March 25, 2025, New York, NY – Today, Closed Loop Partners publishes new data revealing high volumes of recycled food-grade polypropylene (PP) captured at materials recovery facilities (MRFs). The study, led by the Closed Loop Foundation and Closed Loop Partners’ Center for the Circular Economy, in collaboration with technology company Greyparrot and four U.S. MRFs, leveraged AI-powered vision systems to characterize the PP recycling stream with unprecedented detail. These results fill data gaps on the availability of food-grade PP, which can create new opportunities to return this material to foodservice packaging supply chains.

The findings are released amidst growing demand for recycled food-grade PP, driven by policy shifts­­––including recycled content mandates and Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)––and commitments from brands to incorporate more recycled materials in their packaging. Despite increased market demand, there has been a significant lack of data on the available volumes of recycled food-grade PP in the recycling system. With no easy way to track, differentiate and separate food-grade and non-food-grade PP, these materials typically blend together at MRFs, making it challenging to amass the appropriate quantities of food-grade PP to meet growing market demand.

With funding from the NextGen Consortium and the Closed Loop Foundation, the Center for the Circular Economy teamed up with Greyparrot and four MRFs to reveal what was in the PP recycling stream, including the volume of food-grade and non-food-grade items, as well as color, format and other critical identifying features. Nearly 45 million individual PP and non-PP objects were characterized over the course of the study, revealing newfound granular details on the PP comprising the stream.

The study revealed 3 key findings:

1. Clear and white food-grade PP is abundant: On average, more than 75% of the PP captured in the study was white or clear, most of which was also presumed to be food grade. Furthermore, over 30% of clear PP packaging identified were beverage cups. This has important implications for meeting growing food-grade PP demand and how to retain more value in the system.

2. AI-enabled technologies can reliably quantify and classify recyclables with granularity, at scale: AI systems, such as the Greyparrot Analyzer, proved reliable in providing effective material characterization data at previously unavailable scales. This indicates the potential for AI to drive value to MRFs through increased intelligence and data granularity on material flows.

3. AI can help measure and track facility and equipment performance: Upgrades to optical sortation technology at MRFs had a notable impact on improved material sortation. This was progress that the AI technology was able to track and provide critical analytics on, indicating the potential for AI to offer enhanced performance evaluation data for MRF operators.

“The data captured demonstrates what is possible for the future of recycling and circular materials management, when powered by technology that can enhance transparency in the recycling system and increase high-quality material recovery,” said Kate Daly, Managing Partner and Head of the Center for the Circular Economy at Closed Loop Partners. “As we continue our work with many of the world’s largest retailers and foodservice brands, we look forward to identifying more opportunities to pull valuable food-grade materials back into foodservice packaging supply chains––a critical step toward recycled content goals and packaging circularity.”

“This work provides important data and transparency around the performance of AI technology and its capabilities within MRFs. We are proud to contribute critical data on the presence and quantity of food-grade objects within the PP stream,” said Gaspard Duthilleul, COO of Greyparrot. “In just three months, Greyparrot Analyzers characterized over 45 million PP and non-PP materials—a process that would take nearly four years manually, as manually characterizing just 1,000 pounds of material can take an entire day. This scale uncovers new opportunities for data collection at recycling facilities, serving as the foundation for increased recovery of valuable materials.”

While the characterization study focused on uncovering better data at one node of the PP recycling value chain, the results underscore that strong recycling data can enhance recovery opportunities and create new value up and down the recycling system.

These insights lay the groundwork for additional studies that can generate new, valuable recovery opportunities further downstream. Moving forward, Closed Loop Partners’ Center for the Circular Economy will continue to identify opportunities to leverage new data and innovations to advance material recovery with the recycling industry and global retail and foodservice brands.

This collaborative work aims to drive greater recovery of food-grade polypropylene––and other materials––and keep these valuable resources in circulation in local supply chains. To learn more and to visit closedlooppartners.com/center

About the Center for the Circular Economy at Closed Loop Partners

The Center for the Circular Economy is the innovation arm of Closed Loop Partners, a firm at the forefront of building the circular economy. The Center executes research and analytics, unites organizations to tackle complex material challenges and implements systemic change that advances the circular economy. The Center for the Circular Economy’s expertise spans circularity across the full lifecycle of materials, connecting upstream innovation to downstream recovery infrastructure and end markets. Learn more about the Center for the Circular Economy at closedlooppartners.com/the-center

About Greyparrot

Greyparrot (greyparrot.ai), the leader in AI waste analytics, is applying AI to globally scale recycling and save millions of tons of waste from landfills and incinerators. By providing deeper, more intelligent insights about waste stream composition and value, Greyparrot is helping the waste sector recover more value from waste processing lines and reduce the environmental impact of waste.

The company’s waste intelligence platform, including Greyparrot Analyzer and Greyparrot Sync (API), reveals real-time insights on over 111+ waste categories across seven layers of data, including financial value, brand, and GHG emissions, captured at multiple locations across a recycling facility. In 2024, Greyparrot analyzed over 40 billion waste objects helping drive efficiency to save hundreds of thousands, to millions, of dollars per facility — while diverting millions of tons of waste away from landfills, oceans, and incinerators.

Using Greyparrot insights, recycling professionals, plant builders, packaging producers, and FMCG brands can make decisions to help them increase recycling efficiency, comply with recycling regulations, and improve recyclable packaging design.

New York, NY, March 11, 2025 – Today, Closed Loop Partners’ Center for the Circular Economy, in partnership with the U.S. Plastics Pact and its network of more than 120 businesses, retailers, not-for-profit organizations, government agencies and research institutions, released new insights to support the ongoing expansion of reuse in the U.S. The report, Getting Ready for Reuse in Retail: An Actionable Guide for Consumer Product Categories Most Likely to Succeed for Reuse in the U.S., identifies five high-priority product categories primed for near-term implementation of reusable packaging––including food, personal care, home care and more. This serves as a guide for businesses looking to pinpoint packaging formats best suited for reuse, to help meet single-use waste reduction goals.

The report is released at a time of increased scrutiny on the economic and environmental impact of single-use packaging in the U.S. Every day, 225,000 tons of single-use packaging are used in the U.S. Research and in-market tests over the last decade have shown the importance of reuse in recovering material value. However, implementing reuse requires significant shifts in operations and infrastructure, reverse logistics and consumer education. To advance a successful shift to reuse, it is critical to begin with categories that show the most immediate potential to meet intended environmental, operational and financial goals.

Retail stores––as central hubs of consumer interaction––are uniquely positioned to lead this transition to reuse. They can scale reuse systems that can transform the way Americans shop, while minimizing ecological impact. This study analyzed the 10 consumer product categories that account for over 90% of purchased packaged goods sold in U.S. grocery retail stores, and identified the top five retail categories best suited for near-term adoption of reuse:

• Prepared food packaging in retail, such as salad bars, snack bars and rotisserie chickens;
• Fresh produce containers, especially if pre-cut and packed locally and manually;
• Beverage bottles for localized supply chains like milk and dairy, leveraging legacy reusable packaging supply chains;
• Home care product bottles, such as liquid-based floor cleaners and detergents, which often are already in durable containers;
• Personal care product bottles, such as soaps and shampoos, especially if they can leverage similar return infrastructure as bottles from beverage or home care products.

