First annual New Plastics Economy Global Commitment progress report published

The Ellen MacArthur Foundation and the UN Environment Programme have published the first annual New Plastics Economy Global Commitment progress report and the Our Ocean Conference in Oslo.

The report provides an unprecedented level of transparency on how almost 200 businesses and government are reshaping the plastics system.

Within the report, Unilever, Mars, Incorporated, and PepsiCo all announced significant reductions in virgin plastic use by 2025.

Analysis carried out for the report also showed that on average, around 60 per cent of business signatories’ plastic packaging is reusable, recyclable, or compostable today, and through the Global Commitment, they have committed to making this 100 per cent by 2025.

Sander Defruyt, New Plastics Economy lead at the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, said: “Around the world, people are calling for businesses and governments to take action to stop plastic pollution.”

“Leading businesses and governments stepped forward by signing the Global Commitment and we can now see promising early progress. This includes major commitments to reduce the use of virgin plastic, the introduction of reuse pilot projects, and unprecedented demand for recycled plastic in packaging.”

“But there is a long way to go and it is crucial those efforts are accelerated and scaled, and more businesses and governments take action to eliminate plastic pollution at the source.”

Inger Andersen, UN Environment Programme Executive Director, said: “Addressing plastic pollution requires a fundamental system shift, from a linear to a circular economy for plastic, which is at the core of the New Plastics Economy Global Commitment.”

“The 2019 Progress Report shows how leading businesses and governments are taking actions in such a systematic way, thus demonstrating this makes business and political sense.”

“The benefits represent a huge opportunity, and the concerted approach leaves no excuses not to act. We need all actors to work together in the plastic pollution crisis, and the UN Environment Programme calls on all relevant businesses and governments to join the Global Commitment to fight against plastic pollution as part of the implementation plan, ‘Towards a pollution-free planet’.”