Reckitt Benckiser Explores Ways to Snuff Plastic Waste

by | Jun 6, 2018

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Reckitt Benckiser Group, manufacturer of brands like Lysol and Woolite, has announced a new pledge concerning plastic in conjunction with this week’s World Environment Day.

The company joins other global brands including Coca-Cola and Infosys that are using World Environment Day to initiate projects intended to “Beat Plastic Waste,” the theme of this year’s event.

“The responsible use of plastic for packaging is our overriding aim and we have organized our efforts using the 4 R approach – reduce, replace, reuse and recycle,” Reckitt Benckiser says. The company plans to remove or reduce plastic packaging wherever possible. With that in mind, it is investing in research into alternative materials that can replace its use.

The company pledges to ensure that at least 25% of its packaging content is recycled plastic by 2025, where possible or allowed by regulators. By 2025, 100% of plastic packaging will also be recyclable or reusable, with “best-in-class labeling” to help consumers recycle effectively. The company also says it will work with peers and governments to enable products in its health portfolio to meet these targets without compromising their safety and efficacy for patients and consumers.

Reckitt Benckiser has been focused on eliminating packaging waste wherever possible since at least 2003, when the company began working to make trigger sprays more environmentally friendly, including the removal of all metal. “This year we have gone further and adopted a smaller design for triggers which will cut plastic use by 570 tons a year,” the company says. “By the end of 2019, all but one of our triggers will be 100% recyclable.”

Last year, the company achieved its target of sending zero waste to landfill from its factories.

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