The report delves into insights and opportunities within each category, including its potential to deliver environmental benefits, and achieve operational alignment and consumer acceptance.

“Reuse is at a pivotal point of development in the U.S. To get to the next phase of scale, it is critical to align concerted efforts around target categories,” said Kate Daly, Managing Partner and the Head of the Center for the Circular Economy at Closed Loop Partners. “With collaborative and coordinated work that reimagines our supply chains across retail sectors, we can transform the way everyday products are used and recovered, paving the way to a future where reuse is an everyday norm in the U.S.”

Since 2018, the Center for the Circular Economy has been testing diverse reuse solutions in retail stores and restaurants across the U.S., in partnership with many of the world’s most influential organizations. In 2023, the Center wrapped its largest returnable bag program and bring your own bag program, led by the Consortium to Reinvent the Retail Bag. In 2024, the Center launched the Petaluma Reusable Cup Project, led by the NextGen Consortium. This was the nation’s first citywide program to offer reusable to-go cups to every customer with no deposits or fees. Since then, significant progress has been made to inform the design of systems that make reuse an everyday reality.

The Center began its collaboration with the U.S. Plastics Pact in 2023, engaging the customer bases of 16 reuse innovators participating in the U.S. Plastics Pact’s Reuse Catalyst Program, and studying early adopter behavior to discover five key insights on how reuse systems can be positioned to create the most appeal for consumers.

“Collaboration across the value chain is essential to addressing the complex challenge of plastic waste, as no single brand or retailer can drive systemic change alone,” said Jonathan Quinn, CEO of the U.S. Plastics Pact. “This research is an important step in exploring reuse as one strategy to reduce plastic waste, providing insights that can help advance collective action and support a range of scalable solutions.”

While this report highlights five retail product categories that are most primed for a near-term transition to reuse, other retail categories present opportunities for the long term. However, before scaling to other categories, it is important to begin with those primed for the switch, and gather insights to inform further implementation.

In the coming year, the Center will continue scaling reuse solutions through its in-market activations and research to make reuse an everyday reality in the U.S. Furthermore, as a direct result of this report, the U.S. Plastics Pact will launch a precompetitive initiative to facilitate brands and retailers in shifting one product category to reuse in retail.

Learn more about Closed Loop Partners’ Center for the Circular Economy here.

Learn more about the U.S. Plastics Pact here.

About the Center for the Circular Economy at Closed Loop Partners

The Center for the Circular Economy is the innovation arm of Closed Loop Partners, a firm at the forefront of building the circular economy. The Center executes research and analytics, unites organizations to tackle complex material challenges and implements systemic change that advances the circular economy. The Center for the Circular Economy’s expertise spans circularity across the full lifecycle of materials, connecting upstream innovation to downstream recovery infrastructure and end markets.

Since 2018, the Center for the Circular Economy has worked with leading brands, retailers, reuse operators and public partners to innovate, test and scale diverse reusable packaging solutions in retail stores across the U.S.

Learn more about the Center for the Circular Economy at https://www.closedlooppartners.com/the-center/.

About the U.S. Plastics Pact

The U.S. Plastics Pact (U.S. Pact) brings together businesses, not-for-profit organizations (NGOs), government agencies, trade organizations, and research institutions that work together toward a common vision of a circular economy for plastics, as outlined by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s New Plastics Economy Initiative. This vision aims to ensure that plastics never become waste by eliminating the plastics we don’t need, innovating to ensure that the plastics we do need are reusable, recyclable, or compostable, and circulating all the plastic items we use to keep them in the economy and out of the environment.

The U.S. Pact’s latest strategic plan, Roadmap 2.0, includes a target dedicated solely to reuse. After publishing different resources, including Unpacking Customer Perspectives on Reusable Packaging, in partnership with the Center, and also the Design for Reuse Playbook and Reuse Policy Benchmark in the past year, the focus of this new target is to facilitate the enabling of reuse at different levels of the industry.

Learn more about the U.S. Plastics Pact at https://usplasticspact.org/.

February 26, 2025, New York, NY –– Today, the NextGen Consortium, led by Closed Loop Partners’ Center for the Circular Economy, with partners including Starbucks, The Coca-Cola Company, PepsiCo, Yum! Brands and other global businesses released groundbreaking results from the Petaluma Reusable Cup Project, the first initiative to catalyze reuse across an entire U.S. city.

The report, Making Reuse an Everyday Reality: Insights and Impact from the Petaluma Reusable Cup Project, reveals a major milestone for the reuse movement: enough of the project’s purple cups were successfully returned for the reuse system to produce environmental benefits when compared with a single-use alternative. Delivering a positive environmental outcome on this scale is particularly significant because the program was designed to automatically serve every customer ordering a to-go beverage with a reusable cup, across a citywide network.

 This unprecedented collaboration in Petaluma set out to address accessibility and inclusivity challenges that typically restrict the ability of reuse programs to deliver impact. Throughout the duration of the three-month project, 30 businesses in Petaluma––from national brands to local restaurants––switched out single-use cups for reusable alternatives in unison, at no cost to the customer. Local consumers responded, returning cups from day one, with returns climbing rapidly in the first few weeks and over 220,000 cups returned throughout the program.

The Petaluma Reusable Cup Project was launched at a critical time, amidst growing regulatory, consumer and climate pressures on single-use packaging waste. Advancing reuse has been a focus for the NextGen Consortium, as identifying alternatives to single-use packaging becomes a top priority for brands and cities seeking to reduce waste. In the U.S., 50 billion single-use cups are purchased and disposed of each year, and many of these materials are wasted in landfills.

“The best part was that this project got the whole community involved. Deep public-private partnerships, including commerce and non-profits collaborating, demonstrated that it is possible to launch an inclusive and accessible reuse system that supported our residents. People got into it, and it was the talk of the town,” said Mayor Kevin McDonnell of the City of Petaluma. “We are thrilled to be a part of this important work to scale reuse systems that keep our communities clean and support positive environmental outcomes.”

“The Petaluma Reusable Cup Project demonstrated an ambitious, innovative vision of reuse as an everyday reality, paving the way for the Consortium to scale reuse in California and other markets,” said Carolina Lobel, Senior Director at the Center for the Circular Economy at Closed Loop Partners. “Together, we can scale the solutions that have been proven to work and solve the current open challenges identified in the Petaluma project.”

The Petaluma Reusable Cup Project builds on over half a decade of work to advance reuse by Closed Loop Partners’ Center for the Circular Economy. While there is still work ahead to increase return rates, given variability across participating businesses, the groundbreaking results achieved mark an important milestone in catalyzing and scaling reuse systems. The Consortium invites brands, retailers, cities and innovators from all sectors to join upcoming reuse activations in cities across the U.S.––making critical strides to building a waste-free world.

