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Search In a recent article published by EDIE, The Consumer Goods Forum Director of Sustainability, Ignacio Gavilan, marks the UN’s first-ever Zero Waste Day by exploring the necessity of creating a circular economy. Entitled “Creating a circular economy is vital to deal with our plastic and food waste challenges,” the article sets out why we need a rapid re-imagining of our relationship with our resources, which is one of the main reasons the United Nations is holding its first-ever International Day of Zero Waste.
“A circular economy is about re-organising around the idea that resources – like food, plastic, energy, wood and metals – are inherently precious and limited,” Ignacio wrote, “It means moving away from a linear ‘take, make, use and discard’ society, towards one that balances its use of natural resources.”
The article sets out the potential benefits of a circular economy include helping to meet climate goals and that international momentum is mounting to tackle these issues. It comes ahead of the second round of UN negotiations towards a global plastics treaty which should embed the transition to a circular economy in its goals.
At The Consumer Goods Forum, we have already undertaken important groundwork that could help inform the treaty’s approach to packaging design. Indeed, the 41 members of our Plastic Waste Coalition, which collectively represent over 10% of the global plastic packaging market, have created Golden Design Rules to help industry use less and better plastic.
For more information about the Coalition’s actions to tackle plastic waste, visit the Coalition’s website
