The Coca-Cola Company has withdrawn from the Plastics Industry Association, and PepsiCo plans to leave at the end of 2019. The news was announced on 23 July by environmental group Greenpeace and confirmed by Dow Jones.
Greenpeace highlighted the trade association’s “secretive” lobbying against plastic bag bans. “Companies understand that they cannot publicly say they want to end plastic pollution, while financially supporting an association that lobbies for our continued reliance on throwaway plastics,” says a Greenpeace executive.
According to Dow Jones, a Coca-Cola spokesperson said that the company “withdrew earlier this year as a result of positions the organization was taking that were not fully consistent with our commitments and goals.”
The Plastics Industry Association acknowledges that Greenpeace has been pressuring prominent brands to leave the group.
“This is unfortunate — consumer brands are integral to making sustainability commitments into realities, by working with their suppliers to make lasting change,” says Patty Long, interim president and CEO. “Once again, we invite Greenpeace to work with us to help implement meaningful and sustainable advances to improve our environment, such as modernizing and expanding recycling infrastructure.”
By Clay Boswell
Source: Chemical Week
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