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U.S. Plastics Pact's Recent Initiative on Circular Economy

On December 17, 2024, the U.S. Plastics Pact proudly unveiled its 2023-2024 Impact Report. The report emphasizes remarkable advancements toward establishing a circular economy for plastics while urgently calling for collective action among various stakeholders, including industries, governments, and consumers.

Celebrating Progress

Within its noteworthy findings, the report highlights the contributions made by the Pact's 135 Activators towards reshaping the lifecycle of plastics. Here are some significant achievements detailed in the report:

• - Eliminating Problematic Materials: Approximately 22% of Activators no longer sell products derived from the Problematic and Unnecessary Materials List. They are committed to continuing this trend through 2025.
• - Advancing Circular Design: Adoption of sustainable packaging solutions surged to 50%, a rise from 36% in 2021, reflecting significant improvements in recyclability.
• - Increasing Recycled Content: Activators achieved an increase in post-consumer recycled (PCR) content in their packaging, raising it to 11%, with a target of reaching 30% by the year 2025.

These milestones align with the Pact’s defined targets for 2025 and introduce Roadmap 2.0, which extends certain goals to 2030. This newly established Roadmap prioritizes scalable reuse systems, phases out virgin plastics, and enhances advanced recycling infrastructure.

Innovations Leading the Charge

The Pact showcases its Activators' groundbreaking solutions across the supply chain that inspire hope for a more sustainable future. Notable initiatives include:

• - Pact Collective: Tackled plastics waste within the beauty sector by launching NewMatter™ resin, a material made entirely from recycled content designed to foster closed-loop systems.
• - Eastman: Opened the world's largest molecular recycling facility in Tennessee, which is poised to significantly reduce emissions while diverting hard-to-recycle plastics from landfills.
• - Trioworld: Launched the 49ga Axis Loop film, a thinner machine stretch film with 30% recycled content, successfully decreasing plastic usage by up to 40% and halving carbon emissions.
• - Kraft Heinz: Transitioned its Crystal Light packaging from traditional plastic to recyclable paperboard, aiming to eliminate 3 million pounds of plastic usage annually. This is a crucial step towards their goal of a 20% reduction in virgin plastic by 2030.

Advocating for Nationwide Guidance

The report also emphasizes the need for cohesive national policies to spur the advancement of circularity in the plastics industry. It calls for standardized definitions regarding recycling, adoption of extended producer responsibility (EPR) programs, and updates to recycling data that serve as critical tools for businesses and policymakers.

Jonathan Quinn, CEO of U.S. Plastics Pact, emphasized the importance of measurable metrics, stating, "We cannot manage what we do not measure. Businesses and governments need clear, consistent data and cohesive policies to guide investment and innovation. Federal leadership is essential to achieving a circular economy for plastics."

A Collective Responsibility

While regulatory actions remain significant, the Pact underscores that achieving a circular economy will also fall on our shared responsibilities. Key recommendations include:

• - Personal Responsibility: Consumers can contribute by making sustainable choices and supporting recyclable packaging systems.
• - Public-Private Partnerships: Collaboration among governments and businesses is essential to foster cost-effective innovation and bolster infrastructure investments.
• - American Competitiveness: Leading in sustainability positions the U.S. as a global innovator while addressing climate change and resource dependency risks.

Quinn concluded, "Every individual and organization has a role to play. From the products we choose to the systems we design, we must act with urgency to ensure plastics remain an asset, not a liability. By working together—through personal responsibility, public-private collaboration, and innovation—we can drive change and strengthen America's competitiveness in the global circular economy."

About U.S. Plastics Pact

U.S. Plastics Pact represents a solutions-driven consortium, established in collaboration with the World Wildlife Fund and The Recycling Partnership, as part of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation's global Plastics Pact network. The consortium aims to redefine the design, use, and reuse of plastics to create a sustainable future in packaging in the United States.