Ellen MacArthur Releases New Guide on Eliminating Plastic Packaging Waste

SEATTLE (Scrap Monster): The U.K.-based Ellen MacArthur Foundation announced publication of new guide that highlights innovative solutions to eliminating plastic packaging waste through circular economy solutions.

The ‘Upstream Innovation: A guide to packaging solutions’ suggests upstream solutions aimed at preventing plastic waste and pollution-one of the rising threats in the modern world. The publication of the new guide comes weeks after the publication of the “Global Commitment Progress Report” by the group in association with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

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The guide focuses on highlighting the importance of upstream innovation, rather than maintaining the focus only on downstream activities such as waste management businesses. It suggests the importance of looking at what is put on the market in the first place, in addition to exploring ways to manage the waste that is already been generated.

The guide provides case studies pertaining to various companies including Tesco, Lush, Walmart and Abel & Cole, in demonstration of the innovative circular economy solutions used in elimination, reuse and material circulation across various platforms. It describes ways to harness the power of upstream innovation as a root-cause solution to plastic waste.