To learn more about the Petaluma Reusable Cup Project, visit https://returnmycup.com/.

About the NextGen Consortium

The NextGen Consortium is a multi-year consortium that addresses single-use foodservice packaging waste by advancing the design, commercialization and recovery of foodservice packaging alternatives. The NextGen Consortium is managed by Closed Loop Partners’ Center for the Circular Economy. Starbucks and McDonald’s are the founding partners of the Consortium, with The Coca-Cola Company and PepsiCo as sector lead partners. Peet’s Coffee, with its parent company JDE Peet’s, Wendy’s, Yum! Brands, Delta Air Lines and Toast are supporting partners. World Wildlife Fund (WWF) is the environmental advisory partner. Learn more at nextgenconsortium.com.

About the Center for the Circular Economy at Closed Loop Partners

The Center for the Circular Economy is the innovation arm of Closed Loop Partners, a firm at the forefront of building the circular economy. The Center executes research and analytics, unites organizations to tackle complex material challenges and implements systemic change that advances the circular economy. The Center for the Circular Economy’s expertise spans circularity across the full lifecycle of materials, connecting upstream innovation to downstream recovery infrastructure and end markets. Learn more about the Center for the Circular Economy at closedlooppartners.com/the-center/

February 20, 2025, New York, NY – Today, Closed Loop Partners’ portfolio company, Sage Sustainable Electronics (“Sage”), announces their acquisition of IT Asset Disposition (ITAD) company, Cascade Asset Management (“Cascade”). Cascade is a longstanding leader in the IT Asset Disposition (ITAD) industry, providing hardware asset lifecycle management, reuse, refurbishment and disposition services. Following its acquisition of Cascade, Sage Sustainable Electronics becomes one of the largest pure ITAD service providers in the United States.

The acquisition takes place amidst increasing demand to bring valuable electronics––and their critical mineral components––back into circulation for reuse in domestic supply chains in the U.S. The acquisition accelerates Sage’s path to becoming the leading platform within the ITAD industry, servicing major corporations through IT asset recovery and lifecycle extension. The acquisition was completed through Closed Loop Partners’ buyout private equity group focused on buying and building platforms to advance a circular economy.

Closed Loop Partners first joined forces with Sage in 2023 as a majority shareholder in the company, aiming to accelerate the company’s growth and strengthen its position as a leading provider of sustainable ITAD services in North America. Since then, Sage has been at the forefront of advancing a circular economy for electronics. The company provides secure reuse and recovery solutions to businesses seeking to sustainably dispose of their IT assets.

Today, Sage faces an evolving IT industry. Responding to pressures for improved materials recovery and cost efficiency, device lifecycles are being extended, with an average refresh cycle by IT departments of two years for smart phones, four years for laptops and five years for printers. Amidst increasing demand for services to extend the lifecycle of electronic devices, Sage completed its acquisition of Cascade, bolstering capabilities including de-manufacturing and reuse, and increasing reusability yield.

“Cascade is among the most respected IT Asset Disposition companies in the industry, bringing over two decades of experience and a comprehensive suite of electronics recovery solutions that complement Sage’s growing platform,” said Bob Houghton, CEO of Sage Sustainable Electronics. “This marks an important milestone for Sage, as we accelerate progress toward increased market reach and scaled impact. We are thrilled to join forces with Cascade, an experienced operator in the industry, expanding our platform to keep more electronics in circulation across industries.”

Founded in 1999, Cascade brings over 25 years of experience as an industry-leading IT Asset Disposition company, headquartered in Madison, Wisconsin. The company’s services include reuse, refurbishment, de-manufacturing, recycling and resale, providing additional scale, capabilities and human resources to Sage’s platform. Cascade brings in a strong customer base in the healthcare, manufacturing and technology sectors, creating opportunities to advance circularity across more industries. With facilities in Wisconsin, Indiana and Florida, Cascade further expands Sage’s national footprint, deepening exposure in the Midwest and providing new exposure in the Southeast.

“We are proud to join forces with Sage Sustainable Electronics, growing their platform as one of the largest pure IT Asset Disposition service providers in the U.S.,” said Neil Peters-Michaud, Founder & CEO of Cascade. “Our aligned mission, complementary services and geographic footprint accelerate shared goals to transform the ITAD industry and meet growing demand for electronics recovery across industries. Together, we can reach more markets, laying the groundwork for greater impact.”

Closed Loop Partners’ buyout private equity group employs a buy-and-build strategy to partner with companies and scale platforms and enabling technologies across plastics & packaging, organics, circular technology, the built environment and textiles. The group aims to develop, accelerate and modernize circular supply chains and recycling & reuse infrastructure. The investment to support Sage’s acquisition of Cascade builds on Closed Loop Partners’ robust portfolio of investments to advance circularity for electronics––one of the firm’s key focus areas, alongside packaging, textiles, organics and more. Closed Loop Partners’ broader portfolio of investments in electronics circularity spans IT asset management and disposition, disassembly and remanufacturing, collection and reuse, and end-of-life electronics recycling.

“Closed Loop Partners is proud to back Sage Sustainable Electronics’ acquisition of Cascade Asset Management. Cascade’s experience and reach strengthens Sage’s position as a leading IT Asset Disposition provider, with extensive capabilities to serve diverse locations and industries––from healthcare, to technology, to manufacturing,” said Jackson Pei, Managing Director and Co-head of Closed Loop Partners’ buyout private equity group. “We look forward to supporting Sage’s continued expansion to bring more electronics back in circulation, keeping them within domestic supply chains and out of landfills.”

Following the acquisition, Sage will continue to grow its services and geographic footprint, positioning the company for wider reach.

To learn more about Closed Loop Partners, please visit here.

To learn more about Sage Sustainable Electronics, please visit here.

To learn more about Cascade Asset Management, please visit here.

About Closed Loop Partners

Closed Loop Partners is at the forefront of building the circular economy. The firm is comprised of three key businesses that create a platform for systems change: an investment group managing venture capital, buyout private equity and catalytic private credit investment strategies, Closed Loop Capital Management; an innovation center, the Center for the Circular Economy; and an operating group, Closed Loop Builders.

The firm’s lower mid-market buyout private equity investment strategy, the Closed Loop Leadership Group, seeks to make control investments in cash flowing businesses and enabling technologies to scale platforms that are fundamental to the circular economy. The Closed Loop Leadership Group is focused on areas including plastics & packaging, electronics, organics, the built environment, healthcare and the energy transition. With a buy-and-build strategy, the team brings active capital solutions, operating experience, circularity expertise and the strategic network of the Closed Loop Partners ecosystem to capture opportunities for growth and accelerate the circular economy. Closed Loop Partners is based in New York City and is a registered B Corp.

