Volvo to remove single-use plastics by 2019, and that includes its Malaysian ops

By CARSIFU | 20 May 2018


GOTHENBURG: Apart from declaring that no one will die in a Volvo car by 2020, the Swedish car maker has also just announced its latest ambition to minimise its global environmental footprint.

It said it will remove single-use plastics from all its offices, canteens and events across the globe by the end of 2019. The decision reflects the company’s support of the UN Environment Clean Seas campaign.

The car maker will replace more than 20 million single-use plastic items such as cups, food containers and cutlery with more sustainable alternatives, including biodegradable products made of paper, pulp and wood. This equates to the removal of more than 500 plastic items per employee per year.



The switch will be implemented incrementally. By the end of 2018, single-use plastics will be removed from global events such as car launches, as well as from all offices and restaurants in Volvo Cars facilities in Malaysia, China, Belgium, the United States and Sweden.

During 2019, all national sales companies will eradicate single-use plastics from their operations, including local events.

Volvo estimates that the 2018 roll-out alone will result in the replacement of more than 140 tonnes of single-use plastic items with plastic-free alternatives.

“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 V90 Cross Country.
The V90 Cross Country.

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