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Mall owner Simon Property Group will use Navar''s platform to allow customers to return online purchases at the guest services desks at six malls beginning this holiday season. Roughly two dozen brands, including Gap and Vera Bradley, are participating.

Americans throw away approximately 200 million pounds of Thanksgiving turkey each year, which contributes to carbon emissions as well as garbage, according to Yvette Cabrera of the Natural Resources Defense Council. To fight waste, she recommends planning the right number of portions, using food already on hand, freezing leftovers -- and even potentially eating something besides turkey.

Officials in Christchurch, New Zealand, are using a "gold star" reward system to encourage residents to sort their recycling more carefully. The city has seen the amount of recycling contaminated with other waste drop since it introduced a system of putting gold stars on the bins of successful recyclers and confiscating the bins of those who regularly fail to properly separate recycling and other waste.

DeliverZero, a third-party delivery service that uses reusable packaging, now offers service from nearly 100 restaurants in New York City. Customers return their used reusable containers to drivers or designated drop-off locations.

Meijer and United Natural Foods have joined more than 30 companies pledging to cut food loss and waste by 50% within the next 10 years. The grocer and the food wholesaler are now part of the US Food and Waste Loss 2030 Champions program, a coalition determined by the USDA and the Environmental Protection Agency.

The results of last week''s general election is expected to affect the recycling and waste industries with increased taxation, possibly leading to slower merger and acquisition activity, writes E.A. Crunden. Federal legislation seeking to shift the financial burden of packaging recycling to producers and create a national bottle bill may get new life, Crunden adds.

The European Union could eventually require scorecards indicating how easily electronic devices can be repaired, similar to those created by iFixit Europe and others being introduced in France next year. Such a policy would take many years to develop, says Thomas Ebert of the German Federal Environment Agency.

A low-carbon drainage pipe with maintenance sensors is being developed by the UK''s University of Birmingham and piping company Aquaspira. Made of steel and recycled plastic, the pipe now being tested will be fitted with sensors to identify climate impacts to the pipe as they develop so they can be addressed quickly.

The pandemic has meant less waste from some sectors, an increase in residential cardboard, bottles and cans, and financial hardship for municipalities, all of which affects Waste Management''s business in landfills and recycling facilities, says CEO Jim Fish. "Ultimately, when the world gets back to normal, we will again move toward fewer single-use items and more reusable ones," he says.

RLA is seeking nominations from companies and their partners to identify leaders in the Reverse Logistics industry. The deadline is Dec. 14, so submit your nominations now! Award winners will be announced in February 2021.

Jobs have been posted by our members. If you are potential candidate looking for a position in Reverse Logistics, this is the place to look! .RLA Members can post their Reverse Logistics career opportunities on our Job Postings page! Check out our postings and post a job or apply now.

Recycling companies are set to be more financially stable in the future thanks to renegotiated contracts with municipalities, according to experts with the bank Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group. They also predict more consolidation in the solid waste sector as smaller companies find it more cost-prohibitive to operate.

Apple has sued recycling company GEEP Canada, alleging that it resold more than 100,000 old iPads, iPhones and Apple Watches that were intended for recycling. GEEP says that only three of its employees were involved in the alleged resale.

Bans on textile imports and other complications from the coronavirus pandemic have hampered the trade and export of used clothing around the world, meaning more items are likely being discarded in landfills, according to industry observers. "We are reaching the point where our warehouses are completely full," says Antonio de Carvalho, head of a UK textile recycling company.

British companies such as charrli and Spruce are contributing to a circular economy by selling toiletries and cleaning products in refillable containers, writes Kate Jackson. She argues that customers should be willing to pay more for such items because of their environmental benefit.

Running shoe brand On now offers a membership option for fans of its Cyclon shoes. Subscribers who pay $30 per month will receive a new pair of the sneakers, which area made from recycled materials, every six months and send the previous pair back to be recycled.

The city of Berlin has created a pop-up shop in department store Karstadt Hermannplatz to sell high-quality used items as part of the city''s push to become zero-waste in a decade. The 650-square-metre shop dubbed B-Wa(h)renhaus will host nine vendors selling a variety of goods, including clothing, toys, furniture and appliances.

Emily Benjamin and Lucy Janssen started opened Reuse Refuge, a low-waste and environmentally conscious retail store, to fill a gap in the market for like-minded customers. The store features a "refillery" to help customers avoid single-use containers.

Coca-Cola, Keurig Dr Pepper and Nestle Waters support a new California law requiring 50% rPET in plastic bottles by 2030, according to representatives from each company. The three beverage producers also report having already exceeded the law''s first mandate of using 15% rPET in bottles sold in California by 2022.