To learn about the Closed Loop Leadership Group, visit www.closedlooppartners.com.

About Sage Sustainable Electronics

Sage Sustainable Electronics, based in Columbus, Ohio is a leading provider of IT Asset Disposition (ITAD) services, safely and securely refurbishing used IT assets for another life. Co-founded in 2014 by CEO Bob Houghton, Sage’s platform has expanded to include four national repurposing facilities across three states, processing nearly one million assets annually. Sage extends the useful life and increases the recovery value of IT assets for its clients, which include Fortune 100 companies across various industries, including finance, healthcare and defense.

About Cascade Asset Management

Cascade Asset Management, based in Madison, Wisconsin, has provided secure and environmentally responsible IT Asset Disposition (ITAD) services since 1999. Founded by Neil and Jessica Peters-Michaud, the company has since grown to operate full-scale refurbishment and demanufacturing facilities in Madison, Indianapolis, and Orlando. Cascade leverages its fleet of vehicles and field service professionals to offer an industry-leading secure chain of custody to transport assets efficiently from client locations to its certified processing facilities. The company has processed more than 115 million pounds of electronics from businesses, institutions, and individuals across the U.S.

Disclosure

This publication is for informational purposes only, and nothing contained herein constitutes an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any interest in any investment vehicle managed by Closed Loop Capital Management or any company in which Closed Loop Capital Management or its affiliates have invested. An offer or solicitation will be made only through a final private placement memorandum, subscription agreement and other related documents with respect to a particular investment opportunity and will be subject to the terms and conditions contained in such documents, including the qualifications necessary to become an investor. Closed Loop Capital Management does not utilize its website to provide investment or other advice, and nothing contained herein constitutes a comprehensive or complete statement of the matters discussed or the law relating thereto. Information provided reflects Closed Loop Capital Management’s views as of a particular time and are subject to change without notice. You should obtain relevant and specific professional advice before making any investment decision. Certain information on this Website may contain forward-looking statements, which are subject to risks and uncertainties and speak only as of the date on which they are made. The words “believe”, “expect”, “anticipate”, “optimistic”, “intend”, “aim”, “will” or similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Closed Loop Capital Management undertakes no obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise. Past performance is not indicative of future results; no representation is being made that any investment or transaction will or is likely to achieve profits or losses similar to those achieved in the past, or that significant losses will be avoided.

NEW YORK, Feb. 19, 2025 — Today, Closed Loop Partners’ Center for the Circular Economy unveils major pioneering findings in a new report on small-format plastic packaging recovery. The report builds on over two years of market research and comprehensive recycling tests in partnership with Maybelline New York and its parent company, L’Oréal Groupe, bolstered by the support of additional partners Kraft Heinz, P&G and Target.

The findings reveal a viable pathway to recover tens of thousands of tons of valuable small materials––including plastics like polypropylene––from materials recovery facilities (MRFs) and glass recycling plants across the U.S. With the right equipment upgrades and reconfigurations, significant volumes of these materials can be successfully recycled instead of being lost to waste. For example, upgrading the glass screen—a type of material sorting equipment—at a MRF resulted in a 67% relative reduction in mid-to-large-sized “small” plastics contaminating the glass stream. Materials that would have otherwise been considered contaminants and discarded at the glass recycling plant are now effectively sorted and directed into appropriate bales for sale in the recycled materials market. These promising findings demonstrate the positive economic and environmental impact of recovering small-format packaging, catalyzing the launch of a new industry collaboration managed by Closed Loop Partners’ Center for the Circular Economy: the Consortium to Recover Small-Format Packaging.

Each year, consumers buy billions of products—beauty items, medications and food—packaged in small-format plastic that is difficult to recycle due to its size and other factors. Currently, most of this is discarded into trash bins, ending up in landfills or incinerators. The small fraction that does end up at recycling facilities often slips through sorting equipment due to its size, contaminating the glass stream and ultimately being sent to landfills. As brands work to meet waste reduction goals and achieve compliance with Extended Producer Responsibility legislation, the opportunity to capture previously unrecovered small-format plastic packaging can have a significant positive impact.

The Center for the Circular Economy conducted its research in collaboration with Circular Services, a Closed Loop Partners company. Circular Services operates over 20 MRFs across the U.S. and manages municipal contracts in major and rapidly growing cities, including New York City, Austin, San Antonio and Phoenix. With support from partners Maybelline New York and its parent company, L’Oréal Groupe, Kraft Heinz, P&G and Target, the Center conducted an extensive, in-field process to identify solutions for small-format packaging recovery. This included evaluating glass stream contamination at more than half a dozen MRFs across the U.S. The Center collected samples from two MRFs’ glass streams and one glass recycling plant’s residue streams; trialed equipment configurations to sort plastics from these streams; sent samples to reclaimers to test their processability and market value; and iterated this process multiple times.

The report highlights five key insights critical to the recovery of small-format packaging:

• Many small format plastic materials hold significant market value
• Logistical solutions already exist to handle them
• Current technologies can be adapted to effectively recover portions of them at MRFs and glass recycling plants
• Market demand for these materials is strong—especially from mechanical recyclers
• Targeted investment at recycling facilities is essential to build a compelling, scalable business case to recover smaller materials

These findings can apply to recycling facilities across the country, meaning tens of thousands of tons of plastics could be recovered annually, avoiding landfill and generating market value.

The Center for the Circular Economy’s new findings lay the necessary groundwork and provide the rigorous diligence needed for the creation of a new industry consortium, the Consortium for Small-Format Packaging Recovery. The Consortium is focused on advancing the recovery of small-format packaging by testing the Center’s latest findings in real-world scenarios across the U.S. The Center is inviting research-phase partners to join, while also expanding participation to brands across various sectors. This is a cross-industry challenge, as small-format packaging is used in beauty, pharmacy, foodservice, beverage, retail and beyond.

One next step to build upon the findings is investment in equipment and infrastructure upgrades for rigid small plastics recovery in the field. The Center for the Circular Economy anticipates a quantifiable tonnage of materials diverted from landfill, carbon emissions avoided and post-consumer recycled content generated. The Consortium will lead the establishment and engagement of a robust value chain for recovery of small materials, from recyclers, reclaimers, policymakers and more.

If your company is part of the small-format packaging value chain—whether as a manufacturer, brand owner or other stakeholder—and is interested in joining the Consortium to Recover Small-Format Packaging to advance collaboration, recycling infrastructure investments and policy for nationwide recovery, contact the Center for the Circular Economy here.

