🔈 Turning commitments into actions: advocating for and building a circular economy for plastics

In episode 34 of the Big Ideas podcast, Simon and Clark discuss WWF's "ReSource: Plastic " initiative, which recently released its second annual progress report, Transparent 2021. Transparent 2021 primarily tracks progress using the ReSource Footprint Tracker, Resource: Plastics' own measurement framework. The framework monitors companies' plastic portfolios to identify how much and what type of plastic is being used, and utilizes country-level waste management data to understand where the plastic ends up. Together, the data sets paint a picture of the lifecycle of the plastics used by each company.

Clark noted that the long-term commitments made by Amcor and other partners of WWF are key to increasing recycling rates, and unified efforts have led to increased advocacy for the use of recycled plastics. The results are promising: From 2018 to 2020, use of recycled content by ReSource: Plastic member companies across the world increased from 7.8% to 9.6%

As the ReSource Footprint Tracker allows us to trace what happens to plastics, it can also be used to determine where waste management infrastructure is holding back recycling rates and, in turn, the supply of recycled materials. Increased recycling rates will come from the combined impact of a market for designed-to-be-recycled products, strong recycling infrastructure and well-educated consumers.

To continue building on the progress made through the collective effort of many companies, it is therefore essential that all parties involved work to advocate for the infrastructure that supports a circular economy and incentivize consumer collection and recycling.

For insights about Transparent 2021 and to learn more about Amcor and WWF's partnership, listen to the full podcast below.

Click here to find out more about Amcor's support of WWF-led initiative ReSource: Plastic, and to download Transparent 2021, click here.

Learn more about Amcor's sustainability strategy and progress in the 2021 Sustainability Report here.