Global FMCG giants P&G, Mars, Amcor, and Delterra have launched a joint initiative to tackle plastic waste and help develop a more circular economy, with a US$6 million budget over the next five years.
The partnership comes in the lead-up to the second negotiating committee meeting for a Global Plastics Treaty, working to develop a “globally binding” instrument on plastic waste.
Allison Lin, global VP for packaging sustainability at Mars, said the collaborative aims to create programs for waste management and recycling systems – particularly in the Global South – where there needs to be more infrastructure needed for waste management.
“We call on all parties gathering in Paris for the Global Plastics Treaty negotiations to agree on a regulatory framework that enables the creation of effective waste management infrastructure systems everywhere in the world,” said Lin.
Recognising that plastic pollution is a symptom of poor waste management, the partnership said it is committed to investing in programs along the full value chain, including the following:
- Upstream: Design a “waste out of the system” with Delterra’s global rollout of Plastic IQ, a digital tool that aims to change how companies understand and improve their plastic footprint.
- Downstream: Work on the supply and demand side to capture recyclable and compostable materials and return them to productive use with Delterra’s Rethinking Recycling program while innovating material traceability solutions to provide transparency on matters such as source, quality and ethical concerns along the recycling value chain.
Delterra president and CEO Dr Shannon Bouton added that solving plastic pollution requires rethinking how corporations produce and manage waste, including rapidly expanding waste collection and reliable recycling markets.
“We are inspired that these organisations are stepping up to this challenge alongside Delterra, and we invite more companies to join this growing partnership,” concluded Bouton.
The joint initiative said it would focus on countries of the global south, beginning with Indonesia, Argentina and Brazil. It aims to provide easier access to waste management and recycling systems and will explore new ways to improve the ecosystem.