“We’re eager to put our findings to the test and, through the Consortium to Recover Small-Format Packaging, deploy equipment and infrastructure upgrades to drive real-world proof-of-concepts in the field. It’s critical that we advance solutions to recover valuable small-format materials, like polypropylene, that otherwise typically end up in landfill. This is inherently a cross-industry challenge, as small-format packaging is used in beauty, pharmacy, foodservice, beverage, retail and beyond. We’re inviting our research-phase partners and brands across various sectors to join the Consortium and help address an urgent waste challenge.” Kate Daly, Managing Partner, Closed Loop Partners’ Center for the Circular Economy

“L’Oréal is excited to partner with Closed Loop Partners to develop innovative solutions for recovering packaging materials, reducing waste and creating opportunities in a fragmented national recycling infrastructure. Closed Loop Partners’ Center for the Circular Economy provides practical and scalable approaches for recovering small-format plastics that end up in landfills. We believe scaling these innovations will improve the recyclability of plastic and create a viable end-market for our materials.” Marissa Pagnani McGowan – Chief Sustainability Officer, North America for L’Oréal Groupe

“As the number one makeup brand in the world, we have a responsibility to create the most sustainable makeup life cycle possible. Most makeup packaging is too small to be recycled, it literally falls through the cracks at recycling facilities. That’s why it was so important to partner with Closed Loop Partners’ Center for Circular Economy to pioneer solutions for small-format recycling and to help us and the beauty industry accelerate our sustainable transformation. We look forward to making progress together.” Trisha Ayyagari, Global Brand President, Maybelline New York

“At Kraft Heinz, we know collaboration is the key to unlocking solutions for the future of packaging. We are proud to partner with Closed Loop Partners on this groundbreaking research to advance packaging solutions, improve end-of-life recovery and enhance critical infrastructure. By working together, we can drive meaningful change and create a more sustainable future for food.” Linda Roman, Director of Packaging R&D and North America R&D Fellow, Kraft Heinz

About Closed Loop Partners’ Center for the Circular Economy

The Center for the Circular Economy at Closed Loop Partners is a trusted innovation and research hub, partnering with the world’s most influential organizations to solve their toughest material challenges.

As part of Closed Loop Partners’ platform, the Center identifies solutions, tests them in real-world settings and scales what works—transforming bold ideas into actionable, scalable strategies. Over the past seven years, the Center has led groundbreaking projects that reshape industries and redefine sustainability.

Learn more about the Center at closedlooppartners.com/thecenter.

New York, NY, February 10, 2025 – Closed Loop Partners today announced that mission-aligned investor, Capricorn Investment Group (“Capricorn”) made a growth investment in its asset management business, Closed Loop Capital Management. Capricorn joins existing shareholders, JS Capital, Schusterman Family Investments and majority owner, Closed Loop Partners Founder & CEO, Ron Gonen. The investment strengthens Closed Loop Capital Management’s position as a leading private investment firm dedicated to accelerating the transition to a circular economy across private equity, venture capital and catalytic private credit strategies.

Closed Loop Partners was founded in 2014 to accelerate the transition to a circular economy. The firm’s three businesses include its investment group, Closed Loop Capital Management, led by Tazia Smith; its innovation center, the Center for the Circular Economy, led by Kate Daly; and Circular Services, one of the largest private recycling and circular economy services providers in the U.S., led by Jessica Long.

The original investors in Closed Loop Partners’ funds are many of the world’s largest global corporations. Today, Closed Loop Capital Management manages capital on behalf of corporations, financial institutions, foundation endowments and family offices. Over the past decade, it has made 85 investments in emerging circular solutions across plastics & packaging, food & agriculture, electronics, the built environment, textiles & apparel and more. Its portfolio has kept over 6 million tons of materials out of landfills, maintaining their circulation in domestic supply chains, and avoided over 17.5 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions to date.

Capricorn’s strategic investment into Closed Loop Capital Management marks a significant milestone and market signal for scaling the circular economy, which drives security of natural resources and optimization of supply chains through waste mitigation, from product design to advanced remanufacturing. The partnership is grounded in Closed Loop Partners’ and Capricorn’s shared view of the critical need and opportunity for private investment firms with deep expertise in building solutions enabling a more sustainable and resilient global economy. Capricorn’s investment will provide growth capital to enhance Closed Loop Capital Management’s infrastructure and resources as the investment firm continues to execute, and drive value and positive impact on behalf of its corporate, institutional and family office partners.

One of the earliest and most respected climate-focused investment firms in the world, Capricorn manages $12 billion in assets for investors who strive for extraordinary investment results by leveraging market forces to accelerate large-scale environmental and social impact. The investment in Closed Loop Capital Management is part of Capricorn’s continued efforts to provide long-term capital to support the growth of leading asset management firms in the sustainability and climate space.

“Closed Loop Partners has built an impressive platform dedicated to the circular economy. Through its investment group, Closed Loop Capital Management, the team has considerable expertise building and profitably investing in businesses which advance environmental and economic resiliency. We believe their exceptional leadership and strong existing partnerships will provide an excellent foundation for scaling mission-aligned investment strategies which will continue to align capitalism with environmental and social impact,” said Capricorn Partner, William Orum. “We are excited to partner with Closed Loop Partners and look forward to working with their team as they further expand the asset management business over the coming years.”

“Capricorn Investment Group’s partnership with Closed Loop Capital Management signals continued, market-driven tailwinds behind the circular economy. We are proud to join forces with a leading investor driving sustainable change,” said Tazia Smith, Managing Partner and CEO of Closed Loop Capital Management. “Together, we are positioned to expand our proven ability to identify and scale innovations, business models and infrastructure that perpetuate circularity with resilient profitability and net-positive social and environmental outcomes.”

“Capricorn Investment Group is one of the original leaders in sustainable investing. They have built an impressive track record investing in leading fund managers who produce strong financial returns with tangible impact,” said Ron Gonen, Founder & CEO of Closed Loop Partners. “Capricorn’s partnership with Closed Loop Capital Management demonstrates the proven value and investment opportunity in the transition towards a waste-free world.”

Dentons was legal counsel to Closed Loop Partners. Sidley LLP served as legal advisor to Capricorn SIF.

About Closed Loop Partners

Closed Loop Partners is at the forefront of building the circular economy. The firm is comprised of three key businesses that create a platform for systems change. Closed Loop Capital Management is the firm’s investment group, managing venture capital, lower mid-market buyout private equity and catalytic private credit investment strategies on behalf of global corporations, financial institutions and family offices. To date, Closed Loop Capital Management has made 85 investments ranging from emerging innovations to established businesses.

Closed Loop Builders is the firm’s operating group, incubating, building and scaling circular economy infrastructure and services. The Center for the Circular Economy is the firm’s innovation center, uniting organizations to tackle complex material challenges and implementing systemic change that advances the circular economy. Closed Loop Partners is based in New York City and is a registered B Corp. Learn more at www.closedlooppartners.com.

About Capricorn Investment Group

Capricorn Investment Group is a leading mission-aligned investment firm managing $12 billion for families, foundations, and institutional investors. Capricorn leverages over 20 years of sustainable investing experience to deliver comprehensive Outsourced CIO services and innovative fund solutions to its global client base. Their Sustainable Investors Fund (SIF) is a private equity partnership whose investment objective is to create significant value through GP strategic capital investments in asset managers which incorporate sustainability as a key driver of investment returns.

