New York, May 17, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Plant-based brands from the U.S, Canada and the U.K, in partnership with rePurpose Global, the world’s leading plastic action platform, are coming together to tackle the pressing issue of plastic pollution. Together, these brands have enabled the removal of plastic waste equalling over 27 million plastic bags or 3 million plastic bottles in weight from nature.
According to a report from the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, a plant-based diet has a high potential to reduce carbon footprints and help mitigate climate change. The number of plant-based food brands is steadily growing, making an environmentally conscious diet easier for consumers. Despite plant-based brands enabling positive progress, their action can be stunted by the use of plastic packaging that is frequently non-recyclable and ends up in landfills or oceans. Plastic packaging is the leading contributor to plastic waste, generating an estimated 141 million tonnes of plastic waste each year.
20 plant-based businesses are coming together, in partnership with rePurpose Global, to take immediate action against their plastic waste by reducing the plastic in their packaging and supply chains and financing the recovery of nature-bound plastic waste through rePurpose’s social enterprise waste projects, creating additional income streams for 10,000+ waste workers and community members across 3 continents.
“As an industry with sustainability built into its core, we need to recognize the unintended consequences of our reliance on single-use plastic. At No Evil Foods, when we couldn’t find more sustainable alternatives to our plastic packaging, we sought ways to minimize our impact and discovered rePurpose Global. And in 2020, we became the World’s First Plastic Negative plant-based brand. I’m very proud of our work together, resulting in the removal of over 17,000 pounds of plastic waste from natural ecosystems. I hope it inspires other brands to move beyond merely creating plant-based products to creating a truly sustainable and just food system,” shared Sadrah Schadel, CEO and Co-founder of No Evil Foods.
rePurpose’s Plastic Negative Certification is awarded to brands with ambitious plastic reduction commitments in their supply chains, and who enable the elimination of at least twice as much plastic waste from nature as they create through their own plastic footprint. Specifically, No Evil Foods funds the recovery of low-value plastic waste through rePurpose’s Anant Pranay impact project in Aurangabad, India, while also supporting the waste workers working at the project, providing a living wage to fight plastic pollution.
Sabina Vyas, Senior Director of Impact Strategies at Plant-Based Foods Association (PDFA) commented, "Many of our members are mission-driven and want to use their businesses to have a positive impact on our planet. They are already doing an incredible job to help consumers lighten their footprint by making delicious plant-based foods and sustainable packaging solutions are at the forefront for our membership. We’re proud to see sustainability leadership from No Evil Foods by committing to being Certified Plastic Negative.”
“Of the 5.8 billion metric tons of plastic waste generated globally over the past 70 years, only about 9% has been recycled, leaving the rest to be incinerated, sent to landfill, or littered directly into the environment. Time is running out. We are living in a plastic epidemic, where there is no single solution. Now more than ever, there is a critical need for like-minded brands to come together and use their collective strength to help tackle plastic pollution head-on,” outlined Peter Wang Hjemdahl, Chief Advocacy Officer and Co-Founder of rePurpose Global.
To date, 230 brands across 26 countries are working with rePurpose Global to measure, reduce, and offset their plastic footprint, removing 14 million pounds of plastic from nature every year and positively impacting 10,000+ waste workers and their families.
###
ABOUT REPURPOSE GLOBAL
rePurpose Global is the world’s leading Plastic Action Platform dedicated to reducing waste, reviving lives, and restoring nature’s balance. Through its comprehensive ecosystem of solutions across the value chain, the organization helps people and companies calculate, reduce, and offset their plastic footprint, while empowering innovators on the cutting edge of advancing a circular economy.
To date, rePurpose has been creating change in partnership with hundreds of companies across 26 countries, such as Clorox, AB InBev, Johnson & Johnson, Google, and Colgate. On behalf of its global coalition, the organization is removing over 14 million pounds of plastic waste from nature every year, and in doing so, positively impacts the lives of 10,000+ marginalized waste workers and community members worldwide.
