A few days ago, 290 institutions including major packaging manufacturers, brands, retailers, recyclers, governments and NGOs signed the 'The New Plastics Economy Global Commitment'.
The document aims to curb plastic contamination at the source, initiated by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation and UN Environment (UNEP), and at the Our Ocean Conference in Bali on October 29th. Officially announced.
The plastic packaging consumption of all signatories accounts for about 20% of the world's total. Among them, L' Oréal, Johnson & Johnson and Unilever are the three giants. Including Burberry, Stella McCartney, H&M, Zara parent company Inditex and other well-known companies, including Danone (Danone Group), PepsiCo (Pepsi Cola), The Coca-Cola Company and other food and beverage giants and plastic packaging such as Amcor, Novamont manufacturer.
The goal of the 'Global Commitment on New Plastics Economy' is to create a 'new normal' in plastic packaging that seeks to reduce plastic pollution by achieving three main goals:
Eliminate problem packaging or unnecessary packaging, shifting from one-time packaging mode to reusable packaging mode;
Innovation ensures that by 2025 100% of plastic packaging can be easily and safely reused, recycled or composted;
Recycling of produced plastics by increasing the reuse or recycling of plastics and making new packaging or products.
These targets are subject to an assessment every 18 months, and the target requirements will be higher and higher in the coming years. All companies that sign the letter of commitment need to publicly disclose the progress of reducing plastic consumption annually by achieving the above goals.
Alison Lewis, Global Chief Marketing Officer of Johnson & Johnson Group, said: 'We are happy to accept packaging reforms. This is both a challenge and an opportunity for us. We believe that our company and consumers' own behavior will happen under the initiative. Meaningful change. '
Cecilia Brännsten, Head of Environmental Sustainability at H&M Group, said: 'Plastic waste and pollution is a huge global environmental challenge. No single brand can cope with the challenges facing the entire industry. We must unite, 'new plastic economy The Global Commitment Book is a big step in our right direction, which allows companies and governments to form an alliance on the same agenda.'
Ellen MacArthur, founder of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, said: 'We all know that it is important to clean up the plastic waste in the beach and the ocean, but this year plastic waste is still pouring into the ocean like a wave. We need to go upstream and trace the source. The 'Global Commitment to New Plastics Economy' has set a 'draw a line in the sand' for companies around the world, governments and institutions to unite based on a clear vision of creating a recycling plastics economy.'
Erik Solheim, executive director of the United Nations Environment Programme, said: 'Marine plastic pollution is the most obvious and most worrying of the plastic pollution crisis. 'The Global Commitment on New Plastics Economy' lists companies and governments to find solutions to the root causes of plastic pollution. Steps that must be taken, we will urge all parties involved in addressing this global issue to sign the commitment.'
As early as May of this year, brands such as Nike, H&M, Burberry and Gap joined the Make Fashion Circular program launched by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation to reduce waste in the global fashion industry by recycling raw materials and products.