CGF China Brings Together CGF Members and Recyclers for Upstream-Downstream Solutions Panel on Plastic Waste

At the China Plastics Reuse and Recycling Association (CPRRA) member conference from 19-21 October 2020, the CGF China Office held a panel discussion on 20 October 2020 in Hangzhou, China, to discuss the CGF, its members and other industry actors on their plastic waste and recycling efforts. Additionally, representatives from recycling companies in China were present to discuss their role in providing recycled materials. 

At the beginning of the session, a video featuring Ignacio Gavilan, Director of Environmental Sustainability, also introduced the CGF’s Coalition of Action on Plastic Waste.

Together, the panel discussed the importance of improving recycling technologies to provide the highest quality recycled materials available to companies, especially as many of them are committed to sourcing more products made of recycled materials.

The participating CGF members were Nestlé (China) and Unilever (China).  The members shared details of their efforts to help accelerate progress towards a circular economy:

From Nestlé, Wang Xuetao said Nestlé is working to achieve 100% recyclability or reusability in its packaging by 2025. From Unilever, Lin Ping said Unilever has been taking major steps in its environmental sustainability strategy, one of which is investing 1 billion euros into sustainable procurement standards and eliminating the use of fossil fuels from clean products by 2030 and to using plant-based materials, such as algae, instead. Decathlon (Beijing) and Sony (China) also joined the panel.

Representing the recycling industry were Suzhou Jinhui Technology Materials C., Ltd., Guangdong Yingtuo Industrial Investment Co., Ltd., Ningbo Jianfeng New Materials Co., Ltd., and Polymer Technology Co., Ltd. Each explained the different types of recycling processes they conduct, including their different advancements in recycling innovation and technologies, as well as their approaches to recycling different types of materials, including textiles, biodegradable products and virgin plastic.

Finally, Gu Yanping, CGF China’s lead on environmental sustainability, said the role of the CGF is key in bringing together industry actors to take on the problem of plastic waste in China, a country of almost 1.4 billion consumers.

For more information about the CGF’s work to help drive progress towards a circular economy, learn about our Plastic Waste Coalition of Action.