Twelve months ago, SYSTEMIQ joined companies and organisations worldwide in committing to ‘A Vision of a Circular Economy for Plastic’. Today’s first progress report – co-published by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation and the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) – gives a unique view of a fundamental system shift, towards a pollution-free planet.
Over 200 organisations, from the public and private sectors, have opened up on how they’re producing and processing plastic differently. Pledges from global companies will take the headlines. PepsiCo has announced a 20% reduction in virgin plastic use by 2025, while Unilever is committing to a 50% cut in its packaging.
But the bigger trend is of organisations thinking differently – of the rules of the game changing.
‘Businesses and governments are taking actions in such a systemic way’, said Inger Andersen, UNEP executive director, ‘thus demonstrating this makes business and political sense’.
This includes going beyond recycling, to elimination and re-use. Within this committed group, at least, a number of ‘problem plastics’ are on their way out: 70% of relevant signatories are cutting out single-use straws and carrier bags, and around 80% will no longer use PVC packaging. Analysis by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation has shown that replacing just 20% of single-use plastic packaging with reusable alternatives offers an opportunity worth at least $10 billion. The measures from city and national governments, meanwhile, include R&D incentives and policy changes on procurement and producer responsibility.
Read the full report here. And discover more about SYSTEMIQ’s plastics work in Project STOP.
