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Mars, Mondelez International, Nestlé, PepsiCo and Unilever have formed an alliance: With the Flexible Packaging Initiative, the five food manufacturers are focussing on resource efficiency, avoiding waste and reducing the overall environmental impact of packaging.
The five manufacturers commit themselves in the joint Initiative, the Accelerate the transition to a circular economy for flexible packaging across Europe. To this end, they want to increase their investments: in the design of circular packaging and in new sorting and recycling technologies. In order for extended producer responsibility (EPR) to achieve higher recycling targets, companies believe it is crucial to actively promote the recycling of flexible packaging - through ecologically modulated EPR fees.
Cooperation with partners
The groups also want to work with partners and government agencies to improve the infrastructure and to achieve higher recycling rates. The aim is to develop concrete proposals for effective collection, improved sorting and innovative recycling of flexible packaging throughout Europe.
„We want flexible packaging to follow the cycle of plastic bottles - with high recycling rates and the use of up to 100 per cent recycled content. However, we need the right conditions for this: nationwide collection, high recycling targets, a ban on landfilling and a minimum of incineration. Combined with investment to improve sorting and recycling in Europe, this should bring us one step closer to a circular economy and a world where packaging never becomes waste.“
Silviu Popovici, CEO, PepsiCo Europe
The initiative would also like to see by the European Commission and the national governments Incentives for the circular economy for packaging materials. This includes „more ambitious“ recycling targets for all types of packaging materials, a ban on landfilling and the minimisation of incineration in all EU Member States.
„Our goal is very clear: we want and need to increase the recyclability of our flexible packaging. To this end, we are taking immediate action by investing more in improved infrastructure together with our partners, as we have recently done in France, Italy, Poland, Spain and the UK.“ Marco Settembri, CEO Zone Europe, Nestlé
Source: Flexible Packaging Initiative
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