesses and research institutions to catalyze a regional circular economy for flexible films and packaging materials. The initiative unites MBOLD members General Mills, Schwan’s Company, Target, Ecolab, Cargill, Land O’Lakes, Inc. and the University of Minnesota with film recycler Myplas USA, Inc. and film manufacturer Charter Next Generation in this circular economy effort.

From single use shopping bags and zip-top pouches to shrink wrap, pallet wrap and hay bale wrap, flexible film is widely used around the world by food, agriculture and other sectors of the economy. More than 12 billion lbs of plastic films are used in the U.S. each year, yet only 5% of this material currently gets recycled.

As part of this initiative:

 ▪  Lead investors General Mills, Schwan’s Company and Wisconsin-based film manufacturer Charter Next Generation, and supporting investors Target and Ecolab, are making a joint $9.2 million equity investment in Myplas USA to create new flexible film recycling infrastructure in the Upper Midwest.

 ▪  Myplas will establish a new mechanical recycling plant designed to recycle nearly 90 million lbs/yr of PE packaging at full capacity. The plant is slated to begin operation in spring 2023 and will be located northwest of Minneapolis-St. Paul.

 ▪  Charter Next Generation will purchase recycled resin from Myplas for manufacture into a range of new film products for the food, healthcare and industrial markets.

 ▪  Various additional MBOLD member companies will help fuel this circular economy model by exploring opportunities to direct film to Myplas for recycling once the plant is operational and evaluating potential product applications for recycled resin with Charter Next Generation. 

▪  The Alliance to End Plastic Waste, Closed Loop Partners and the State of Minnesota are providing additional funding to Myplas USA to support development of their new Minnesota recycling facility

The expansion of film recycling capacity and production of additional recycled resin will cut plastic waste and reduce reliance on virgin plastic, substantially curtailing global warming potential and the use of energy and water.

MBOLD is a Minnesota-based, CEO-driven coalition that mobilizes the state’s globally leading concentration of food and agriculture businesses, research institutions and innovators to accelerate solutions to global challenges facing the food and agriculture sectors.