Sustainability in focus for Latin American plastics

Latin American plastics firms are making sustainability part of their future.

The region as a whole is expected to show GDP growth of 4 percent in 2021, a number higher than what was expected before the COVID-19 pandemic, IHS Markit executive Rina Quijada said March 12 during the firm's World Petrochemical Conference.

Latin America "is set up for a good year," added Quijada, vice president of business development for the region. "There are a lot of challenges, but also a lot of great opportunities."

For materials leader Dow Inc., its customers in Latin America and elsewhere "want sustainability, but they also want products that are reliable and affordable," Daniela Souza Miranda said during the event. Miranda serves as commercial vice president for Dow's Packaging & Specialty Plastics business in Latin America.

By 2030, Midland, Mich.-based Dow has a goal of collecting, reusing or recycling more than 2 billion pounds of plastic. In Latin America, Dow is working with local recyclers to strengthen the value chain and has launched the Movimento Circular education platform, Miranda added.

The firm also in the region has introduced a grade of high density polyethylene with post-consumer content and has developed sustainable packaging designs for coffee and kitty litter.

Sustainability also is important for Grupo Bimbo, the Mexican firm that ranks as the world's largest bakery company. Mexico City-based Grupo Bimbo is a major user of plastic packaging.

Grupo Bimbo operates 203 baking plants in 33 countries and has annual sales of $15.4 billion, including $2.1 billion in the U.S. The firm's U.S. brands include Sara Lee and Brownberry. Grupo Bimbo's products are available at 2.8 million points of sale worldwide.

"Our business would not be possible without a sustainability strategy," Global Renewable Energy Director Irene Espinola Campos said. "It's part of our core business and our backbone."

Grupo Bimbo's U.S. facilities use 100 percent renewable energy. In Mexico, its renewable energy rate is 85 percent. The firm's Vital bread brand also uses compostable packaging.

By 2025, Grupo Bimbo wants all of its packaging to be recyclable, biodegradable or compostable, Campos said. The firm manufactures and uses its own electric delivery vehicles and has solar rooftops on 75 of its global bakeries.