In an article published on February 23, 2023, the Waste and Resources Action Program (WRAP) announced the launch of the Colombia Plastics Pact, uniting multiple key national stakeholders. The pact aims at eliminating unnecessary and problematic plastics completely and exclusively using reusable, recyclable, or compostable plastic packaging. In addition, signatories aim to increase plastic recycling rates and for the average recycled content of plastic packaging to increase to 50% and 30%, respectively. The pact was developed in collaboration with The Business Commitment to Recycling (CEMPRE) and UK Research and Innovation (UKRI). Plastics pacts have been developed in multiple regions including Europe, Canada, the United States, Kenya, and Oceania.
Signatories to the UK and US Plastics Pacts also committed to increasing the use of recycled content and reducing unnecessary and problematic plastics (FPF reported, also here). However, according to annual reports from both programs (US, UK), the intended goals for 2025 are unlikely to be reached.
Plastic Pacts are part of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s New Plastics Economy Initiative which summed up in their 2022 annual report that “[w]hile strong progress is being made, key 2025 targets are expected to miss” (FPF reported).
The World Wildlife Fund, which runs a similar program called ReSource: Plastic, reported similar results in its annual report from December 2022. It found that while steps towards more recycled content in food packaging and less unnecessary and problematic plastics are being taken by key brands, their total usage of plastics is still increasing.
Read more
WRAP (February 23, 2023). “Colombia launches second Plastics Pact in Latin America.”
References
World Wildlife Fund (December 2022). “Transparent 2022: Annual ReSource: Plastic Progress Report.” (pdf).