The firm was born from a belief that sustainable investment practices can enhance risk-adjusted returns. Underlying this investment approach is a deep desire to demonstrate the huge investment potential that resides in breakthrough commercial solutions to the world’s most pressing problems. More information is available at www.capricornllc.com

Contacts

Closed Loop Partners
Bea Miñana
[email protected]

Capricorn Investment Group
Julia Mattox

[email protected]

Disclosure

This publication is for informational purposes only, and nothing contained herein constitutes an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any interest in any investment vehicle managed by Closed Loop Capital Management or any company in which Closed Loop Capital Management or its affiliates have invested. An offer or solicitation will be made only through a final private placement memorandum, subscription agreement and other related documents with respect to a particular investment opportunity and will be subject to the terms and conditions contained in such documents, including the qualifications necessary to become an investor. Closed Loop Capital Management does not utilize its website to provide investment or other advice, and nothing contained herein constitutes a comprehensive or complete statement of the matters discussed or the law relating thereto. Information provided reflects Closed Loop Capital Management’s views as of a particular time and are subject to change without notice. You should obtain relevant and specific professional advice before making any investment decision.

Executive endorsements of Closed Loop Capital Management are for illustrative purposes, designed to attract business development contacts, and should not be construed as a client or investor testimonial of Closed Loop Capital Management’s investment advisory services. All such endorsements are from current or former portfolio company leadership about Closed Loop Capital Management’s ability to provide services to their companies. Closed Loop Capital Management has not, directly or indirectly, paid any compensation to such individuals for their endorsements.

The Case Studies described on the Website are included as representative transactions to demonstrate assets to which Closed Loop Capital Management provides capital, however, are not representative of all Closed Loop Capital Management investments and are not necessarily reflective of overall results of any of Closed Loop Capital Management’s businesses. Investments in other businesses may have materially different results. Not all Closed Loop Capital Management investments had or will have similar characteristics or experiences as those included herein.

Certain information on this Website may contain forward-looking statements, which are subject to risks and uncertainties and speak only as of the date on which they are made. The words “believe”, “expect”, “anticipate”, “optimistic”, “intend”, “aim”, “will” or similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Closed Loop Capital Management undertakes no obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise. Past performance is not indicative of future results; no representation is being made that any investment or transaction will or is likely to achieve profits or losses similar to those achieved in the past, or that significant losses will be avoided.

Colorado, United States, January 28 2025 –– LAIIER, an innovative liquid leak detection solution provider for commercial and industrial buildings, announced today that it has raised US$4M in seed extension funding. Closed Loop Partners’ Ventures Group, the venture capital arm of the circular economy-focused firm, led the financing round, with participation from six other funds.

Existing investors Burnt Island Ventures and Mundi Ventures participated in the round, and were joined by new investors Bonaventure Capital, Carlisle Ventures, One Small Planet, and Virta Ventures.

 LAIIER focuses on solving the $19B+ annual problem of damage and downtime caused by liquid leaks in commercial buildings and industrial equipment. Traditional leak detection methods are inefficient, relying on manual inspections and resulting in slow response times of over 80 hours. This leads to significant financial losses, with properties experiencing between one and four large leak events annually. The severity of these leaks can vary widely, with costs escalating rapidly for severe cases and risks of expensive insurance claims and water loss increasing.

As real estate owner operators continue to seek more reliable leak detection that has a positive impact on both financial and environmental metrics, LAIIER’s technology offers scale, precision, and ROI that few other solutions on the market can match.

First launched in 2022, the company’s flagship water leak detection product, Severn WLD™, is currently protecting assets in a range of commercial and industrial buildings in North America and Europe, including those of Fortune 500 and FTSE 100 companies. The technology detects as little as two drops of water, offers flexible installation, precise sensitivity control, and utilizes long-range, low-power communication.

These advanced sensors, and the company’s cloud platform, LAIIER Cloud™, enable early detection of leaks and real-time monitoring, contributing to substantial water savings by alerting customers to issues before they escalate. By identifying leaks in their initial stages, LAIIER’s technology plays a crucial role in preventing extensive water damage to buildings and equipment, and helps mitigate the loss of water––an increasingly scarce and valuable commodity.

“This funding round represents a pivotal moment for LAIIER as we continue to accelerate our growth across North America and Europe,” said Matt Johnson, CEO & Co-founder of LAIIER. “Closed Loop Partners’ Ventures Group is renowned for its leadership in sustainable innovation and its deep expertise in scaling transformative technologies. Their prestigious reputation and proven track record in advancing successful businesses align perfectly with our mission to redefine leak detection in industrial and commercial markets. We are honored to have their support and partnership.”

The primary focus of the funding is to support the acceleration of LAIIER’s commercial growth globally, with a particular focus on North American expansion. The funds will also support the company’s continued investment in the development of its patented liquid leak detection technologies––both the commercially available water leak detection product, Severn WLD™; and the development of further liquid leak detection products for specific commercial and industrial applications.

“In an escalating climate crisis marked by increasing water scarcity and frequency of extreme weather events––from fires to flooding––solutions like LAIIER’s drive awareness and action around our relationship with water and industrial lubricants, and represent a crucial step toward less damage and a better experience with insurers when damages occur. LAIIER’s technology not only minimizes the risk of significant financial losses for asset owners, it can also prevent minor leaks from developing into major events, potentially conserving millions of gallons annually,” said Aly Bryan, Investor on Closed Loop Partners’ Ventures Group team. “We are proud to support LAIIER’s continued growth in North America, and look forward to working with their team to advance circularity across industrial applications and in the built world at scale.” 

About LAIIER

LAIIER solves the $19B+ annual problem of damage and downtime caused by liquid leaks in commercial buildings and industrial equipment. The company’s patented technologies deploy digital intelligence to detect and alert customers to leaking water, hydrocarbons, and more. Customers subscribe to the full-stack solution, which includes a unique sensor technology, connectivity and cloud services; providing a scale, precision, capability, and return on investment that competitors cannot match. LAIIER’s technologies are deployed with insurers, real estate owner operators, and system integrators in North America and Europe.

About the Closed Loop Ventures Group at Closed Loop Partners

Closed Loop Partners is at the forefront of building the circular economy. The firm is comprised of three key businesses that create a platform for systems change: an investment group managing venture capital, buyout private equity and catalytic private credit investment strategies, Closed Loop Capital Management; an innovation center, the Center for the Circular Economy; and an operating group, Closed Loop Builders.

The firm’s venture capital strategy, the Closed Loop Ventures Group, has been investing early-stage capital into companies developing breakthrough circular solutions for foundational materials that underpin and significantly influence a wide array of vital sectors of the economy. These materials include organics, minerals, polymers and water. Closed Loop Ventures Group partners with founders and companies who rethink how products are designed, manufactured, consumed and recovered, with the shared vision of reimagining supply chains and eliminating waste. Closed Loop Partners is based in New York City and is a registered B Corp.

