Guardian – Global soft drink companies have made their biggest commitment yet to eliminating the use of throwaway plastic bottles, in an action plan presented to parliament.

In a report sponsored by the likes of Danone, Suntory and Nestlé, the companies give unequivocal backing to a government-implemented deposit and return scheme. Their ambition is for zero plastic packaging to be sent to landfill or escape into the natural environment by 2030, and for packaging to be made entirely from recycled or renewable materials or both.

         Thursday’s report, produced by the Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership, said: “Achieving this vision requires all stakeholders in the bottled water and soft drinks value chain to commit to eliminating plastic packaging waste as a strategic priority.”

CIS – September 2018 – The significant challenges presented by plastic packaging waste can only be solved through collaborative actions from business, government and society. This industry-led report lays out practically how stakeholders across the bottled water and soft drinks value chain can work together, and more widely with others, to achieve zero plastic packaging waste from UK bottled water and soft drinks by 2030.

Download the CIS report

This report is the result of an industry-led working group on the future of plastic packaging in the bottled water and soft drinks value chain, convened and facilitated by the University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL). The companies involved have sought to set out an ambitious vision and roadmap towards eliminating plastic packaging waste from the UK bottled water and soft drinks value chain.

It comes as the government considers imposing a tax on single-use plastics that could see plastic straws banned by next year.

The companies say they will commit to reducing the volume of plastic used in bottled water and soft drinks packaging and ensuring any packaging material used is 100% recyclable or reusable. They say actions to reduce plastic waste require a systemic approach involving business, government and consumers. “Leading bottled water and soft drinks companies understand that coordinated action is required across the value chain to address the challenge of plastic packaging waste from bottled water and soft drinks and to help create long-term sustainable solutions,” the report said. It calls on government to reform the producer responsibility scheme – a formula through which companies are supposed to contribute towards recycling their products, but which has been heavily criticised. And the firms want all revenue from a new scheme and a deposit return system to be reinvested in recycling and reprocessing of plastic packaging. They say a significant shift in consumer behaviour is also required. Click here to read more