The Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s latest Global Commitment progress report highlights major consumer brands not on target to meet plastic sustainability goals.
The Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s (EMF) 2024 Global Commitment Progress Report has reignited the urgency surrounding the global plastics crisis. Released in the shadow of the upcoming final round of global plastics treaty negotiations in South Korea, the report underscores the uneven progress among packaging producers and the dire need for stronger, legally binding global policies to combat plastic waste.
RELEVANT SUSTAINABLE GOALS
As the world inches closer to the 2025 deadline for a pivotal packaging sustainability goal, the EMF report paints a mixed picture. While some companies claim significant strides in making packaging recyclable, compostable, or reusable, others lag far behind—particularly in the adoption of reusable packaging and post-consumer recycled (PCR) content.
A Lofty Goal: 100% Recyclable, Compostable, or Reusable Packaging
Since 2018, the Ellen MacArthur Foundation has challenged signatories—including major brands, packaging producers, and retailers—to meet ambitious sustainability targets. Chief among these is the goal to ensure that all plastic packaging is recyclable, compostable, or reusable by 2025. Additional objectives include eliminating problematic plastic packaging, boosting recycled content in packaging, and expanding reusable packaging portfolios.
Some companies have made significant headway. Pennsylvania-based Graham Packaging, for instance, reported 98% progress toward its 2025 recyclability goal. The company has shifted its portfolio toward widely recyclable materials like PET, HDPE, and PP while phasing out non-recyclable PVC. However, the remaining 2%—including black plastic lubricant bottles—continues to pose challenges, requiring innovative recycling systems to address gaps.
Switzerland-based Amcor, a global manufacturer with substantial U.S. operations, also highlighted its achievements as an EMF signatory. The company reported using 9.4% PCR content in its plastics in fiscal year 2024—doubling its recycled content share in the past four years, a pace that matches the progress of the previous four decades.
“The Global Commitment has demonstrated that at-scale progress is possible,” said Rob Opsomer, executive lead at EMF. However, he warned, “The job is far from done. To meet the scale of the challenge, we need both continued ambitious action by leading companies and global regulation to level the playing field.”
The Stalled Promise of Reusable Packaging
While strides in recyclability have been notable, the report reveals a troubling shortfall in reusable packaging adoption. In many companies’ portfolios, reusable options remain a negligible or non-existent factor. Critics argue that overreliance on recyclability overlooks the broader challenge of reducing single-use plastics altogether.
Ellen MacArthur, alongside Christiana Figueres, emphasized the need for systemic change in an opinion piece. They called for a global agreement to restrict problematic plastic products and prioritize reuse and recyclability. “This means designing products to ensure the remaining plastics are reusable and recyclable, and extending producer responsibility to finance collection and reprocessing,” they wrote.
The report’s findings amplify calls for a global push toward reusable systems, which remain critical to addressing the root causes of plastic pollution.
Global Regulation: A Critical Missing Link
Despite voluntary actions by industry leaders, the EMF report makes it clear that the plastics crisis cannot be solved through corporate initiatives alone. Voluntary commitments currently cover only 20% of the global plastic packaging market, leaving the vast majority of packaging untouched.
To bridge this gap, EMF has joined the Business Coalition for a Global Plastics Treaty, advocating for legally binding global policies. These measures, the foundation argues, must include restrictions on unnecessary plastic products, financial mechanisms to support collection systems, and accelerated infrastructure development to manage plastic waste.
Negotiators preparing for the final round of talks in South Korea face mounting pressure to deliver a robust agreement. Failure to do so risks perpetuating a fragmented system of voluntary efforts that cannot match the scale of the problem.
North American plastic packaging producers illustrate the uneven progress outlined in the EMF report. While many companies, like Graham Packaging and Amcor, tout advancements in recyclability and recycled content, challenges remain. PCR use remains below 10% for many producers, and infrastructure limitations hinder broader adoption of sustainable practices.
Graham Packaging, for example, highlighted the accessibility of recycling for its preferred materials but acknowledged gaps in systems for specific products like black plastic. Similarly, Amcor’s strides in doubling PCR content are tempered by its acknowledgment of challenges in flexible packaging solutions—a key focus area for EMF moving forward.
The Road Ahead: 2025 and Beyond
The plastics crisis remains a formidable challenge, demanding coordinated action across industries, governments, and civil society. As the 2025 deadline for EMF’s original targets approaches, it is clear that voluntary commitments alone will not suffice.
The Ellen MacArthur Foundation has sounded the alarm: without systemic changes, including legally binding global policies, the promise of a sustainable packaging future will remain unfulfilled. For companies like Graham Packaging and Amcor, progress is tangible but insufficient, highlighting the urgency of stronger collective action.
Lead image courtesy of Mehrad Vosuughi From Pexels (items organised on shelves)
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