Nestlé, Walmart and Borealis commit to the New Plastics Economy

The Ellen MacArthur Foundation (EMF) is committed to promoting circular economy practices with its partners, driving industry towards waste-free operations through closed-loop systems.

Its New Plastics Economy (NPE) focuses, as the name would suggest, on enacting this vision for plastics by bringing organisations together to reimagine how plastics are used across industries. In October 2018, EMF launched the New Plastics Economy Commitment which seeks to unite signatories under a shared vision for plastic waste reduction. Of its current signatories, currently amounting to over 400, 20% of all plastic packaging production is already represented within the initiative.

The NPE is bolstered by a roster of industry-leading Core Partners which, prior to 19 November, included Amcor, the Coca-Cola Company, Danone, Mars, Novamont, L’oréal, PepsiCo and Veolia. The world’s largest retailer, Walmart, and its largest food company, Nestlé, join chemical specialist Borealis in bolstering the list, committing to develop and scale a circular economy that is both considerably better for the environment and capable of cutting costs for businesses. As Andy Wood, CEO of Adnams, said in our recent feature: “Waste is a proxy for cost”.

“Collaboration and collective action are critical to achieving system-wide change to the way we think about and engage with plastics. At Nestlé, we don't want any of our packaging, including plastics, to become waste or pollution,” said Véronique Cremades-Mathis, Global Head of Sustainable Packaging at Nestlé, in EMF’s press release. 

SEE ALSO:

• Ellen MacArthur foundation and the circular economy model

• BP Infinia to change the game for unrecyclable plastics

• Unilever sets out plans to advance circular plastic economy

• Read the latest issue of CSO Magazine here

• Read the latest issue of Energy Digital here

“The New Plastics Economy initiative represents an important catalyst on the journey to achieving a circular economy for plastics, and we are pleased to be able to contribute to this work through our expanded role as a Core Partner.”

Zach Freeze, Senior Director of Sustainability at Walmart, added: 

“We are excited to join the New Plastics Economy initiative as a Core Partner, which supports our aspirational goal of achieving zero plastic waste.

“Our continued collaboration with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation builds upon our work with suppliers to move towards 100% recyclable, reusable, or industrially compostable packaging, use less virgin plastic, and help educate customers on how to recycle more.”