More than 100 companies endorse EPR approach to packaging

The Ellen MacArthur Foundation, a U.K.-based nonprofit that promotes the circular economy, released a statement June 15 advocating for extended producer responsibility (EPR) for the packaging industry. The statement was endorsed by more than 100 companies and associations.

“As a group of businesses and stakeholders that are drawn from across the packaging value chain, we are calling for the implementation of extended producer responsibility (EPR) schemes for packaging,” the statement reads in part. “We recognize that EPR is a necessary part of the solution to create the circular economy for packaging we are aiming for. EPR schemes, through which all industry players that introduce packaging to the market provide funding dedicated to its collecting and processing after use, are the only proven and likely pathways to provide the required funding. Without such policies, packaging collection and recycling is unlikely to be meaningfully scaled, and tens of millions of [metric tons] of packaging will continue to end up in the environment every year.

“To solve the packaging waste and pollution crisis, a comprehensive circular economy approach is required. We must: eliminate the packaging we don’t need; innovate to ensure all the packaging we do need is reusable, recyclable or compostable; and circulate all the packaging we use, keeping it in the economy and out of the environment. This circular economy approach would lead to significant economic, environmental and social benefits and contribute to addressing major global challenges, such as plastic pollution, climate change and biodiversity loss.” 

Along with the statement, the Ellen MacArthur Foundation committed to engage with governments, associations and other stakeholders advocating for the establishment of well-designed EPR policies and support implementing and improving EPR schemes locally.

"We support this statement on the important role that well-designed EPR systems can play in keeping packaging material out of the environment and in the circular economy. Good EPR schemes can motivate businesses and help us achieve our circular economy targets,” Michael Goltzman, vice president of global policy and sustainability at The Coca-Cola Co., says in a corresponding statement.

Companies endorsing the statement include Beiersdorf, Borealis, Berry Global, Danone, Diageo, DS Smith, Ferrero, Friesland Campina, H&M, Henkel, Inditex, Indorama Ventures, L'Oréal, Mars, Mondi, Nestlé, PepsiCo, Pick n Pay, Reckitt, Schwarz Group, Tetra Pak, The Coca-Cola Co., Unilever, Veolia and Walmart.

The full statement released by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation is available online.