International Paper - Net Impact - Staples Case Competition

What is our objective?

Increase paper and packaging recovery rates in the United States!

What is the Challenge?

For over 20 years, recovery rates for paper and paperboard packaging have enjoyed a year over year increase; however, in recent years, these rates have plateaued and we need to find ways to pull more useable fiber out of the waste stream. Even as recovery rates near 60 percent, there is still a great deal of paper and paperboard packaging that goes unrecovered.

How will we do this?

Using real time data, a multidisciplinary team of graduate students enrolled through the fall semester of 2010 will be working directly with the Staples and International Paper teams to identify markets that are not being “serviced” in the current infrastructure, determine the logistical barriers to collection and evaluate solutions to develop creative ways to implement the program. These markets will include large, multi-tenant locations, corporate campuses, colleges and universities.

What will we win?

Prizes include $5,000 cash prize, free Net Impact Conference registrations, travel stipend to the winning team, and annual passes to the National Parks, and $1,000 stipend for finalists.

When do we start?

The three finalist teams have already been selected so the competition is now closed to new applicants.