Constantia Flexibles has signed the The New Plastics Economy Global Commitment to eliminate plastic pollution. 

 

Led by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, the New Plastics Economy Global Commitment is in collaboration with UN Environment. It was officially unveiled at the foundation’s Ocean Conference Oct. 29 in Bali and signed by 250 organizations.  

 

Researchers estimate that more than 8.3 billion tons of plastic have been produced since the early 1950s. About 60 percent of that plastic has ended up in either a landfill or the natural environment. If current trends continue, there could be more plastic than fish in the ocean by 2050.

 

“As a global flexible packaging producer and a company committed to sustainability from the very beginning, we have of course recognized the importance of actively contributing to the circular economy,” says Constantia Flexibles CEO Alexander Baumgartner. “Taking part in the New Plastics Economy Global Commitment is one aspect of our strategy for more sustainable packaging.” 

 

One of the most important targets of the Global Commitment vision is transitioning from linear to circular packaging models. Participating companies and organizations have made the commitment to focus on developing packaging innovations which ensure easy and safe reuse, recycling, or composting. Therefore, Constantia Flexibles recently pledged that 100 percent of its packaging will be recyclable by 2025.  

 

“To achieve these goals, we are focusing on those products which are already currently recyclable in practice and at scale,” says Thomas Greigeritsh, vice president of group sustainability, Constantia Flexibles. “Additionally, we are strengthening development efforts directed at overcoming the challenges of problematic or unnecessary non-recyclable packaging.”