Over 350 businesses signed an open letter urging governments to adopt the Global Plastics Treaty. The signatories asked governments to cap plastic production based on a historical baseline and set ambitious reuse targets. They also asked for the phasing out of single-use plastic, starting with sachets. The businesses signed the letter before the Global Plastics Treaty negotiations, which took place in Busan, Republic of Korea, from November 25 to December 1.
In the letter, companies urge governments to support “an ambitious treaty.” They added, “We are committed to endorsing, creating, and driving truly circular solutions that follow the zero waste hierarchy, prioritizing reduction and reuse (including repair, refurbishment, and remanufacture), and working collaboratively to implement the treaty.”
“Reuse systems play an essential role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and material consumption,” said Fernando Rodriguez-Mata, Director General at New European Reuse Alliance. “Capping plastic production and eliminating the most problematic single-use plastic items are two necessary steps in the right direction to scale up reuse solutions, but the setup of clear and robust financial incentives is also fundamental to turning the tide of our economies and making them truly circular and resource-efficient.”
The Plastic Waste Economy
Every day, the equivalent of 2,000 garbage trucks worth of plastic ends up in the world’s waterways. Annually, 19 to 23 million tons of plastic waste leak into lakes, rivers, and oceans. A mass of plastic waste the size of Texas resides in the Pacific Ocean. Over the last 70 years, plastic production has dramatically increased. Back then, the world produced only two million tons; it now makes more than 450 million tons. The global recycling rate for plastic waste is only nine percent.
Worldwide, companies produce more than 450 million metric tons of plastic annually, much of which ends up as waste. A study found that 56 companies are responsible for 25 percent of global plastic pollution. The top five are the Coca-Cola Company (11 percent), PepsiCo (five percent), Nestlé (three percent), Danone (three percent), and Altria-Philip Morris International (two percent).
Each of the five companies has set goals for its plastic packaging:
- Coca-Cola–100 percent of its packaging to be recyclable globally by 2025, and use at least 50 percent recycled material in packaging by 2030
- PepsiCo–100 percent of its packaging to be recyclable, compostable, biodegradable, or reusable by 2025, and cut virgin plastic use from non-renewable sources by 2030
- Nestlé–100 percent of its packaging to be reusable by 2025, and reduce the use of virgin plastic by one-third by 2025
- Danone–25 percent of its packaging to be recyclable by 2025
- Altria-Philip Morris–25 percent reduction in its plastic waste by 2030.
How are companies progressing? As of 2023, Coca-Cola achieved a 90 percent recyclable rate for its packaging but only used 27 percent recycled material. PepsiCo achieved an 89 percent rate for packaging. The company’s ESG report admitted it will fall two percent short of its 2025 goal. In 2023, PepsiCo only cut virgin plastic use by one percent. Nestle achieved an 83.5 percent recyclable rate in 2023 and stated that it will achieve more than 95 percent by 2025. As of 2021, Danone achieved an 84 percent recyclable rate, far exceeding its goal. In 2023, Altria-Philip Morris achieved its plastic waste reduction goal.
A Circular Economy
A 2016 report by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation showed that most plastic packaging is single-use. Without a circular economy, this will continue. The Foundation describes a circular economy as “an economic system in which materials are made to be used, not used up.” This starts with eliminating unnecessary plastics. It also requires companies to shift from focusing on recycling to reuse models.
Global Plastics Treaty Update
Editor’s note:
The recent global plastics treaty negotiations, which concluded on December 1, 2024, in Busan, South Korea, failed to reach a final agreement as initially planned. This fifth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-5) was intended to be the last, aiming to finalize a legally binding instrument to end plastic pollution by the end of 2024.
Over 100 countries supported more ambitious measures, including the EU, UK, Canada, and many African, Latin American, and Pacific nations. However, major oil-producing countries opposed strict regulations.
Negotiations are set to resume in 2025.
Significant points of contention:
- Reduction of overall plastic production
- Elimination of certain plastic products
- Restrictions on chemicals of concern in plastic products
- Improved design of plastics
- Extended producer responsibility
- Enhanced waste management
