Companies Set an Example: More Sustainability in Packaging
With the motto “New Plastic Economy”, 11 international companies have set the goal of using or manufacturing fully reusable, recyclable, or compostable packages by 2025 at the latest. Companies include consumer goods manufacturers, packaging manufacturers, and retailers.
These 11 companies combine over 6 million tonnes of plastic packaging annually. The group includes packaging manufacturer Amcor, retailer Mark & Spencer (M & S), Walmart, as well as the consumer goods industry Ecover, Danone, L`Oréal, Mars, PepsiCo, The CocaCola Company, Unilever, Werner & Mertz. Zurich packaging manufacturer Amcor has set a goal of developing only recyclable or reusable packaging by 2025. This will “significantly” increase the proportion of recycled materials in packaging production.
20 Provisional Goals by 2025
Belgian detergent and cleaning agent manufacturer Ecover plans to completely convert all bottles to recycled plastics by 2020. By the end of this year, Ecover will bring bottle caps made from recycled materials (i.e., recycled plastics) to market and, by 2020, test new recyclable, non-plastic-based, fully biodegradable materials. I want Werner & Mertz GmbH, a manufacturer of household goods based in Mainz, also plan to manufacture lids and closures from recycled plastic. Labels, printing inks, and adhesives should be designed to help improve the quality of recycled materials.
British retail chain Marks & Spencer wants to print the “widely recycled” logo on all plastic packages by 2022. The company still wants to do it without packaging, but it often ends up in the ocean as waste. In addition, Marks & Spencer excludes items that cannot be reused or recycled in the future. By 2025, the company is also considering the possibility of manufacturing all plastic packages from a single polymer group.
For a “lean world.”
US companies plan to convert all consumer packages to 100% recyclable by 2025. In addition, the percentage of recycled materials in all packages is expected to increase to 50% by 2030. The packaging used by PepsiCo Inc. is expected to be recyclable, compostable, or biodegradable by 2025.
French beverage and food company Danone has announced that it will offer a variety of “Evian” brand bottles made from 100% recycled plastic over the next seven years. US food companies Mars Inc and Mac Lean want to use only 100% recyclable packages by 2025, while French cosmetics companies L`Oréal SA and Clichy are refillable, recyclable, and compost by 2025. We promised to use only recyclable plastic packages.
International companies set a good example of sustainability. If all measures are actually implemented by 2025, it will lay an important foundation for the use of eco-friendly packaging.
