SINGAPORE, Nov 2 (Reuters) - Some of the world's biggest
consumer goods companies, including PepsiCo, Mars and
Nestle, are almost certain to miss a target to make
plastic packaging more sustainable by 2025, according to a new
report published on Wednesday.
The study by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation and the United
Nations Environment Programme also revealed that some companies
- including Coca-Cola and Pepsi - are using more virgin
plastic despite a pledge to reduce its use.
The report comes as U.N. members are due to meet in Uruguay
this month to start negotiations on the first ever global
plastics treaty, which is aimed at reining in soaring waste
pollution choking marine life and contaminating food.
Some U.N. members are pushing for a pact that includes
legally binding targets to increase recycled content in
packaging and use less petroleum-derived virgin plastic, rules
that would have financial implications for the consumer goods
and petrochemical industries.
Dozens of major brands have in recent years set targets to
increase plastic recycling and reduce the use of single-use
packaging in partnership with the Ellen MacAurthur Foundation,
as part of efforts to burnish their green credentials.
The headline pledge was that 100% of plastic packaging would
be reusable, recyclable or compostable by 2025, but this goal
will "almost certainly be missed by most organisations", the
environmental group's report said.
Nestle said these targets were hampered by a lack of
government recycling infrastructure globally, noting that it had
reduced the amount of virgin plastic it uses by 8% since 2018.
Mars said it is making progress in tackling plastic waste
and investing hundreds of millions of dollars to redesign
thousands of packaging components.
Pepsi and Coca-Cola did not respond to requests for comment.
Greenpeace said the report is evidence that voluntary
corporate targets have failed and called on the U.N. to forge a
treaty that forces governments and companies to use less
single-use plastic packaging.
"This underlines the need for governments to ensure that the
global plastic treaty ... delivers major reductions in plastic
production and use," said Graham Forbes, Greenpeaces USA Global
Plastics Project Leader.
"Anything less than this is a disservice to our communities
and our climate."
(Reporting by Joe Brock; Editing by Ana Nicolaci da Costa)