The American Beverage Association (ABA) announced it has joined the newly formed U.S. Plastics Pact as a Not-for-Profit Founding Activator. In this role, ABA will be called upon to provide leadership in the transition to the circular economy for plastics and work with pact stakeholders to promote its acceleration. This undertaking is the latest step in the beverage industry’s efforts to create solutions for a more sustainable future that protects our environment and keeps plastic out of the environment.

The U.S. Plastics Pact, led by The Recycling Partnership, World Wildlife Fund (WWF), and Ellen MacArthur Foundation, is a collaborative, solutions-driven initiative bringing more than 60 brands, retailers, NGOs and government agencies across the plastics value chain together to unify on approaches to reduce the amount of plastic packaging and increase the amount of plastic that is recycled and remade into new products.

The goals of the pact coincide with the aims of the beverage industry’s Every Bottle Back initiative, which is already working independently with WWF to measure its progress in reducing the use of new plastic by increasing the amount of plastic that is collected and remade into new products, as intended.

While the U.S. Plastics Pact is complementary to, and follows the ambitious precedents set by the existing global network of plastic pacts, it will be tailored to meet the unique needs and challenges of the domestic market. The U.S. pact will reflect national priorities and realities, while propelling the nation closer to other developed nations in its management of plastic waste.