Unilever : AI-enabled sorting machines keep plastic in circular economy

For businesses, Waste-Free World's AI-enabled recycling equipment, logistics and plastic processing make it possible to create a circular economy for plastic waste.

'Alibaba is supporting Unilever to make it easier for Chinese consumers to embrace responsible consumption across our multiple cross-platforms, including Alipay, Tmall, Ele.me and Tmall Supermarket by creating a closed-loop scenario for plastic recycling that starts with its purchase, to usage to recycle and repurchase,' says Vice President of the Alibaba Group, Jet Jing.

Waste-Free World's ability to pre-sort plastic packaging into its various grades 'enhances the quality of recycled plastic bottles and means the reuse of plastic materials will be more effective and could better contribute to a circular economy,' adds Unilever North Asia's Supply Chain Vice President, Jennifer Han.

And that is positive news for Unilever as it drives forward with its commitment to reduce the absolute use of plastic in its products, and for the Chinese government as it looks to roll out systems that will manage plastic use and promote a more circular economy.

'Plastic has its place, but it should not cause environmental pollution,' acknowledges Rohit Jawa, Unilever's Executive Vice President of North Asia. 'By 2025, we will make an absolute reduction of 100,000 tons in plastic use and promote the use of recyclable plastic, so that we can halve the amount of virgin plastic we use in packaging and help collect and process more plastic packaging than we sell.

'We believe Waste-Free World, jointly launched with Alibaba Group, will become the 'green engine' of the circular economy for plastic packaging in China,' he says.