ANZPAC Plastics Pact founding member Veolia Australia and New Zealand says it is thrilled to contribute to the delivery of a circular economy for plastics.
Last week, the ANZPAC Plastics Pact was officially launched, uniting leading businesses, NGOs, and governments behind a series of ambitious 2025 targets to eliminate plastic waste across Australia, New Zealand and Pacific Islands region.
“Plastic pollution is one of the most pressing environmental issues facing the planet,” a Veolia statement reads.
“By 2040, if we fail to act, the volume of plastic on the market will double, the annual volume of plastic entering the ocean will almost triple, and ocean plastic stocks will quadruple.”
ANZPAC joins the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s Plastics Pact Network, a globally aligned response to plastic waste and pollution that unites over 550 member organisations behind the shared vision of a circular economy for plastic, where it never becomes waste or pollution.
According to Veolia Australia and New Zealand CEO Richard Kirkman, delivering a circular economy for plastics will bring financial, ecological and societal wealth.
“I’m delighted to be part of the ANZPAC Plastic Pact which will drive this important agenda,” he said.
“Plastic itself is not the enemy – it plays a vital role in our society, but it’s how we make it, how we use it, and what we do with it after use that needs changing for the better.
“Plastic is efficient in terms of energy and water use, and can be readily recycled; the more we capture, the more we can keep in use, and reduce our reliance on virgin materials.”
Kirman added that the ANZPAC Plastic Pact brings together the whole supply chain to discuss and implement ways to achieve ecological transformation for plastics, by standardising packaging, cleaning-up, and making it simpler for people to recycle.
“If you want to future proof our planet from plastic waste and pollution, and instead create one where plastic brings value to humans and the environment, I encourage you to join and be part of this important dialogue,” he said.
ANZPAC Members will work towards four clear, actionable targets by 2025:
• Eliminate unnecessary and problematic plastic packaging through redesign, innovation and alternative (reuse) delivery models.
• 100 per cent of plastic packaging to be reusable, recyclable or compostable packaging by 2025.
• Increase plastic packaging collected and effectively recycled by 25 per cent for each geography within the ANZPAC region.
• Average of 25 per cent recycled content in plastic packaging across the region.
The immediate next steps for the ANZPAC program to achieve its 2025 goals is to develop a roadmap for action.
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