Kickstart: A day for recycling

Welcome to a day that's all about being green.

And no, I'm not a day late for St. Patrick's Day. March 18 is Global Recycling Day, a recognition that began in 2018 to "tell world leaders that recycling is simply too important not to be a global issue" and prompt people to consider recycling as an important resource, the group says on its website.

"It's a day when citizens from nearly 100 countries come together to promote the importance of recycling," says Susie Burrage, president of the Bureau of International Recycling, based in the United Kingdom, and an ambassador for Global Recycling Day, in a social media post.

In addition to lobbying for support from businesses, governments and individuals, the group will announce its 2025 Recycling Heroes on March 18. Past winners have included the founder of a plastics recycling company in Tanzania, students at a U.K. primary school who led a cleanup effort, Plastic Bank founder David Katz, Indiana-based electronics recycler RecycleForce, and high-profile groups and individuals such as the band Coldplay, which has helped touring musicians embrace sustainability at concert venues.

Plastipak Packaging Inc. is supporting a "transformational" expansion at Michigan State University's School of Packaging that will double the current size of the school's building and boost research capacity.

Room 164 will be renamed the Plastipak Processing Lab in the company's honor.

The East Lansing, Mich., university approved the expansion in 2024. The School of Packaging, which includes research into sustainable packaging, is part of MSU's College of Agriculture and Natural Resources and was the first packaging school in the U.S., opening in 1952. It has 600 undergraduate students and 10,000 alumni worldwide.

Plymouth, Mich.-based Plastipak is the third-largest blow molder in North America, according to Plastics News data, with more than $2.4 billion in sales in the region.

"This investment in the future of packaging and recycling innovation reflects our commitment and advocacy for fostering the next generation of leaders dedicated to advancing sustainable solutions," said Ed Morgan, Plastipak president and CEO, in a news release. "By increasing the capability and capacity for groundbreaking research and collaboration, we are helping to shape the future of packaging and recycling for years to come."

The on-again, off-again trade war is changing the way some companies operate their business. Rather than just-in-time delivery of parts, at least one automaker is hoarding them.

Kurt Nagl of our sister publication Crain's Detroit Business writes that Ford Motor Co. supply chain chief Liz Door sent a memo to suppliers on March 14 stating that the company is "strategically stockpiling components where it is cost-effective and parts that are not pending engineering changes."

The U.S. postponed a 25 percent tariff on Canadian goods — as well as those from Mexico — in early March but warned it will return on April 2.

Ford also promised in the memo that it "remains committed to working collaboratively with all stakeholders to minimize disruptions and ensure the best outcomes for our suppliers."