.png)
Last week, we spoke about the aluminum cans many of us will use during the coming holidays for our liquid refreshments and the stats on their being recycled. Today, we will talk about the plastic bottles also used to hold the liquid refreshments for us. Information is again taken from an article in a Resource Recycling newsletter.
The article was titled, “How much recycled plastic are big brands using? Report sheds light.”
Some good new is that the Coca-Cola Co. uses considerably more recycled resin than many of its global packaging peers. But the not-so-good news is like the others, "it still has a long way to go to hit its ambitious goals.”
The Resource Recycling article used a progress report done by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation. The foundation’s 433-page document, updated annually, shows how much progress participating companies are making towards their plastic packaging sustainability commitments.
Using 2018 data from some of the largest brand owners — in terms of revenue — that have signed the commitments, I feel the numbers are interesting. And I was both quite disappointed and surprised at the low participation in use of recycled materials.
Although the companies listed here are only a few of the companies producing such bottles, I felt they are a good sampling. These few are shown in the largest-to-smallest in terms of total plastic packaging used every year.
- Coca-Cola: Although they have a target of using 50% post-consumer plastic content for their packaging by 2030, they are currently using just 9%. They currently use about 3 million tons of plastic for their packaging. The good news is 99% of their packaging is reusable/recyclable/compostable.
- PepsiCo: With a target of using 25% post-consumer plastic content for their packaging by 2025, they are currently using just 3%. They currently use about 2.3 million tons of plastic for their packaging and 77% of their packaging is reusable/recyclable/compostable.
- Nestlé: This company has a target of using 15% post-consumer plastic content for their packaging by 2025, they are currently using just 2%. They currently use about 1.7 million tons of plastic for their packaging. The somewhat good news is 65% of their packaging is reusable/recyclable/compostable.
- Unilever: Having a target of using 25% post-consumer plastic content for their packaging by 2025, they have a long ways to go as they are currently using less than 1%. They currently use about three-quarter million tons of plastic for their packaging and roughly 50% of their packaging is reusable/recyclable/compostable.
- Mars: With a nice target of using 30% post-consumer plastic content for their packaging by 2025, they have to start sometime soon they are currently at 0%. They currently use about one-quarter million tons of plastic for their packaging. The disappointing news is only 19% of their packaging is reusable/recyclable/compostable.
- L’Oréal: This smaller company has a target of using 40% post-consumer plastic content for their packaging by 2025, they are currently using just 5%. They currently use about one-tenth of a million tons of plastic for their packaging. They did not disclose what percent of their packaging is reusable/recyclable/compostable.
The Ellen MacArthur Foundation, in collaboration with the UN Environment Program, had signed up over 400 organizations to the Global Commitment by March 2019. This included for-profit businesses, nonprofit organizations and governments.
Among those are three beverage companies which earlier had committed $100 million to boost plastic bottle recycling infrastructure in the U.S. — Coca-Cola, PepsiCo and Keurig Dr Pepper.
Let’s hope that all these companies try to honor their commitments. While they are trying to do so, let’s make a self-commitment to recycle all the plastic bottles and jugs that we can.
Till next week, do have an enjoyable and safe Thanksgiving break.
--
Ollie is a local citizen concerned with the environment and helping others. A retired Air Force fighter and instructor pilot, he is a graduate of Leadership San Marcos and received his degrees at Texas State University where he worked on staff before totally retiring. For questions or comments, he invites you to call him at 512-353-7432.or email [email protected].
