‘A line in the sand’ – a Global Commitment to eliminate plastic waste and pollution at the source

Together the signatories, who include many of the world’s largest packaging producers, brands, retailers and recyclers, as well as governments and NGOs, represent some 20% of all plastic packaging produced globally. The Commitment was officially unveiled by Ellen MacArthur at the Our Ocean Conference in Bali on Monday, 29 October.

The New Plastics Economy Global Commitment, led by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation in collaboration with UN Environment, aims to create ‘a new normal’ for plastic packaging. Targets will be reviewed every 18 months and become increasingly ambitious over the coming years. Businesses that sign the commitment will publish annual data on their progress to help drive momentum and ensure transparency.

The formulated targets include eliminating problematic or unnecessary plastic packaging and move from single-use to reuse packaging models; innovation, to ensure 100% of plastic packaging can be easily and safely reused, recycled, or composted by 2025; and the circulation of the plastic produced, by significantly increasing the amounts of plastics reused or recycled and made into new packaging or products
Eliminating unnecessary and problematic plastics is an essential part of the Global Commitment vision and will make it easier to keep remaining plastics in the economy and out of the environment.
The Global Commitment and its vision for a circular economy for plastic are supported by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), and have been endorsed by the World Economic Forum, The Consumer Goods Forum (a CEO-led organisation representing some 400 retailers and manufacturers from 70 countries), and 40 universities, institutions and academics. Signatories include well-known consumer businesses such as Danone, H&M Group, L’Oreal, Mars, Incorporated, PepsiCo, The Coca-Cola Company, and Unilever; major packing producers such as Amcor; plastics producers including Novamont; and resource management specialist Veolia. More than fifteen financial institutions with in excess of $2.5 trillion in assets under management have also endorsed the Global Commitment and over $200 million has been pledged by five venture capital funds to create a circular economy for plastic.
UN Environment, which leads the Global Partnership on Marine Litter and its Clean Seas Campaign, last month also launched the Global Plastics Platform to support international efforts to tackle plastic pollution. It said it would use its convening power to drive engagement with the Global Commitment from governments and other key players. Governments that sign, pledge to put in place policies and enabling conditions to support the Global Commitment’s targets and vision.

https://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org