According to rePurpose Global, 20 petfood brands have joined in the fight against global plastic pollution. As a leading plastic action platform, the organisation is dedicated to reducing waste and our overall environmental impact. Through advising and presenting solutions, it helps companies and individuals to reduce and offset their plastic footprint.
The total of these petfood brands from the US, Canada and New Zealand, in partnership with rePurpose Global, have recovered 2000 tonnes of plastic waste from nature: the equivalent of 111 million plastic bottles. This recovery has been achieved by petfood brands striving to reduce the plastic in their packaging and supply chains, and financing recovering plastic waste through rePurpose’s projects.
A whopping total of 300 million pounds of plastic waste is estimated to be produced by the petfood industry in the US alone. Most packaging is made up of non-recyclable or hard-to recycle materials, resulting in 99 percent of all petfood packaging being thrown away.
One such brand, Earth Animal, has committed to preserving quality of life for pets, people and the planet. As a Plastic Neutral brand, the company is taking “active steps” to reduce its plastic footprint which includes returning to retail recycling take-back programme ‘FlexForward,’ and offsetting the impact of their supply chain by financing the removal of as much plastic waste as they use.
“Plastic is a huge problem in the petfood industry,” states Stewart Shanley, CEO of Earth Animal. “Through our partnership with rePurpose Global, we are taking the first step to systemic environmental change – financing waste management infrastructure and empowering marginalised workers fighting the plastic waste crisis on the frontlines.”
Through these parnerships rePurpose is financing recovery of plastic that would otherwise end up in waterways, poorly managed landfills or burnt across Colombia, Indonesia, Kenya and India. These four companies oversee the highest rates of plastic leakage into nature. Enabling waste collection has prevented this and created additional income for 4954 waste workers.
The Pet Sustainability Coalition (PSC), also partnered with rePurpose, said it was “excited” by the collaboration.
“The Pet Sustainability Coalition has identified packaging pollution as one of our industry’s greatest environmental challenges. We are excited to see many of our members are working with rePurpose Global to offset their packaging footprint while also investing in socially equitable environmental solutions directly within the global communities most heavily impacted,” says Melissa Bauer, Director of Strategic Initiatives and Sustainability at PSC.
“Globally 380 million tonnes of plastic is produced every year, the majority ending up in nature,” explains Svanika Balasubramanian, CEO and Co-Founder of rePurpose Global. “Our coalition of brands and consumers are moving the needle forward and spearheading action before it is too late.”
Currently 230 brands across 26 countries are working with rePurpose to measure, reduce and offset their plastic footprint.
For more information on rePurpose Global visit their website, HERE.
Image credit: rePurpose Global
