Supply chain News and trends

“As the first plastic tax to be implemented globally, the UK PPT is a harbinger of the worldwide movement reinforcing the polluter pays principle alongside extended producer responsibility,” said Stephen Jamieson, global head of circular economy solutions at SAP. “By disincentivising the use of unsustainable materials, the government is at the same time incentivising the market value of recyclable plastic, fostering a sustainable circular economy that will have global repercussions.”

Via EcoVadis

Australian retail chain Cotton On has pledged to strengthen its commitment to sustainability by setting goals for carbon neutrality, sourcing more sustainable raw materials and reducing its use of water and virgin plastic.

In its first 'The Good Report', the company details the steps it is taking to reduce its environmental impact which include a pledge to be carbon neutral and use 100 per cent renewable energy in its own operations by the end of the decade.

The Cotton On Group is also committing to using only raw materials which have sustainable attributes by 2030, and that all of its polyester and other synthetic materials will be 100 per cent recycled by 2025.

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More than 70 leading businesses including the H&M Group, IKEA, Inditex and Zalando have called for a legally binding treaty on plastic pollution.

The idea – which has been backed by two thirds of the United Nations’ Member States – comes ahead of this year’s UN Environment Assembly (UNEA), which many believe would provide an opportune time to establish a single, consolidated framework for companies and investors to support.

Marco Lambertini, international director of the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), said: “We need a transformation in ambition and action in how we make, use and reuse plastic. It is no longer a question of whether we need a treaty on plastic pollution, it’s more about what this treaty must look like in order to tackle today’s still rampant plastic pollution crisis.”

Via EcoVadis

The European Outdoor Group (EOG) industry association has unveiled new proposals aimed at addressing the issue of single use plastics in the outdoor apparel value chain.

A new report from EOG's Single Use Plastics Project (SUPP) recommends a system for recycling more plastic bags before they end up in incinerators, landfill or are sent for export.

EOG said the initial plan had been to find a plastic-free alternative material to protect garments and other outdoor equipment en route from manufacturers in Asia to brands in Europe but this had not proved the best option.

Via EcoVadis

Solving the ongoing packaging conundrum demands a significant shift in how businesses think — moving from a linear to a circular model of operation to improve the amount of packaging that can be reused, recycled and returned to the value chain.

Companies are under more pressure than ever before to ensure their packaging does not have a lasting impact on the natural environment. At the same time, consumers are hyperaware of the need to reduce the amount of plastic waste because of its impact on the environment. As a result, more countries are proposing regulation to reduce waste while business leaders have put the recyclability of materials as a top agenda issue.

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P&G says its move to increase the amount of post-consumer plastic in its production is part of an effort to establish a “unique supply chain” that will rely on thousands of volunteers and hundreds of non-government organisations to collect plastic waste from beaches. 

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