PepsiCo and The Recycling Partnership have agreed to work on a cross-sector approach to increasing recycling rates across America.
The partnership will address the continued shortfall in US recycling rates. At present, still less than half of recyclables in US homes are captured, according to the Sustainable Packaging Coalition’s recent Centralized Study on Availability of Recycling; only 22 million tons out of an available 46 million tons every year.
The Recycling Partnership has assisted over 400 local communities to enhance curbside recycling for 17 million households.
Over 115m pounds of material has been recovered and 382 million gallons of water and 164000 metric tons of greenhouse gases were saved.
PepsiCo utilized over 139m pounds of recycled PET and eliminated over 100m pounds of packaging in 2015.
In 2016, PepsiCo has planned to manufacture 100% recoverable or recyclable packaging material, and increase packaging recovery and recycling rates by 2025.
PepsiCo Global Water and Environmental Solutions vice president Roberta Barbieri said: “PepsiCo is investing to ensure the materials we use are recoverable or recyclable. Beyond design, it is vital that we boost recycling rates in the United States, which remain too low.
“PepsiCo's work with The Recycling Partnership will enable well-informed, collective investment in local recycling infrastructure and education, and drive real environmental benefits in our communities."
The Recycling Partnership CEO Keefe Harrison said: "Investing in recycling directly addresses climate change, delivering measurable reductions in greenhouse gases and water use. Moreover, those investments help communities thrive.”
In May 2017, PepsiCo joined forces with New Plastics Economy to manufacture global plastics value chain that is more sustainable.