Manufacturers can generate revenue and customer loyalty by introducing product-as-a-service options, writes James Schellhorn, chief business development officer at ServiceCentral. He recommends getting started with a product-plus-service model in which "post-sales engagement could expand and extend the classic warranty and upgrade stages of the product life cycle."

RLA continues to participate in several media outlets to keep the public updated on the reverse logistics industry. Listen to our latest podcasts and interviews, as well as our Reverse Logistics Podcast Series with Supply Chain Now.

Check out our updated RLA Connect online networking service for manufacturers, retailers, and 3PSPs to connect and partner for their reverse logistics needs and services. Visit our RLA Connect page, log in, and view the easy to follow steps to post your request online. This service is another benefit available to RLA Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum, and Diamond Members at no additional cost.

About half of supply chain professionals in various industries say they will focus more on the circular economy in the next few years, according to a Gartner survey. Companies can better manage materials at the end of life by improving product design, says Sarah Watt, senior director analyst with Gartner''s Supply Chain Practice.

Families eating together are more conscious of not wasting food, according to recent research from 84.51?, Kroger''s data analytics arm, and the grocer is looking to take advantage of that heightened awareness in its Zero Hunger | Zero Waste initiative. In addition to a heightened focus on family meals, Kroger is boosting its recycling programs, allowing customers to round up their purchases to donate to the campaign and simplifying the date labels on its private brand products.

Amazon has created the Climate Pledge Friendly label, which will appear next to listings for products that meet at least one of the company''s 19 standards for sustainability. The label launched for about 25,000 product listings, including those that are part of an Amazon program to reduce packaging waste.

The North Face has begun working with its outdoor apparel and gear designers to create products with an eye on how they can be repaired or refurbished and resold in the future, as part of The North Face Renewed program. Sustainability and keeping more goods out of landfills have become part of The North Face brand, and that involves getting all teams engaged, said Dan Goldman, global vice president of strategy.

Ocean Spray is partnering with recycling company TerraCycle on a program allowing consumers to return empty Craisins cartons via the mail for recycling. Ocean Spray also plans to participate in TerraCycle''s Loop platform, which offers consumer packed goods products in reusable packaging, starting with Ocean Spray''s Cranberry Juice Cocktail.

The Body Shop has joined with Plastics For Change to start sourcing plastic waste from India to use in its packaging, as part of its Community Fair Trade program. The beauty retailer expects to source 551 tons of plastic waste through the program this year and has also connected with cosmetics player Natura on sustainability efforts.

A Consumer Brands Association report finds 70% of Americans cite safety and hygiene as more important than environmental impact right now, as the world contends with the COVID-19 crisis. "The pandemic has validated the urgent need for a modern recycling system that can deal with our reality," said Consumer Brands President and CEO Geoff Freeman.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed into law a bill requiring certain amounts of recycled plastic to be used in plastic beverage containers, starting with 15% within two years and increasing to 50% within 10 years. Glass bottles in California are already required to contain 35% recycled content.

As the camera industry becomes more focused on high-end and specialized products, retailers and manufacturers need services such as those provided by KEH Camera to manage returned and outdated inventory, writes Justin Goldman, director of purchasing at KEH. He explains how the company has benefited from a partnership that began at a Reverse Logistics Association conference and encourages others to "make full use of membership in the RLA."

The RLA has five active Committees: Consumer Products, Wireless & Mobility, Recycling & Sustainability, Service, Parts & Warranty, and Standards. Each committee holds meetings to provide those specific industry professionals to come together to discuss common Reverse Logistics issues and ultimately help find solutions. Find and join a committee!

If you are looking for more content and research on Reverse Logistics, visit our RLA Industry Research products page. White Papers, Case Studies, Presentations, and more. PLUS, FREE Documents for all Users of the RLA Community. Log in or Register now for free to access the many documents available for your use.

FedEx has teamed with Happy Returns on accepting return purchases from 150 participating retailers and brands, including Steve Madden, Draper James and Everlane. Starting soon, consumers will be able to start the return process online, receive a QR code and use that code for an instant refund when they return the merchandise to one of 2,000 FedEx Office locations.

TerraCycle''s Loop program has attracted consumer packaged goods firms such as Procter & Gamble, Mars, PepsiCo and Nestle, as well as consumers, because it offers stakeholders a convenient way to act on their values, said founder Tom Szaky. "If you''re going to champion for purposeful action -- for us that''s about waste, but it could be anything -- you have to honor the restrictions that the other people are put into, and play into those instead of trying to disregard them or diminish them," he said.

Hundreds of thousands of products returned to Amazon Canada are trashed or shredded, rather than recycled or resold, according to a CBC Marketplace investigation. Journalists bought 12 items from Amazon, fitted them with GPS trackers and returned them, and only four of the products wound up being resold.

