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The Plant Based Products Council, whose members include companies that promote sustainable packaging, has joined the U.S. Plastics Pact, which seeks a circular economy for plastics by 2025.
Members of the U.S. Pact “recognize that significant, systemwide change is imperative” to achieve its goal, according to a news release. The group brings together more than 70 brands, retailers, non-governmental organizations and governmental agencies to rethink products, packaging and business models, according to a news release.
“Plant-based packaging materials offer a wide range of opportunities for addressing the environmental challenges we face today,” Jessica Bowman, Plant Based Products Council executive director, said in the release. “The PBPC is proud to join fellow collaborators of the U.S. Plastics Pact in working with stakeholders across the plant-based value chain to guide the global economy to a more sustainable future through the application of circular economy principles.”
As a founding “activator” of the U.S. Plastics Pact, the council agrees to:
- Identify packaging that is “problematic or unnecessary” by 2021, and work to eliminate it by 2025;
- Have all plastic packaging be 100% reusable, recyclable or compostable by 2025;
- Undertake actions to effectively recycle or compost half of plastic packaging by 2025; and
- Make the average recycled content or responsibly sourced bio-based content in plastic packaging be 30%.
The first task for the U.S. Plastics Pact is to establish a plan in first-quarter 2021 to identify milestones and national solutions to achieve targets, according to the release.
The U.S. Plastics Pack is complementary to the global network of Plastic Pacts, but it will be tailored to meet needs and challenges of the U.S. market, according to the release.
The U.S. effort is led by The Recycling Partnership, World Wildlife Fund and the Ellen MacArthur Foundation.
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