Earth Protect Blog

Shared from the 10/8/2019 The Denver Post eEdition

THE HAGUE, NETHERLANDS The move, which appears crafted to resonate with younger, more environmentally aware consumers, will require a “fundamental rethink” in the company’s packaging policies, said CEO Alan Jope.

Unilever aims to achieve the goal by reducing its use of all plastics by 100,000 metric tons and using more recycled plastic.

The multinational previously pledged to make all its plastic packaging reusable, recyclable or compostable by 2025 and to use at least 25% recycled plastic in packaging by that year.

The company also said it aims to collect and process more plastic packaging than it sells by 2025.

“Plastic has its place, but that place is not in the environment,” Jope said. “We can only eliminate plastic waste by acting fast and taking radical action at all points in the plastic cycle.”

He said meeting the new targets will require “new and innovative packaging materials” and a rapid increase in packaging that can be reused or refilled.

Unilever has already started selling products including toothbrushes made of bamboo, and cardboard deodorant sticks and refillable toothpaste tablets.

Even so, the Anglo-Dutch company says it produces about 700,000 metric tons of plastic packaging annually.

— The Associated Press