Plastic packaging plays an important role in protecting products we buy, such as extending shelf life and reducing food waste. Even though the carbon impact of product waste is often higher than that of the packaging - when plastic packaging isn’t designed with circularity in mind, it can hinder recyclability, leading to long-term environmental harm.
That's why designing packaging for reuse, recycling, or composting is essential to achieving a sustainable, circular economy.
WRAP’s work aims to ensure that materials placed on the market are designed with recyclability in mind, so they can be effectively collected, processed, and reincorporated into the supply chain.
Our solutions
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The Plastics Pact Network
Led by WRAP and the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, the Plastics Pact Network connects 19 countries and over 900 organisations to drive global change towards a circular economy for plastics. By developing and implementing industry design guidance, Pacts have driven significant shifts in the market.
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The UK Plastics Pact
The UK Plastics Pact brings together businesses, governments, and NGOs in a powerful alliance to tackle plastic waste across the value chain. With WRAP's support, members work collectively toward the shared mission of creating a circular plastics economy—offering policy guidance, securing essential funding for reuse projects, and driving innovative solutions for problem plastics.
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A Global Treaty
WRAP advocates for a high-ambition, legally binding global treaty on plastic pollution. This treaty would enforce global rules to eliminate, reduce, and reuse plastics, while managing those that cannot be recycled. WRAP supports an ambitious global treaty with legally binding provisions on reuse with sector-specific policies like Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes that incentivise reuse and improve waste management funding.
The progress we’re making
A 23% increase has been achieved globally in design for reusability, recyclability, and compostability.
Plastics Pact members have redesigned over 850,000 tonnes of plastic packaging to be reusable, recyclable, or compostable at scale.
Plastics Pacts worldwide have developed design guidelines based on global principles, adapting them to meet the needs of local markets. Below are examples of how Pacts are aligning with and customising the Golden Design Rules (GDR) to create effective design-for-recycling requirements.
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Canada Plastics Pact
The Plastics Pacts in Canada and Poland have worked with members to adapt the GDR for their national contexts, considering local systems and technologies. They are now supporting GDR implementation by identifying common challenges and finding tailored solutions.
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South African Plastics Pact
The South Africa Plastics Pact is co-developing GDR-based guidance, which speaks to different departments within organisations—marketing, procurement, packaging, and executive teams—to influence decisions on placing circular packaging in the market.
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United States Plastics Pact
The US Plastics Pact developed a comprehensive toolkit to help businesses increase post-consumer recycled (PCR) plastic use. This guide covers the benefits of PCR, purchasing strategies, and technical integration, helping businesses shift from virgin to recycled plastics while advancing circular economy goals.
Key reports
Our reports provide insights and guidance on designing for recyclability as well as helping businesses to implement best practices that contribute to circular living.
