For the first time in its 22-year history, the Product Stewardship Institute (PSI) has developed a program-level partnership. PSI is pleased to collaborate with the Pack Green Coalition, a nonprofit 501(c)6 organization that educates and advocates for meaningful policies and laws to advance the replacement of unnecessary plastic in packaging supply chains with sustainable alternatives. Many organizations are focused on solving the plastic problem. But the Pack Green Coalition (PGC) stands alone in its efforts to promote sustainable packaging alternatives and advocate for laws and policies to level the playing field for innovative companies that make better choices.
“The Pack Green Coalition is excited to partner with the Product Stewardship Institute to advance our shared goals of reducing plastic pollution, promoting smarter and more responsible packaging solutions and modernizing recycling programs throughout the country,” said James Asali, Executive Director of PGC. “Over its two-decade history, PSI has established itself as a trusted leader on all of these issues, acting as a resource for policy makers and industry participants and tirelessly advocating for better end-of-life planning and practices. We look forward to working together to promote sustainable packaging and policies that will enhance recycling and responsible waste management outcomes.”
“As an organization of sustainable packaging manufacturers and related companies, the Pack Green Coalition will develop and advocate for impactful policies and laws that foster more sustainable supply chains,” said Scott Cassel, CEO and Founder of the Product Stewardship Institute. “Their bold stance plays a critical role in reducing packaging waste, increasing reuse and recycling, and advancing the global transition to a circular economy.”
The Pack Green Coalition provides companies with the opportunity to learn about and engage with like-minded companies, as it serves to amplify their sustainability successes. In addition, PGC has created a unique forum to engage with federal, state, and local government officials across the country actively working on producer responsibility policies and programs. PGC provides its members with the tools they need – information, context, and approach – that will help their sales and sustainability teams appeal to an increasingly environmentally-conscious customer base in an authentic and meaningful way. Its research will provide information that is critical to developing the resources we need to shift away from unnecessary plastic packaging.
Moreover, it serves as a unified advocacy front and go-to resource for policymakers who advance meaningful legislative change. PGC and PSI will work together to promote and support more sustainable packaging. This work is important for one simple reason: An estimated eight million metric tons of plastic waste enters the world’s ocean each year – the equivalent of dumping a garbage truck of plastic waste into the ocean every minute. According to Trivium Packaging’s 2022 Global Buying Green Report, more than two-thirds of customers consistently identify as environmentally aware, and most of those translate their values into behavior, including choosing to buy products that are packaged sustainably. Choosing better packaging can help protect the planet – and a company’s bottom line. PGC works to support and amplify the message that alternatives to plastic packaging can help companies advance their sustainability goals. Through advocacy, research, and communication, it seeks to advance changes today that are critical for protecting our tomorrow.