How Reusing Plastics Could Slash Emissions by 69%

The study, conducted in collaboration with Systemiq and environmental consultancy Eunomia, emphasizes the significant environmental benefits of returning and reusing plastic packaging. Not only does this approach drastically lower emissions, but it also offers a reduction in costs for certain products. The report, which arrives amid slow progress in the United Nations‘ efforts to establish a treaty controlling plastic Pollution, urges a systemic shift in tackling and reversing plastic waste across key sectors like beverages, personal care, fresh food, and food cupboard items.

The most ambitious “System Change” scenario presented in the study outlines the potential for reuse schemes to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 35% to 69%, water usage by 45% to 70%, and material usage by 45% to 76%. However, achieving these targets hinges on the implementation of deposit schemes, which encourage high return rates of packaging.

Under this scenario, if consumers were incentivized with a 20 euro cent return on packaging, the costs associated with returnable bottles for beverages and personal care items could be significantly lower compared to single-use options. To realize high return rates and competitive reuse schemes, the study highlights the need for shared collection infrastructures, standardized packaging, and pooling, which involves the shared use of packaging by several entities.

Jean-Pierre Schwetizer, the circular economy manager at the European Environmental Bureau, emphasized in the study the urgent need for policymakers and business leaders in fast-moving consumer goods sectors to transform their practices. This call to action underscores the critical role of systemic change in the fight against plastic Pollution and Climate change.

Solution Not Pollution Sweatshirt by Tiny Rescue: Climate Collection

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