Tweet Challenge Leads SC Johnson to Open Additional Recycling Center in Indonesia

Last week, SC Johnson challenged social media users around the globe to tweet in support for reducing ocean plastic using hashtags #SocialPlastic or #SCJRecycles. The company stated that if more than 20,000 posts were tweeted or retweeted that it would build an additional recycling center in Bali, Indonesia.

This morning, SC Johnson announced that the challenge engaged more than 150 million people and that more than 20,000 posts were tweeted or retweeted.

“The energy and dialogue that we have seen since announcing this challenge has been overwhelming,” said Kelly Semrau, senior vice president – global corporate affairs, communication and sustainability at SC Johnson, in a statement. “We are proud to help inspire so many new environmental champions and spur conversation about the importance of recycling and the impact of Social Plastic.”

SC Johnson will now move forward with building its ninth recycling center through its ongoing partnership with Plastic Bank in Indonesia. SC Johnson has already sponsored eight recycling centers in the country, increasing the infrastructure that helps stop plastic from leaking into the ocean and helping reduce plastic pollution. Local community members can bring in plastic for recycling and exchange it for digital tokens, providing increased access to needed resources while encouraging plastic collection and recycling.

“The SC Johnson program is really making traction in Indonesia as it educates people on the value of recycling plastic and transfers that value into the hands of the collectors,” said David Katz, CEO of Plastic Bank, in a statement. “There is no better partner than Fisk Johnson and SC Johnson, and together we are changing lives in Indonesia.”

Fisk Johnson, chairman and CEO of SC Johnson, was joined by Katz last week at GreenBiz 2019, where they issued a call to action to solve ocean plastic pollution. Johnson and Katz discussed the importance of building momentum to address the crisis of plastic in the world’s oceans and the need for business leaders, governments and civil society to work together to help develop solutions.

SC Johnson also announced it will launch the industry’s first product that uses 100 percent recycled ocean plastic in a major home cleaning brand. The new Windex Vinegar Ocean Plastic bottles will be an everyday offering, available this spring at North American retailers such as Target and Walmart.