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edie launches best-practice guide for businesses tackling single-use plastics

21 Jan 2020

edie has launched a new report, sponsored by Nestlé, that outlines the steps businesses can and should take to identify, reduce, replace and eliminate single-use plastics from their operations, supply chains and products and services.

The 22-page report outlines existing case studies from businesses alongside practical steps on how to turn the tide on single-use plastics.

The report features a foreword from Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) director, Peter Maddox, who claims:

“There are many more plastic items that we urgently need to examine in order to remove plastic packaging where it is not deemed necessary, and, when it is necessary, to ensure this packaging is recyclable or reusable and goes back into the economic use. For example, through the UK Plastics Pact we are investigating non-detectable black plastic packaging that doesn’t get picked up in the recycling process, as well as a range of flexible plastics and films in everyday use.”

edie’s new report also features a viewpoint from supporting partner Nestlé. The business giant’s UK and Ireland head of sustainability, Anna Turrell uses the report to outline the efforts and case studies the business has implemented to tackle single-use plastics as part of Nestlé’s ambition to make all of its packaging either recyclable or reusable by 2025, while calling for business and policy collaboration.

“Through close collaboration, inspired innovation and carefully crafted initiatives, we can achieve the transformational change to the system we need – but this has to happen now,” Turrell said.

The report is inspired by edie’s award-winning Mission Possible campaign and spin-off Mission Possible Plastics Hub, a content-driven campaign that supports sustainability and resource efficiency professionals on a collective mission to eliminate single-use plastics.

edie is calling on businesses to submit new or newly created pledges on plastics and resource efficiency via the Mission Possible Pledge Wall. A total of 120 other businesses have shared public commitments on sustainability.

"We pledge to become a net zero carbon business by 2030. As part of this, we've set a science-based target to reduce our absolute carbon emissions by 70% from a 2014 baseline by 2030."

- Landsec

"We pledge to become the world's first plastic-free commercial estate by 2020."

- Canary Wharf Group

"We pledge to achieve 100% renewable sourced electricity for all ISS buildings that we procure the energy for, by 2020."

- ISS UK

Make your pledge here.