To learn about the Closed Loop Ventures Group and apply for funding, visit www.closedlooppartners.com.

PRESS CONTACTS

LAIIER

Laura Lilienthal, VP of Marketing, [email protected]

Closed Loop Partners

Bea Miñana, Communications Director, [email protected]

Disclosure

This publication is for informational purposes only, and nothing contained herein constitutes an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any interest in any investment vehicle managed by Closed Loop Capital Management or any company in which Closed Loop Capital Management or its affiliates have invested. An offer or solicitation will be made only through a final private placement memorandum, subscription agreement and other related documents with respect to a particular investment opportunity and will be subject to the terms and conditions contained in such documents, including the qualifications necessary to become an investor. Closed Loop Capital Management does not utilize its website to provide investment or other advice, and nothing contained herein constitutes a comprehensive or complete statement of the matters discussed or the law relating thereto. Information provided reflects Closed Loop Capital Management’s views as of a particular time and are subject to change without notice. You should obtain relevant and specific professional advice before making any investment decision.

Executive endorsements of Closed Loop Capital Management are for illustrative purposes, designed to attract business development contacts, and should not be construed as a client or investor testimonial of Closed Loop Capital Management’s investment advisory services. All such endorsements are from current or former portfolio company leadership about Closed Loop Capital Management’s ability to provide services to their companies. Closed Loop Capital Management has not, directly or indirectly, paid any compensation to such individuals for their endorsements.

The Case Studies described on the Website are included as representative transactions to demonstrate assets to which Closed Loop Capital Management provides capital, however, are not representative of all Closed Loop Capital Management investments and are not necessarily reflective of overall results of any of Closed Loop Capital Management’s businesses. Investments in other businesses may have materially different results. Not all Closed Loop Capital Management investments had or will have similar characteristics or experiences as those included herein.

Certain information on this Website may contain forward-looking statements, which are subject to risks and uncertainties and speak only as of the date on which they are made. The words “believe”, “expect”, “anticipate”, “optimistic”, “intend”, “aim”, “will” or similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Closed Loop Capital Management undertakes no obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise. Past performance is not indicative of future results; no representation is being made that any investment or transaction will or is likely to achieve profits or losses similar to those achieved in the past, or that significant losses will be avoided.

November 13, 2024, New York, NY — Closed Loop Partners‘ Ventures Group announces its follow-on investment in Earthodic, a Brisbane-based biotechnology company creating recyclable bio-based coatings for paper packaging. This is Closed Loop Ventures Group’s second investment in Earthodic, supporting the company’s expansion into the U.S. The $4 million seed funding round was led by FTW Ventures, with participation from existing investors Closed Loop Partners’ Ventures Group, Tenacious Ventures and Investible, and new investors Circulate Capital, Queensland Investment Corporation, UniQuest Fund, Significant Capital Ventures, Branch Venture Group and Redstick Ventures.

The investment is taking place as more corporations demand packaging alternatives that reduce waste while maintaining performance. Today, most paper packaging uses petroleum-based plastic liners that help prevent leakage and maintain temperature but are typically discarded as waste. Closed Loop Ventures Group saw an opportunity to advance bio-based coatings that can enable better performance of existing paper packaging or products and unlock opportunities to switch from non-recoverable single-use plastics to recoverable bio-based alternatives.

Earthodic’s Biobarc™ is a water-resistant, repulpable and recyclable coating for paper packaging, offering a solution for brands and packaging manufacturers looking to transition away from wax and polymer film coatings to reduce plastic waste. Earthodic uses lignin––a byproduct of paper manufacturing that is often discarded or burned for energy––and reintegrates it into Biobarc™ to create a recyclable solution for paper packaging. The company is also pursuing third party certifications to ensure Biobarc™’s compostability at industrial composting facilities in the U.S., creating more potential end-of-life pathways for the material.

“This is a key milestone for Earthodic as we expand our reach into new geographic markets, and new paper packaging applications. Advancing a bio-based coating for paperboard can have a significant impact on plastic waste reduction,” says Anthony Musumeci, Co-founder and CEO of Earthodic. “Closed Loop Partners’ Ventures Group has been a key partner in our growth since they first invested in Earthodic. We are thrilled to continue our partnership with their team as we scale our solution and advance the circularity of packaging.”

Closed Loop Ventures Group’s investment in Earthodic advances the group’s mandate to deploy early-stage capital to founders and companies who rethink how products are designed, manufactured, consumed and recovered. Since Closed Loop Partners’ venture capital group launched in 2016, it has invested in over 40 companies advancing solutions that optimize supply chains and reduce reliance on fossil fuel extraction and landfilling. These range from packaging & plastic alternatives to safer chemistry and supply chain transparency to waste reduction solutions for food & agriculture, retail logistics, renewable energy, water reclamation, built environment and distributed manufacturing.

“Packaging waste comprises 30 percent of materials sent to landfill today, creating a significant challenge for brands and packaging manufactures looking to meet zero waste goals. Earthodic’s coating offers a circular solution for paper packaging that can help divert materials from landfill while maintaining the same performance capabilities brands have come to expect from their packaging solutions,” said Aly Bryan, Investor on the Closed Loop Ventures Group team at Closed Loop Partners. “Closed Loop Ventures Group is proud to have been among the first investors in Earthodic and we look forward to supporting their growth as they scale throughout the United States with their solution.”

With capital from its seed funding round, Earthodic will establish a second headquarters at Western Michigan University Homer Stryker M.D. School of Medicine Innovation Center, situated near a pilot coating plant and testing facilities used extensively by the paper industry. Their main research & development hub will stay in Queensland, Australia. The company will deepen existing research & development partnerships with global leaders in paper packaging while continuing to sell Biobarc™ into non-food contact packaging at scale, as a superior solution to traditional wax and petroleum-based coatings.

This will create more opportunities for circularity across the packaging, food and consumer goods industries.
If you are interested in learning more about Closed Loop Partners’ Ventures Group, please visit www.closedlooppartners.com.

If you are interested in learning more about Earthodic, please visit www.earthodic.com.

About Earthodic
Earthodic is on a mission to advance the global transition to a circular economy. We help companies within the paper industry and their customers adopt sustainable packaging solutions, mitigating packaging waste that ends up in landfill. Earthodic has created sustainable function barrier coatings that are certified 100% biobased carbon, to offer liquid water barrier and oil and grease resistance to paper-based packaging. Earthodic coatings utilize lignin, a by-product of the pulp and paper industry, and are a drop-in solution for existing coating infrastructure. Established in 2022, Earthodic has operations across Australia and the USA.

To learn more, visit www.earthodic.com.

