US-based coatings and materials manufacturer PPG has launched Sigma EcoCollect, in collaboration with waste logistics provider FIRE-OFF and packaging manufacturer Dijkstra Plastics.
Sigma EcoCollect is a nationwide packaging recycling initiative in the Netherlands by PPG’s Sigma Coatings brand.
The initiative enables professional painters and decorators to return used plastic and metal packaging to more than 90 Sigma Coatings points of sale.
The voluntary programme accepts packaging from Sigma Coatings and competing brands.
Returned material will be collected and processed for reuse in new Sigma Coatings packaging as part of a closed-loop system.
The rollout follows a pilot in September 2024 that found increasing customer engagement on sustainability, and boosted the volume of returned buckets.
With the expansion, Sigma EcoCollect will operate across 32 PPG Sigma service centres and 61 Sigma Coatings wholesalers.
FIRE-OFF will handle logistics, and Dijkstra Plastics will manage material processing.
The scheme supports PPG’s target to increase post-consumer recycled plastic and metal content in its packaging.
PPG's initiative aligns with its Tomorrow Included concept, which highlights the sustainability attributes of its architectural product portfolio and supports customers’ environmental objectives.
The company’s most recent sustainability report cited progress toward its 2030 goals, including reduced greenhouse gas emissions across its operations and value chain, and growth in sales of sustainably advantaged products.
PPG B2B Sigma Coatings Benelux, architectural coatings brand manager Petra Bijma stated: “This programme is a powerful step toward circularity. It aligns with PPG’s global sustainability targets, including reducing scope 3 emissions [all indirect emissions that occur in a company's value chain] and increasing the use of recycled materials in packaging and limiting waste.
“Our customers are looking for ways to lower their environmental impact. This initiative not only supports their goals but also reinforces PPG’s leadership in sustainable innovation.”
PPG, headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, operates in more than 70 countries and generated net sales of $15.8bn in 2024.
