Waste and Opportunity

How to capitalize on plastics

Hilde Jenssen, Head of Fundamental Equities at Nordea Asset Management

Every year, an estimated 8 mil tonnes of plastics end up in our oceans—they make up 80% of all marine debris from surface waters to deep-sea sediments.1 Plastic production has exploded from approx.1.5 mil tonnes in 1950 reaching 368 mil metric tonnes globally in 2019.2 Plastic pollution is not only an environmental catastrophe, it represents a major economic failure as well. Over 300 million tonnes of plastic are produced every year, half of which is used to produce single-use items like shopping bags, cups and straws.3 About 95 percent of aggregate plastic packaging value (UDS 80 – 120 bn per year) is lost to the economy following a short one-use cycle.4 Understanding the economic cycle of plastic and the available solutions is crucial to making progress towards restoring our oceans, upon which all life depends, in one form or another.
 


Where do plastics come from?

Before plastics become the ubiquitous cutlery, containers and bottle caps we use in everyday life, they originate with organic materials that are fossil fuel based or bio based—both are recyclable. The primary sources of man-made plastics are crude oil and natural gas. The life cycles of different types of plastics vary greatly

Source: Statista.com

 
 
On land, the shelf-life of plastic varies from less than a year to more than 500 years. In the ocean, it causes a host of problems for marine life including being digested by fish when it disintegrates into small pieces —which can end up in your food. Plastic pollution is a global problem and affects everyone on the value chain from manufacturer to waste management. An effective solution requires addressing the issue on multiple fronts including reduction, recycling, regulating and reimagining plastic.

Reduction

In 2017, China announced on January 1 that it no longer wanted to serve as the world’s waste receptacle. Since 1992, China has absorbed an estimated 45% of the world’s plastic waste. That year, Europe shipped 85% of its total waste to China. A whopping 110 mil metric tonnes of waste will have to be diverted by 2030 as a result of China’s move, putting pressure on other nations to step up, especially in Asia. Big plastic waste reduction programs represent an investment opportunity. Companies like Republic Services that deliver transfer stations and wase disposal solutions are positioned to benefit from this need.

Recycling

China’s unprecedented ban on plastic waste shipments was a wakeup call for the EU, which stated its own target that all plastic packaging should be recyclable or reusable by 2030. As of 2018, the recycling rate of plastic packaging waste was 41.2% in Europe.5
The EU recycling mandate creates opportunities for companies with the technical expertise in decomposing complex sets of materials. In our view, chemical companies may have this edge, especially if they are able to limit the environmental impact. Other beneficiaries are consumer goods companies via smart packaging design and cheaper recycled materials. Companies like Mondelez International that produce biodegradable packaging stand to benefit from a shift away from plastics.

Regulating

Recycling plastics is a megatrend which is likely to endure for many years to come. While companies grapple with investments, execution and transparency around their recycling programs, regulations are likely to become more stringent. To be sure, this megatrend will produce winners and losers, separating those companies that have a sustainable business strategy from those who do not. As active investors, it is our job to invest in companies that understand the difference. For example, Tomra Systems has developed a sensor-based sorting system that enables customers to extract higher-purity fractions from recycling and waste streams, in order to maximize both yields and profits. This system would greatly benefit companies that have to demonstrate their sustainability initiatives.

Reimagining

Consumer preferences are an important part of this equation, and the recent trends toward smaller sized pack-aging have created a headwind. On the positive side are lower input costs through lower recycled plastic prices, which have been trending down since 2011:

There is also an increasing trend toward repurposed plastic use. For example, Coca-Cola European Partners (CCEP) announced the introduction of WestRock’s CanCollar® Eco, an innovative paperboard packaging solution, for multipack cans in Spain. The move supports its work, in partnership with Coca-Cola in Western Europe, to remove all unnecessary or hard to recycle plastic from its portfolio, avoiding the use of more than 11,000 tons of virgin plastic a year across the region.

Investors take notice

As governments are taking aim at reducing pollution, there is mounting pressure on the private sector to take action. Many investors are demanding that companies improve their recycling practices and disclose their multi-year waste reduction goals. There is also a need to understand how a company’s earnings potential is affected and how waste reduction is tied to key personnel KPIs. This is particularly important for some consumer companies, which are among the world’s largest producers of plastic packaging materials.

Investors increasingly want to know, how will I make an environmental impact by investing in a company?

There are two ways investors can help to reduce plastic pollution:

  • Invest in companies with clear recycling targets
  • Invest in companies that provide alternatives to plastics, e.g. Renewable packaging firms.

