The initiative, signed in April 2019 and led in Chile by the Ministerio del Medio Ambiente (Ministry of the Environment) and Fundación Chile, is focused on achieving a sustainable future for plastics by advancing towards a circular economy model. The visible image of the Chilean Plastics Pact is the campaign entitled “Circula el Plástico”, whose slogan “More planet, less waste” seeks to engage citizens in the challenge of progressing towards a new plastics economy.
The Pact concentrates on three key strategies aimed at transforming the global plastic packaging market: recycling, redesign and reuse. This collaboration highlights the commitment of the different stakeholders in the plastics value chain, companies, public sector and NGOs, to lead the change in production models and their impact on the environment by working together to reach the targets set for 2025:
- Eliminate problematic and unnecessary single-use plastic instrument packaging through redesign, innovation or alternative delivery models.
- Ensure that 100% of plastic packagings are reusable, recyclable or compostable.
- A third of all household and non-household containers and packagings should be effectively recycled, reused or composted.
- Increase recycled content in plastic packaging to 25% to boost the demand for recycled material.
“We are faced with the immediate need to transform the plastics market in order to establish a circular model, reducing the impact on the environment. Cooperation between all of the industry’s stakeholders will encourage the development of new forms of production, innovation, reuse and recycling of plastics. The Pact is an opportunity to generate value and cooperation as well as a lever for change” María Rodriguez, Corporate Sustainability Manager del Grupo Lantero.
Commitment to Sustainability
COEXPAN’s vision of Sustainability is focused on a clear commitment to eco-design and to the circularity of its packaging. A new generation of packaging that contributes to food availability and waste reduction and environmental impact. Products that can be recycled or are biodegradable after use, and, whenever possible, that include recycled material guaranteeing optimum conditions of product quality and safety.
COEXPAN Coembal Chile has developed a system for decontaminating post-consumer PET obtained from recovered plastic bottles. The technology for cleaning and decontaminating raw materials has been approved by the FDA in the USA and by the European Union. The project that was presented at last year’s Latinpack Fair represents a solid contribution to the circular economy. Also, the past October COEXPAN presented CorePET, the new 100% rPET tray for different applications, decontaminated for food contact use supporting the commitment announced last year by PET Sheet Europe.
Likewise, EMSUR Argentina partnered up with COEXPAN Coembal Chile to develop a specific removable banderole for dairy products for Nestlé Chile contributing significantly to the recyclability of plastics.