New York, Nov. 06, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- rePurpose Global, the leading plastic action platform, has today announced that 102 brands retailing in grocery stores worldwide, such as SafeCatch, Hope Foods, Cocojune, Sunwink, and MadeGood, have come together to combat plastic pollution. These brands will work with rePurpose Global to measure their plastic footprint, reduce plastic intensity, as well as support global action preventing plastic waste from flowing into natural ecosystems.
Plastic pollution, apart from contributing to climate change, threatens food safety, coastal lands, and human health, but achieving an 80% reduction in global plastic pollution by 2040 is possible. The first step is to eliminate the unnecessary use of plastics such as redesigning the way products are delivered to avoid plastic packaging. The second is to accelerate the market for plastic recycling by ensuring that it becomes a stable, reliable, and profitable option. Lastly, efforts should also focus on retrieving plastic already in the environment. Even if all reduction goals are met, only a 7% reduction in plastic leakage into the oceans by 2040 is expected. The brands working with rePurpose Global actively implement solutions to reduce their plastic intensity as well as finance the recovery and removal of plastic waste in vulnerable coastal regions worldwide.
Emily Griffith, CEO at Lil Bucks shared, “Our values of good vibes, uncompromised nutrition, and bettering our planet are at our core. Action begins now and I am so thrilled to partner with and support rePurpose Global as they perfectly align with our mission. Pursuing packaging sustainability is a journey, and even though we still have to use plastic now, this is a great step forward.”
“Our philosophy of ‘Do Good By Doing Good’ sits at the core of our business. Our innovative supply chain mirrors that, but we have always been cognizant of our plastic footprint and how traditional recycling doesn’t solve this immediate crisis. Partnering with rePurpose, we can now measure our exact footprint, recover and recycle an amount of plastic that is equivalent to our packaging”, shared Bala Sarda, Founder & CEO at Vahdam Teas.
From the beginning of 2023, more than 40% of the world’s population has been living in areas where plastic waste generated has exceeded the capacity to manage it. As of July 28 2023 - marked by Plastic Overshoot Day - this number is now 60%. This means that we are in a world where our collective demand for plastic has surpassed the capabilities of waste management systems to effectively handle it. While this fact might be scary, it is not the end, there is still hope in reducing and eliminating our plastic consumption.
These 102 companies in the grocery segment have collectively enabled rePurpose Global to recover over 2.5 million pounds of plastic waste annually from entering natural environments across Indonesia, Ghana, India, Kenya, Colombia, and the Dominican Republic. By contributing to rePurpose Impact Projects (Laut Yang Tenang, Sueño Azul, Neela Sagar, Neela Sapana, Hara Kal, Saaf Samudra, Anant Pranay, Fann Epo, Pavitra Parvat, Anmol Kinara), these brands have helped deliver critically lacking waste collection services to underserved communities, accelerate the feedstock availability of Post-Consumer Recycled (PCR) materials, and support the livelihoods of over 1,200 waste workers worldwide.
Svanika Balasubramanian, CEO of rePurpose added, "We are excited to see our partners in the grocery and retail industry taking proactive steps to address the plastic pollution crisis. Their commitment to reducing plastic sets a remarkable example for others in the industry. We hope that by putting a spotlight on plastic reduction and plastic alternatives that have the potential to turn the tide on plastic pollution, we reach zero plastic pollution even sooner.”
###
ABOUT REPURPOSE GLOBAL
rePurpose Global is the world’s leading Plastic Action Platform, bringing together brands, consumers, innovators, and policymakers to collectively combat the plastic waste crisis. Through its pioneering solutions across the circular economy value chain, rePurpose has helped more than 300 companies measure and reduce their plastic footprints, while driving systems change on a global scale.
rePurpose Impact Projects have recovered over 38 million pounds of plastic waste from the environment to date, protecting vulnerable coastal regions across the Americas, Africa, and Asia. In doing so, the organization is delivering critically lacking waste management services to millions of people, while positively impacting the lives of thousands of marginalized waste workers worldwide.
Founded in 2016, rePurpose Global now employs over 70 full-time team members across offices worldwide. For more information, please visit https://repurpose.global/.
BRANDS MENTIONED
Blue Stripes, Smallhold, The POW BAR, Mummy’s Organics, FLIGHTFUD, Bido Brands, Mountain Falls Mineral Water, Loom Beverage, Spread'em Kitchen, Summit Supplements, Five Foods, Sonoma Gourmet, Remix Snacks, MacroPlate, KYSU, Raglan Food Co, Sunny Fine Foods, Brook 37 Tea, Relocalize, Mostly Made, The One Movement, Journey Spice Co, TAHIRO, Simpla Foods, Agro Roasters, Blue Dot Kitchen, Stacey's Organic Tortillas, Alkeme Foods, Joggy Energy, IncredaBrew, Holy Cow!, GoGo Quinoa, Bee Squared Apiaries, Testa Omega 3, fire ox foods, NOVELTEA, Prologue Wine, e-Luscious, Wildermart, Raw Indulgence, Yoconut Dairy Free, Quesava, Jamie's Farm, Forij, Hilma, SIMEK'S, BY2048, Riverside Natural Foods, Toodaloo, Short Winter Soups, Prodigy Snacks, Mananalu, The Happy Labs, Small Giants, Touchstone Essentials, The Nue Co, PURPS, Farmer Direct Organic Foods, Paleonola, Cure Hydration, Wildway, Outstanding Foods, Llama Naturals, Lita's Mexican Foods, Hope Foods, Renewal Mill, Wholly Veggie, Chocxo Chocolatier, Buddy Fruits, Montanya, Distillers, Cabinet, Soupergirl, Teaveli Inc., Natalist, Pzaz, Medicine Box, The Feel Good Lab, Amandean, EATABLE, Slate Milk, Future Proof Brands, Farm to Fit, Cocojune, Pulp Pantry, nud fud, We Are Fit (Sapling), Vahdam Teas, LUHV FOOD, Kurami, Great Eastern Sun, LIL BUCKS, Sunwink, No Evil Foods, Amavida Coffee and Trading, Neptune Snacks, Freshfield Naturals, Farrington Oils, SafeCatch, Drink818 - Plastic Free Pride Activation, Sodastream FR - Gaz Cartridges Activation and The Lemon Perfect Company
