Rethinking Recycling

Braskem and the Philadelphia Union, of Major League Soccer (MLS), formed a multi-year partnership to advance the Circular Economy with Closed Loop Recycling and Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education initiatives with local youth. Core to the new partnership is a Closed Loop Recycling Program through which the Philadelphia Union will work in conjunction with Braskem to promote the collection and recycling of polypropylene (PP) cups and caps used at the Talen Energy Stadium. Recycled cups and bottle caps collected from the stadium will be used for a range of initiatives including plastic applications within the stadium itself as well as fan engagement activities and the construction of a promotional structure at the stadium to further encourage fans to participate in the Closed Loop Recycling program.

Why it Matters

For a material that’s everywhere, and that impacts everyone, a lot of people don’t know too much about how plastic works, what it is or how it’s recycled. The Braskem partnership with the Philadelphia Union gives game goers an inside look at the process while making the recycled result tangible in the form of new applications in the stadium and elsewhere. The STEM education aspect will also go a long way toward making sure the next generation knows what’s possible with plastics and how they can innovate and find solutions using plastics.