Coca-Cola, PepsiCo Highlight Need for Global Pact in Fighting Plastic Pollution

SEATTLE (Scrap Monster): Multinational beverage companies including Coca-Cola and PepsiCo called for a global pact to combat plastic pollution. The officials are slated to meet at the United Nations Environment Assembly Conference (UNEA 5.2) with the aim of starting negotiations on a treaty to tackle plastic pollution.

The meeting will primarily focus on implementing steps that would promote plastic waste management and recycling. Meantime, proposal to curb production of new plastics is likely to face opposition, not only from major oil and chemical firms, but also from world’s major plastic producers such as the U.S.

The signatories to the joint statement calls for an ambitious UN treaty based on a circular economy approach, capable of addressing plastic pollution around the globe. A new UN treaty is essential to set a high common standard of action for all countries and drive the transition to a circular economy for plastics. The companies urged the UN member states to establish an inter-governmental negotiating committee to discuss both upstream and downstream policies.

Incidentally, only less than 10% of all the plastic ever made has been recycled. Also the new recycling technologies by the plastic industry have not been effective in combating the problem.

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