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Volvo has said that it will ban corporate use of single-use plastics, especially water bottles, by the end of 2019. The Swedish car maker, which already supports the UN Environment Clean Seas campaign, says that the move underlines its "ambition to minimise its global environmental footprint."
Volvo estimates that it will replace some 20-million throw-away items, including cups, food containers and cutlery, which represents around 500 such items per employee. Some will be replaced with re-useable alternatives, others with biodegradable products made of paper, pulp and wood.
This year, Volvo will start by removing plastic bottles from events such as press launches. In fact, on the recent V60 estate launch (read our review here) Volvo had already removed all such water bottles from its test cars (they're often placed in the car as a courtesy on warm days) and encouraged the use of re-useable flasks.
Single-use plastic items will be removed from all Volvo factories and corporate offices, in China, Belgium, the United States, Sweden and Malaysia, this year too, and all local sales operations will be expected to follow suit in 2019.
"Action from the private sector is key to making progress in the fight against plastic pollution and in raising awareness. We cannot wait for a binding legislative agreement," said Lisa Emelia Svensson, Director of Ocean at UN Environment. "In the next 10 to 15 years, global plastic production is projected to nearly double, parts of which will end up in oceans if we do not change today. We welcome Volvo Cars saying no to single-use plastics and it's great to see it leading by example."
"Plastics pollution is one of the great environmental challenges of our time," said Stuart Templar, Director for Sustainability at Volvo Cars. "We take our responsibility seriously. We must play our part in helping tackle this global problem."
The company's action on single-use plastics follows its €300,000 support for the Volvo Ocean Race's Science Programme. Several of the boats in the 2018-19 edition of the Race are equipped with sensors that are capturing data on marine health from some of the remotest parts of the world's oceans, including levels of micro plastics.
Sales of the V90 Cross Country Volvo Ocean Race special-edition vehicles have contributed to this support. Meanwhile, the car itself contains carpet inlays made from Econyl, a fabric made from 100 per cent recycled nylon, including abandoned fishing nets reclaimed from the seabed.
Volvo estimates that its reduction of plastic use this year alone will mean that some 140-tonnes of plastic items will be replaced with non-plastic alternatives.