Building circular recycling ecosystems

SC Johnson, global manufacturer of trusted household brands, is committed to reducing plastic waste and advancing circular packaging solutions. Through its partnership with Plastic Bank, the company is helping build recycling ecosystems that reduce plastic pollution while creating economic opportunity for underserved communities.

Industry: CPG
Headquarters: Wisconsin, USA
Website: https://www.scjohnson.com
Partner Since: 2018

Together, we can go further

When organizations combine their strengths, meaningful change can happen faster.

Since 2018, SC Johnson and Plastic Bank have worked together to recover plastic before it reaches oceans and waterways by building community-based recycling ecosystems. What began in Indonesia has expanded to include the Philippines, Brazil, and Thailand, prioritizing regions where waste management infrastructure is limited. These systems empower communities to recover plastic before it reaches waterways while creating new income opportunities for collectors.

For many collectors, each bottle represents more than just waste removed from the environment. It represents groceries for the week, school supplies for their children, or the ability to pay for mobile connectivity. In this way, plastic recovery becomes a pathway to both environmental protection and economic resilience.

How we collaborate

Plastic Bank establishes collection branches operated by local entrepreneurs, creating accessible locations where community members can exchange collected plastic for income and digital benefits that support everyday needs such as groceries, cooking fuel, and school supplies.

Recovered material is then processed and reintegrated into global manufacturing supply chains as Social Plastic® feedstock, giving plastic waste a second life in new products and packaging.

As the ecosystem grows, so does its impact — expanding recycling access, supporting collectors, and strengthening local economies.

Collective Impact to Date*:

6.1 billion+ plastic bottles recovered
45,400+ collectors earning better livelihoods
640+ communities strengthened

*data as of Mar. 8, 2026

Supporting the school program in Indonesia and the Philippines

Together, Plastic Bank and SC Johnson are turning classrooms into catalysts for change. Over 140 schools are now hubs for recycling education, where teachers are trained in plastic waste management and students learn how to recycle responsibly. Each partner school has its own collection point, giving students the chance to turn knowledge into action. Plastic Bank collectors pick up the materials from the schools, bringing it to collection branches to be exchanged and recycled — creating cleaner communities and a brighter future.

From recovery to circular packaging

A defining feature of the partnership is its ability to connect community recovery efforts with SC Johnson’s product packaging innovation.

Plastic collected is recycled and used in packaging for several SC Johnson brands found in homes around the world, including:

Windex® glass cleaner bottles in North America made with 100% recovered coastal plastic
Mr Muscle® window and glass cleaner bottles in the UK and Ireland
Duck® Biodegradable Formula Toilet Bowl Cleaner bottles made with 50% recovered coastal plastic
Method® clear PET packaging in North America made from 100% recycled recovered coastal plastic

These initiatives show how plastic recovered by communities can reenter the global economy as a valuable resource — transforming waste into something useful again.

Looking ahead

SC Johnson’s partnership with Plastic Bank reflects a shared commitment to building circular solutions that fight plastic pollution while uplifting communities.

By investing in recycling infrastructure, empowering collectors, and reintegrating recovered materials into everyday products, the collaboration shows what’s possible when businesses work together with communities to rethink the lifecycle of plastic.

Because when plastic is valued, recovered, and reused — it stops being waste, and starts becoming part of a more circular future.