Global packaging company, Amcor, has announced the company will join the U.S. Plastics Pact.
The U.S. Plastics Pact is a collaborative, solutions-driven initiative, which aims to create a path towards a circular economy for plastics in the United States by 2025. It is led by The Recycling Partnership, World Wildlife Fund (WWF), and Ellen MacArthur Foundation, and based on the following four goals which Amcor will aim to deliver by 2025:
- Define a list of packaging to be designated as problematic or unnecessary by 2021 and take measures to eliminate them by 2025.
- All plastic packaging to be 100% reusable, recyclable, or compostable.
- Undertake ambitious actions to effectively recycle or compost 50% of plastic packaging.
- The average recycled content or responsibly sourced bio-based content in plastic packaging to be 30%.
While the U.S. pact is complementary to, and follows the ambitious precedents set by the existing global network of plastic pacts, it will be tailored to meet the unique needs and challenges of the U.S. market.
Eric Roegner, president of Amcor Rigid Packaging, commented: “As a global leader in the packaging industry, Amcor’s colleagues continuously push themselves and others to achieve more, to understand challenges and advance transformational change.
“We are already working with customers to increase recycled materials in packaging and increase recycling rates worldwide. The goals of the U.S. Plastics Pact are closely aligned with Amcor’s own sustainability agenda and we can leverage our in-depth industry expertise and resources at scale to advance the transition to a circular economy.”
Sarah Dearman, vice president of Circular Ventures for The Recycling Partnership, said: “The U.S. Plastics Pact will inspire and support upstream innovation through a co-ordinated national strategy, creating a unified framework and enabling members to accelerate progress toward our ambitious 2025 sustainability goals.”