H&M CEO Helena Helmersson says she''s dedicated to using only recycled or ethically sourced materials by next decade, improving industry pay and using technology to reduce waste. "How can we forecast customer demand in better ways through tech and AI, so we don''t produce unnecessary volumes?" she says.

IKEA stores in 27 countries will start buying and selling used pieces of the retailer''s furniture next month as part of a sustainability push and an effort to increase foot traffic. Customers can apply online to return their items, and based on the condition of the furniture, they will receive a store credit worth between 30% and 50% of the original price.

Beginning in January, smartphones, laptops, TVs, lawn mowers and front-loading washing machines sold in France will be required to have labels indicating how easily they can be repaired, with a rating between 1 and 10. In 2024, the labels will expand to more products and indicate durability.

Amazon is implementing artificial intelligence tools to cut down on packaging waste and cardboard use. At fulfillment facilities, the AI tools use information from returns and customer complaints to determine whether specific items can be safely packed in padded envelopes rather than boxes.

Repair company iFixit and refurbished device seller Back Market celebrated "Still In Its Prime Day" on Oct. 12 to contrast with Amazon Prime Day and emphasize that many devices can be repaired and reused. The companies made a donation to the advocacy group Repair.org for each photo someone posted of a device that''s lasted them a long time.

Retailers should switch from including printed return labels in packages to managing returns with online portals to ensure greater visibility, save time and give customers more information, writes Al Gerrie, founder and CEO of ZigZag Global. Portals also make the returns process more environmentally friendly and allow for easier exchanges, he writes.

Check out our updated RLA Connect online networking service for manufacturers, retailers, and 3PSPs to connect and partner for their reverse logistics needs and services. Visit our RLA Connect page, log in, and view the easy to follow steps to post your request online. This service is another benefit available to RLA Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum, and Diamond Members at no additional cost.

Jobs have been posted by our members. If you are potential candidate looking for a position in Reverse Logistics, this is the place to look! .RLA Members can post their Reverse Logistics career opportunities on our Job Postings page! Check out our postings and post a job or apply now.

Retailers should prepare for more returns to be made online, rather than in-store, as the coronavirus pandemic has prompted more people to shop online and made it more complicated for stores to handle returns, writes Zach Thomann. He also recommends using technology such as augmented and virtual reality to provide customers with a better idea of what they''re buying so they''re less likely to return it.

Fashion rental service Rent the Runway will permanently shutter all five of its brick-and-mortar stores, a move the company was considering before the pandemic hit, President and Chief Operating Officer Anushka Salinas said. More than 90% of store visitors came to the locations to drop off clothing rented online, and closing the stores will free up resources to focus on strengthening the online business and adding more drop boxes for returning clothes.

Apple on Monday said it would provide independent repair businesses with the necessary training and parts to fix its Mac computers. The company previously limited independent shops to repairing iPhones.

Brands left with piles of excess inventory because of the pandemic are turning to outlets from traditional off-price retailers to newer resale platforms to sell the products. For example, Shopworn is a platform that buys excess inventory and sells it at a discount that''s negotiated with the brand.

California''s Farm to Family program reimburses farmers for labor and packaging costs when they give their excess produce to the state''s food banks. The effort, as well as similar ones in other states, has been a critical tool for helping farmers stay in business while also feeding cash-strapped consumers during the pandemic.

Kroger, Tesco, Carrefour and Aeon are among the grocers planning to make space in their stores next year for products sold in reusable containers from Loop. Items including ice cream, deodorant and laundry detergent will be sold in stainless steel containers, and customers will be charged a deposit that''s refundable when they return the containers to be washed and reused.

Michigan should change how it spends money from unclaimed beverage container deposits and give more of it to beverage distributors, recycling infrastructure and efforts to fight redemption fraud, several industry groups said last week. The state currently allocates 25% of the money to retailers and the rest to the state Cleanup and Redevelopment Trust Fund for environmental projects.

The authors of a federal bill to improve the nation''s recycling system, Sen. Tom Udall, D-N.M., and Rep. Alan Lowenthal, D-Calif., have issued a memo to state lawmakers interested in crafting the bill''s main points into state legislation. The Break Free From Plastic Pollution Act proposes a nationwide deposit program and minimum recycled content and extended producer responsibility mandates.

Check out our updated RLA Connect program, a networking service for manufacturers, retailers, and 3PSPs to connect and partner for their reverse logistics needs and services. Visit our RLA Connect page, log in, and view the easy to follow steps to post your request online. This service is another benefit available to RLA Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum, and Diamond Members at no additional cost.

Users of the RLA Community stay up to date with Reverse Logistics industry news and events. You''ll get the monthly Industry Events email, the weekly RLA SmartBrief, a subscription to our digital Reverse Logistics Magazine - PLUS if you sign up now, Community Users also get ONE FREE RL Industry Research product. Join now.