The Plastics Pact Network has helped the participating 12 countries increase plastic packaging recycling by 9%, which equates to 463,000 tonnes, WRAP has announced.
WRAP and the Ellen MacArthur Foundation launched the UK Plastics Pact in 2018. In the following six years, Pacts have been established in 12 countries comprising two billion people spread across every continent. The global network also includes over 900 local and global organisations, WRAP said.
The Plastics Pact Network has eliminated over 360,000 tonnes of “problematic and unnecessary” plastics, WRAP said, as part of its “Plastics Pacts – Scaling impact” report.
According to the report, Plastics Pacts have redesigned more than 850,000 tonnes of plastic packaging (23%) so that it is reusable, recyclable or compostable at scale.
WRAP also said Pacts have increased recycled content in packaging by 44%, which meant over 2.2 million tonnes of virgin plastic were avoided in 2022.
The Plastics Pact Network has four main goals: eliminate problematic and unnecessary plastic packaging and items, ensure plastic packaging is reusable, recyclable or compostable, increase plastic packaging recycling, and increase the average recycled content across all plastic packaging.
WRAP said the Plastics Pacts can inform and support the implementation of a future Global Plastics Treaty at a national level. The fourth round of negotiations for a UN Global Plastic Treaty began in Ottawa, Canada, last week.
In the report, WRAP said it wants to accelerate and scale the Plastics Pact Network’s impact at a national and global level by increasing its focus on priority themes, waste prevention, reuse, and flexible packaging; ensuring that a “just transition” is integrated into the circular economy strategy; and increasing emphasis on informing policy.
To bring the Plastics Pacts Network to this next level, WRAP, the Ellen MacArthur Foundation and individual Plastics Pacts are seeking additional funding. WRAP said its aim is for the Network to be funded through a combination of philanthropic funding and membership fees.
