“To deal with the climate crisis, we have the Paris Climate Agreement. To end environmental pollution caused by plastic, we need a similar global agreement,” says Axel Kühner, CEO of Greiner AG. This is why Greiner – a leading company in the plastics and foam processing industry – welcomes the second round of negotiations to develop a UN plastics treaty, which are scheduled to begin in Paris on Monday, May 29.
The vision of a circular economy in which plastic is never sent to landfill
“We at Greiner made our position very clear early on. What we need is a global agreement that sets out clear rules for achieving a globally viable circular economy for plastics,” continues Kühner. This is why Greiner last year joined the Business Coalition for a Global Plastics Treaty, which champions the vision of a circular economy in which plastic is never sent to landfill. All hundred-plus companies, NGOs and financial institutes that joined this global coalition have undertaken to support the plastics treaty as soon as it takes legal effect.
Greiner aims to be a fully circular business by 2030
“As a company that produces plastics and foams all over the world, we are aware of our responsibility. After all, one thing is clear: plastic waste has no place in the environment,” says Kühner. This is why Greiner long ago made it its personal mission to become a fully circular business by 2030. All packaging produced by Greiner Packaging is to be either recyclable, reusable or compostable by as soon as 2025. This will see Greiner exceed the targets under negotiation for the UN plastics treaty, according to which the production of new plastic, for example, is to be cut by more than half by 2040.
“We hope that the negotiations in Paris will help to move things forward so that the treaty can enter into force as early as 2025 after the final round of negotiations in South Korea. After all, we at Greiner believe very strongly that plastic waste must be subject to clear and internationally applicable rules,” says Kühner.
