Global packaging company Sonoco announced that it reduced water usage by 1.7% and greenhouse gas emissions by 3.2% over the past year. The company says that since 2009, it has reduced normalized greenhouse gas emissions by 27% and water usage by 40.3%.
Sonoco says it is one of the largest recyclers in the US, collecting nearly three million tons of materials each year, much of which it rolls into new sustainable packaging. For example, the company:
Sonoco’s commitments for sustainable use and increased recyclability of packaging by 2025, announced in 2018, include:
The company points out that the “recycling gap” - the fact that there are tremendous holes in recycling infrastructure around the world, as well as inconsistent policies about what can be recycled that confuse consumers - makes its commitment to a circular economy a challenge. To be successful in developing a better circular economy where all products are collected and converted into new raw materials, the company says it is working with policy makers and communities to develop new recycling schemes, while better educating consumers on how and what to recycle.
Read more about how Sonoco reaches its sustainability goals:
https://www.environmentenergyleader.com/2017/07/sonocos-smart-approach-shrinks-water-energy-use-heres/