Taking steps to reduce plastic pollution – WRAP’s response to The Pew Charitable Trusts’ and SYSTEMIQ’s July 2020 report

WRAP is tackling the scourge of plastic pollution worldwide. Our priority is eliminating problematic and unnecessary plastics completely.

We launched the world’s first Plastics Pact with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation in the UK in 2018. Its members are on track to remove one billion single use plastic items by the end of 2020. Early next year we’ll announce what we’ll aim to eliminate next. We’re also working with members on plans to increase the amount of plastic items which can be reused.

Internationally, we’re working with partners on four more plastics pacts around the world. We’re focusing our international efforts on developing partnerships to deliver change in those countries where the need is greatest, including in South East Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa.

Our aim is to move society from a take-make-discard culture towards a circular system where we keep those plastics we need in the economy and out of the natural environment while removing problematic plastics.

We welcome the report by The Pew Charitable Trusts and SYSTEMIQ, and share its ambition. WRAP’s role is to directly help governments, business and citizens to come together and take meaningful actions to address plastic pollution. That is why we’re stepping up our work to develop more Plastics Pacts around the world where they can deliver the greatest impact. It’s also why we’re calling on more businesses to step up, join Plastics Pacts and work together to take action.

There is no silver bullet when it comes to dealing with the plastic problem. There is no one simple solution. WRAP believes an evidence-based, collaborative, whole-system approach gives us the best possible chance of eliminating problematic plastics and keeping all plastic packaging in the economy and out of the environment. Our track record in bringing together government and business to deliver lasting, measurable systemic change demonstrates this.