None of the 50 companies evaluated by shareholder advocacy group As You Sow earned higher than a B- on recycling, reusability or compostability goals. Multiple companies pushed back on the report.

By E.A. Crunden WasteDive

Many major consumer product companies are failing to address widespread plastic pollution despite their recycling goals, according to nonprofit corporate responsibility and shareholder advocacy group As You Sow.

The “Waste and Opportunity 2020” report authored by the group finds “no corporate leaders” on plastic pollution reduction.

Alongside its plastics focus, the report centers around U.S. recycling issues and emphasizes the need for more funding. Research and analysis by The Recycling Partnership (TRP) on U.S. recycling rates and the cost of overhauling national infrastructure also factor heavily into the findings. As You Sow cites TRP’s research finding around $12 billion needed “to fix the system” and address issues in the sector. 

The research looks at the 50 largest consumer-facing companies in sectors including quick-serve restaurants, beverages, retail and consumer packaged goods. Twelve companies received C grades, while 22 received D grades and 15 received F grades. Of those, Walmart, Kroger, PepsiCo, Tyson Foods, Kraft Heinz, and Mondelēz International were the six lowest-ranked companies by size of revenue. The highest grade was a B-, given to Unilever. 

As You Sow’s report measured company progress using six different metrics: packaging design; reusable packaging; recycled content; packaging data transparency; support for recycling; and producer responsibility. In those areas, As You Sow said company progress was most evident in pledges and goals set around redesigning products to be more sustainable along the established metrics, with most earning A or B grades. 

In other areas, As You Sow ranked those companies lower, finding “notably less leadership in the areas of reusable packaging innovation, data transparency and producer responsibility.” Overall, companies performed lowest when ranked on their commitment to extended producer responsibility (EPR) regulations.  

Multiple companies that earned F grades in the report told Waste Dive they disagreed with As You Sow’s findings or pointed to the steps they have taken to incorporate recyclability and waste reduction into their businesses.

In response to the report, a Whole Food Market spokesperson said the company was the first nationally to ban plastic straws and plastic checkout bags, while National Beverage Corp. said 80% of its products come in aluminum cans that “generally contain approximately 73% recycled material.”

Hormel Foods said via email the company “will work with As You Sow to help them better understand the sustainable and innovative work we have done surrounding packaging.” The email said the majority of the company’s packaging does not contain plastic and is recyclable. 

A spokesperson for Smithfield Foods said the company has “significantly increased recycling of waste packaging material at our facilities” as part of “zero-waste-to-landfill efforts,” with 30% of its U.S. facilities certified as such.

Other companies given a failing grade did not respond to a request for comment as of publishing time. 

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