About Closed Loop Partners
Closed Loop Partners is at the forefront of building the circular economy. The firm is comprised of three key businesses that create a platform for systems change: an investment group, Closed Loop Capital Management; an innovation center, the Center for the Circular Economy; and an operating group, Closed Loop Builders. Closed Loop Capital Management manages venture capital, buyout private equity and catalytic private credit investment strategies.
The firm’s venture capital strategy, the Closed Loop Ventures Group, has been investing early-stage capital into companies developing breakthrough solutions for the circular economy since 2016. Closed Loop Ventures Group’s portfolio includes companies developing leading innovations in material science, robotics, agritech, sustainable consumer products and advanced technologies that further the circular economy. Closed Loop Partners is based in New York City and is a registered B Corp.

To learn about Closed Loop Ventures Group, visit www.closedlooppartners.com.

Disclosure

This publication is for informational purposes only, and nothing contained herein constitutes an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any interest in any investment vehicle managed by Closed Loop Capital Management or any company in which Closed Loop Capital Management or its affiliates have invested. An offer or solicitation will be made only through a final private placement memorandum, subscription agreement and other related documents with respect to a particular investment opportunity and will be subject to the terms and conditions contained in such documents, including the qualifications necessary to become an investor. Closed Loop Capital Management does not utilize its website to provide investment or other advice, and nothing contained herein constitutes a comprehensive or complete statement of the matters discussed or the law relating thereto. Information provided reflects Closed Loop Capital Management’s views as of a particular time and are subject to change without notice. You should obtain relevant and specific professional advice before making any investment decision. Certain information on this Website may contain forward-looking statements, which are subject to risks and uncertainties and speak only as of the date on which they are made. The words “believe”, “expect”, “anticipate”, “optimistic”, “intend”, “aim”, “will” or similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Closed Loop Capital Management undertakes no obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise. Past performance is not indicative of future results; no representation is being made that any investment or transaction will or is likely to achieve profits or losses similar to those achieved in the past, or that significant losses will be avoided.

USA & CANADA, October 21, 2024: The Compostable Field Testing Program (CFTP) and Closed Loop Partners’ Center for the Circular Economy are pleased to announce the launch of the CFTP’s much-anticipated data-sharing website, offering public access to detailed results from compostable packaging field testing over the last decade, through a dynamic interactive dashboard.

The CFTP’s new platform allows users to explore compostable product disintegration data with an unprecedented level of detail, helping composters, policymakers, regulatory agencies, brands, packaging manufacturers, researchers and consumers evaluate the potential of and opportunities for compostable packaging, and advance the practice of field testing.

The launch of the database is made possible through data donated from the Composting Consortium, an industry collaboration managed by Closed Loop Partners’ Center for the Circular Economy. This data comes from the Consortium’s groundbreaking study in 2023 which analyzed the disintegration of over 23,000 units of compostable packaging in the largest known field test of certified, food-contact compostable packaging conducted in North America. The CFTP provided support on field testing methodology, logistics and data analysis for this study. They also provided test items from their baseline sample kit, unlocking a larger sample set for data collection.

Data donated from the Consortium allowed CFTP to hit its critical anonymization threshold to open-source field testing data collected over the last decade. This marks a milestone for the composting industry, filling a historical data gap on compostable packaging disintegration in-field and providing access to a necessary baseline to inform improved recovery.

“The Composting Consortium’s goal is to support the recovery of compostable packaging, ensuring that the material disintegrates in real world conditions and brings value to composters and the organics stream. Field testing compostable packaging plays a key role in achieving this goal, and was a top priority for the Consortium in 2023, alongside characterizing contamination at compost sites,” says Caroline Barry, Program Manager at Closed Loop Partners’ Center for the Circular Economy. “CFTP played an instrumental role in the success of our disintegration study, and we’re thrilled to share data for their platform, providing the industry with insights that help move the needle on compostable packaging recovery.”

“We had to hit a critical threshold of data and repeated testing under certain conditions to be able to publish the data we’ve been collecting over the last 10 years,” says Emily McGill, Program Director of the Compostable Field Testing Program. “Now, with the data from the Composting Consortium’s disintegration study, we have not only more product disintegration data, but more results on the composters’ operating conditions that provide a crucial link to understanding product breakdown and refining field test methods.”

The collaboration between the organizations has enabled both to share valuable insights into the factors that affect compostable product breakdown, offering practical data to support better product design, composting practices and regulatory standards. The impacts of the Composting Consortium’s disintegration study extend beyond this initial data release. The Composting Consortium recently launched its Composter Innovator Program and Municipal Partner Platform, sharing insights and enabling collaboration to advance the circularity of food waste composting and food-contact compostable packaging.

Later this year, the CFTP will be releasing its refined methods for field testing and a field report, providing more valuable analysis and insights to inform thoughtful compostable packaging development and recovery in the U.S. and Canada.

Explore the Website

Visit the new website for key takeaways of the field testing results and to explore the interactive dashboard at compostabletesting.org.

Media Contacts:

Emily McGill, Program Director, Compostable Field Testing Program

[email protected]

Bea Miñana, Communications Director, Closed Loop Partners

[email protected]

About the Compostable Field Testing Program

The Compostable Field Testing Program is a non-profit research initiative dedicated to providing methods and materials to conduct field testing to composters across North America and beyond. Operating since 2016 as a collaborative venture between Compost Research & Education Foundation and its partner BSIbio, the CFTP provides a standard test kit and a customizable protocol for the common ‘mesh bag method’. When participating facilities share back their results, this data is collected by the CFTP, aggregated and anonymized for eventual public release in an online database. By helping composters evaluate and report on the real-world performance of compostable products, the program provides valuable data to support sustainable product development and composting practices.

About the Center for the Circular Economy at Closed Loop Partners

Closed Loop Partners is a firm at the forefront of building the circular economy. The company is comprised of three key business segments. Closed Loop Capital Management manages venture capital, buyout and catalytic private credit investment strategies on behalf of global corporations, financial institutions and family offices. Closed Loop Builders is an operating group that incubates, builds and scales circular economy infrastructure and services. The Center for the Circular Economy (‘the Center’) is the innovation arm of Closed Loop Partners. The Center executes research and analytics, unites organizations to tackle complex material challenges and implement systemic change that advances the circular economy. The Center’s expertise spans circularity across the full lifecycle of materials, connecting upstream innovation to downstream recovery infrastructure and end markets. Learn more about the Center’s work at https://www.closedlooppartners.com/the-center/

About the Composting Consortium

The Composting Consortium, managed by the Center for the Circular Economy at Closed Loop Partners, is a multi-year industry collaboration on a mission to build a world where organics are kept in circulation. The Consortium advances composting infrastructure and the recovery and processing of food-contact compostable packaging and food scraps in the U.S., to reduce food waste and mitigate climate impact. The Consortium brings together leading voices across the composting and compostable packaging value chain––from the world’s leading brands to best-in-class composters running the operations on the ground. Through in-market tests, deep research and industry-wide collaboration, the Consortium is laying the groundwork for a more robust, resilient composting system that can keep food waste and compostable packaging in circulation. For more information, please visit www.closedlooppartners.com/composting-consortium/