Closed Loop Partners announced a $10 million investment in its Closed Loop Circular Plastics Fund from Japanese multinational banking and financial services institution Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC). The investment partnership aims to advance the recovery and recycling of rigid and flexible polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP) plastics in the United States and Canada.

The Closed Loop Circular Plastics Fund is a key part of Closed Loop Partners' broader strategy to reduce, reuse and recycle plastics in a circular economy. The fund focuses on PE, PP and flexible plastics––critical resin types that require additional investment to keep more material in circulation and help ensure that the industry's demand for recycled material will be met.

The fund provides catalytic debt and equity financing, spurring additional mainstream investments into recovery and recycling solutions and infrastructure that can help address bottlenecks in the recycling system. Fund performance is benchmarked according to a combination of financial and impact outcomes, including tons of PE and PP impacted, and tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions avoided or reduced.

With its investment, SMBC joins a group of leading corporate investors dedicated to the transition to a more circular economy for plastics, including Dow, LyondellBasell, NOVA Chemicals, Charter Next Generation, Chevron Phillips Chemical, SK geo centric Co. and SEE. This collaborative effort is key to advancing the recovery and recycling of plastics in the U.S. and Canada, at scale.

"SMBC is committed to sustainability, while identifying partnerships that leverage our expertise and strong footprint in the Japan and Asia Pacific region. Our team is proud to partner in the Closed Loop Circular Plastics Fund's catalytic, impact-first effort to accelerate infrastructure, equipment, municipal services, as well as innovation and enabling technologies related to flexible films and specific plastic types," said Masayuki Takanashi, Group Chief Sustainability Officer (CSuO) of Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group, Inc. "Our commitment and partnership with Closed Loop Partners are part of SMBC's steadfast commitment to our stakeholders, our local and international communities, the global environment, and the next generation."

"The Closed Loop Circular Plastics Fund is a specialty strategy within our Closed Loop Infrastructure Group. SMBC joins our corporate partners, portfolio companies, subject matter experts and experienced Closed Loop Partners team to enhance the ecosystem effect that bolsters our private credit and equity solutions," said Jennifer Louie, Head of the Closed Loop Infrastructure Group at Closed Loop Partners. "These solutions can help catalyze additional financial participation––accelerating the projects, infrastructure and innovations needed to close the loop on plastics."

To date, Closed Loop Partners has kept 4.8 million tons of materials in circulation and contributed to the avoidance of 10.1 million tonnes of CO2e. The firm's vision for a circular economy includes a circular future for plastics––one that reduces the need to extract virgin resources, harnesses design innovation and material science, and champions reuse models and new product delivery models. In the global transition to circularity, all sectors, industries and societies are needed to effect systemic change. Understanding these contributions to global supply chains is necessary, as investors, innovators and cities play key roles in advancing the solutions that can drive forward a global transition to a circular economy.