Considering about 50% of all plastics are currently single-use, enforcing recycling rates will have a meaningful impact on the environment.
For investors, understanding the potential environmental impact of their investments is increasingly important. The health of the planet depends upon imaginative thinking in order to halt the vast tide of plastic waste. Thankfully, more and more companies are harnessing their power to address the problem through reduction, recycling and reimagining plastic usage.
Entrepreneurs often lead the way in combatting the planet´s challenges, and investors can make a support them in developing new technology and rethinking business models that positively contribute to both profit margins and social impact.

10 single-use plastics & their eco-friendly alternatives

Plastic strawsPaper straws
Plastic drink stirrersBamboo stirs
Balloon SticksPaper lanterns
Plastic cutleryReusable or bamboo utensils
Plastic takeaway containersPaper takeaway containers
Plastic water bottlesReusable thermoses
Plastic platesPorcelain or bamboo plates
Coffee cups & lidsReusable cups and lids
Plastic bagsReusable cloth bags
Plastic packagingPaper packaging

Actualités et informations connexes

Podcast connexe

Vidéo connexe

Nordea Asset Management is the functional name of the asset management business conducted by the legal entities Nordea Investment Funds S.A. and Nordea Investment Management AB (“the Legal Entities”) and their branches, subsidiaries and representative offices. This document is intended to provide the reader with information on Nordea’s specific capabilities. This document (or any views or opinions expressed in this document) does not amount to an investment advice nor does it constitute a recommendation to invest in any financial product, investment structure or instrument, to enter into or unwind any transaction or to participate in any particular trading strategy. This document is not an offer to buy or sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy or sell any security or instruments or to participate to any such trading strategy. Any such offering may be made only by an Offering Memorandum, or any similar contractual arrangement. Consequently, the information contained herein will be superseded in its entirety by such Offering Memorandum or contractual arrangement in its final form. Any investment decision should therefore only be based on the final legal documentation, without limitation and if applicable, Offering Memorandum, contractual arrangement, any relevant prospectus and the latest key investor information document (where applicable) relating to the investment. The appropriateness of an investment or strategy will depend on an investor’s full circumstances and objectives. Nordea Investment Management AB recommends that investors independently evaluate particular investments and strategies as well as encourages investors to seek the advice of independent financial advisors when deemed relevant by the investor. Any products, securities, instruments or strategies discussed in this document may not be suitable for all investors. This document contains information which has been taken from a number of sources. While the information herein is considered to be correct, no representation or warranty can be given on the ultimate accuracy or completeness of such information and investors may use further sources to form a well-informed investment decision. Prospective investors or counterparties should discuss with their professional tax, legal, accounting and other adviser(s) with regards to the potential effect of any investment that they may enter into, including the possible risks and benefits of such investment. Prospective investors or counterparties should also fully understand the potential investment and ascertain that they have made an independent assessment of the appropriateness of such potential investment, based solely on their own intentions and ambitions. Investments in derivative and foreign exchange related transactions may be subject to significant fluctuations which may affect the value of an investment. Investments in Emerging Markets involve a higher element of risk. The value of the investment can greatly fluctuate and cannot be ensured. Investments in equity and debt instruments issued by banks could bear the risk of being subject to the bail-in mechanism (meaning that equity and debt instruments could be written down in order to ensure that most unsecured creditors of an institution bear appropriate losses) as foreseen in EU Directive 2014/59/EU. Nordea Asset Management has decided to bear the cost for research, i.e. such cost is covered by existing fee arrangements (Management-/Administration-Fee). Published and created by the Legal Entities adherent to Nordea Asset Management. The Legal Entities are licensed and supervised by the Financial Supervisory Authority in Sweden and Luxembourg respectively. The Legal Entities’ branches, subsidiaries and representative offices are licensed as well as regulated by their local financial supervisory authority in their respective country of domiciliation. Source (unless otherwise stated): Nordea Investment Fund S.A. Unless otherwise stated, all views expressed are those of the Legal Entities adherent to Nordea Asset Management and any of the Legal Entities’ branches, subsidiaries and representative offices. This document may not be reproduced or circulated without prior permission. Reference to companies or other investments mentioned within this document should not be construed as a recommendation to the investor to buy or sell the same but is included for the purpose of illustration. The level of tax benefits and liabilities will depend on individual circumstances and may be subject to change in the future. © The Legal Entities adherent to Nordea Asset Management and any of the Legal Entities’ branches, subsidiaries and/or representative offices.

Suivez Nordea Asset Management

Suivez les actualités et perspectives de Nordea Asset Management sur les dernières tendances en matière d’investissement

Suivez les actualités et perspectives de Nordea Asset Management sur les dernières tendances en matière d’investissement

Ecoutez les actualités et perspectives de Nordea Asset Management sur les dernières tendances en matière d’investissement

Ecoutez les actualités et perspectives de Nordea Asset Management sur les dernières tendances en matière d’investissement

Oops! Please enable marketing cookies to view content like this from Nordea

Oops! Please enable marketing cookies to view content like this from Nordea