Packaging equipment manufacturer Sidel has been announced as a new signatory of the New Plastics Economy Global Commitment. This worldwide initiative was launched by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation and UN Environment in October 2018 with the goal of addressing the plastic waste and pollution crisis at its source and keeping plastics within the economy.

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Today, the New Plastics Economy Global Commitment unites more than 400 organisations on its common vision of a circular economy for plastics. 

 

“By signing the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s Global Commitment, we have undertaken another important step towards a more sustainable future. Together with our clients and business partners we want to continue playing a key role when it comes to addressing the increasing challenges of packaging, food safety and environmental impacts,” said Luc Desoutter, Sustainability Officer at Sidel. 

 

The company is a leading provider of equipment and services solutions for packaging beverage, food, home and personal care products in PET, can, glass and other materials. 

 

Shift in attitudes towards how PET is recycled

 

The consumption of packaged beverage alone shows a continuous growth trend at 2.5 per cent per annum globally and at 1.3 per cent per annum in Europe. To a large degree, this green trajectory is supported by the usage of PET as primary packaging. Due to its unique properties in terms of food safety, convenience, design flexibility, transparency, cost and especially closed loop recyclability, approximately 37 per cent of all beverage volume is packaged in PET. 

 

The vision behind the New Plastics Economy Global Commitment includes ambitious goals: for instance, taking action to eliminate problematic or unnecessary plastic packaging – through redesign, innovation and new delivery models – as well as embracing reuse models with the aim of 100 per cent of all plastic packaging to be reusable, recyclable, or compostable. 

 

“Technologically and industrially, PET, can and glass can all be recycled. There is also an economical value in doing so: the value of a bale of PET bottles can range between €300 and €600 per tonne, depending on its quality. PET can be brought back into the value chain, it shouldn’t be considered part of the problem,” Mr Desoutter explained. “We are witnessing a significant shift in attitudes towards how PET is recycled and we want to use our engagement as part of the New Plastics Economy Global Commitment to support and promote this development towards maximum collection and recycling rates.”

 

An End-to-End approach

 

Beyond signing up to the new Commitment, Sidel has also formulated an ambitious set of its own additional targets. These are centred on the company’s End to End approach, which considers packaging and equipment from a 360° perspective, taking into account the impacts created upstream and downstream in the value chain. 

 

As Desoutter highlighted in closing, “When looking at packaging, not only do we need to take into account primary, secondary and tertiary packaging, but also their interaction with the equipment in the factory. We do that by always bearing in mind interests and expectations carried by the industry players, the consumers and the civil society.” 

 

Businesses representing 20 per cent of plastic packaging produced globally are already onboard with the New Plastics Economy Global Commitment. Others are urged to join and embark on a race to the top to help make plastic pollution a thing of the past.

 

For access to the New Plastics Economy Global Commitment June 2019 Report, visit: https://www.newplasticseconomy.org/about/publications/global-commitment-spring-report 

 

For further information on the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, go to: https://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/