The British sustainability group WRAP has convened 42 major food, drink and packaging companies to sign-up to a plastics pact, which aims to transform the plastic packaging system in the UK and keep plastic in the economy and out of the ocean.
The UK Plastics Pact has united the companies responsible for over 80 per cent of the plastic packaging on products sold in British supermarkets. In addition, 15 other organisations have also shown their commitment to the Pact.
The group aims to eliminate problematic or unnecessary single-use plastic packaging through redesign, innovation or alternative (re-use) delivery models; ensure plastic packaging is reusable, recyclable or compostable; maintain 70 per cent of plastic packaging iseffectively recycled or composted and make 30 per cent average recycled content across all plastic packaging.
The UK Plastics Pact
Marcus Gover, WRAP CEO, said: “Together, we have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to rethink and reshape the future of plastic so that we retain its value, and curtail the damage plastic waste wreaks on our planet. This requires a wholescale transformation of the plastics system and can only be achieved by bringing together all links in the chain under a shared commitment to act. That is what makes the UK Plastics Pact unique. It unites everybody, business and organisation with a will to act on plastic pollution. We will never have a better time to act, and together we can.”
Ellen MacArthur, founder of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, said: “We are delighted to launch this pioneering national implementation initiative with WRAP in the UK. This bold new pact will bring together businesses, policymakers and the public to create a circular economy for plastics that tackles the causes of plastics waste and pollution, not just the symptoms. Focussing on innovation, better packaging design and end-of-use systems will not only generate long-term benefits for the environment, but is also a huge economic opportunity. We encourage others around the world to help drive this momentum towards finding global solutions to what is a global problem.”
UK Environment Secretary, Michael Gove, said: “Our ambition to eliminate avoidable plastic waste will only be realised if government, businesses and the public work together. Industry action can prevent excess plastic reaching our supermarket shelves in the first place.”
