Pet Sustainability Coalition Leads The Fight Against Massive Plastic Waste in Pet Industry

Every single pet in the world creates a plastic “paw print,” the size of which varies on the size and breed and the pet.

Colorado Nonprofit Partners With rePurpose Global to Remove 
250,000 Pounds of Plastic in July

BOULDER, CO, UNITED STATES, June 24, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Pet Sustainability Coalition, a Colorado-based nonprofit committed to helping pet product companies drive their sustainability impact is rallying the industry to rid the world of millions of pounds of plastic generated by pet owners each year. They announced today that they have partnered with rePurpose Global—the world’s leading Plastic Action Platform— in an effort to remove 250,000 pounds of plastic from the environment during the month of July.

The pet industry uses over 300 million pounds of plastic packaging each year, but pet owners are often unaware that most packaging is non-recyclable, and up to 99 percent of it ends up in landfills, oceans, or nature. Plastic touches nearly every item that owners need to purchase for their pets, including supplements, toys, grooming products, single-use poop bags and flexible film food packaging, which complicates the recycling process due to its mixed, layered material makeup.

The U.S. pet food and treat market generated nearly $66 billion in sales in 2024, but 97 percent of all dried pet food and treats on the market are packaged in this flexible film food packaging material, which is not curbside recyclable, generating millions of pounds of plastic waste.

Every single pet in the world creates a plastic “paw print,” the size of which varies on the size and breed and the pet. The average cat, for example, generates 15 pounds of plastic waste per year, while a large dog can generate roughly 39 pounds of waste over the same period. The American Kennel Club estimates that the labrador retriever is the second most popular dog in the United States and there are nearly 100,000 of these animals in the country, meaning that while this lovable breed of dog creates everlasting memories for its owners, it can also generate more than 3 million pounds of plastic waste in one year.

The Pet Sustainability Coalition has spent more than a decade trying to help solve this problem, and it has support from Petsmart, Petco, the American Pet Products Association, Only Natural Pet, Royal Canin, and more than 200 additional brands and organizations in the industry. PSC’s primary goal is to partner with these entities to create a more environmentally sustainable industry and ultimately reduce the size of the world’s plastic paw print, which often disproportionately affects developing countries where waste management infrastructure lacks the capacity to handle it.

This effort includes a large-scale plastic recovery initiative in partnership with rePurpose Global, whose on-the-ground projects —funded by leading brand partners, typically for on-pack certification claims — also improve global waste worker livelihoods and waste management systems in high-impact regions.The project, which coincides with Plastic Free July, aims to rally the pet industry to fund the recovery of 250,000 pounds of plastic from the environment during the month of July, a measurable step toward transforming the industry’s approach to environmental sustainability.

“We’re incredibly proud to once again unite the pet industry around a shared commitment to solving one of the world’s most pressing environmental challenges, plastic pollution,” said Jim Lamancusa, CEO and Executive Director of the Pet Sustainability Coalition. “While we’re actively working with our members and recycling infrastructure to make curbside collection of flexible plastic packaging a reality, that solution is still years away. In the meantime, we’re taking immediate action to combat ocean and nature-bound plastic waste. The enthusiasm from our members has been truly inspiring, and thanks to the American Pet Products Association, every donation up to $50,000 will be matched, doubling our collective impact.”


"Plastic pollution is a complex problem because it's something we all contribute to, yet have little control over once it leaves our hand. That's why partnerships like this one matter,” said Aditya Siroya, Chief Impact Officer of rePurpose Global. “When industry leaders like the Pet Sustainability Coalition and its members step up, they're taking tangible, immediate impact on an issue that impacts communities both near and far. Collective action like this is how we transform broken systems and create long term change, and we invite more brands to join us."

To learn more about the Pet Sustainability Coalition and how to become a member, log onto www.petsustainability.org.

About the Pet Sustainability Coalition
The Pet Sustainability Coalition is a nonprofit that advances business through profitable environmental and social business practices. Founded in 2013 by eight companies, PSC now serves more than 200 member companies across the pet industry, helping them to progress on their sustainability practices, set and strive for ambitious goals, and report on their achievements. Additionally, PSC leads retailers, distributors, manufacturers, brands, and suppliers in pursuing collaborative solutions to some of the largest industry-wide issues, such as sustainable packaging and protein sourcing. Connect with us on LinkedIn and YouTube. Learn more at www.petsustainability.org.

About rePurpose Global
rePurpose Global is the world’s leading Plastic Action Platform, partnering with 300+ brands to accelerate progress toward a circular economy. Through verified plastic recovery, sustainability certifications, and EPR compliance solutions, rePurpose Global enables businesses to measure, reduce, and take action on their plastic footprint while advancing systems change. To date, rePurpose Global has recovered over 80 million pounds of plastic waste from nature through a global network of impact projects across Asia, Africa, and Latin America. These efforts have helped deliver waste management services to underserved communities and improved livelihoods for thousands of waste workers, particularly women, in the Global South. Learn more at repurpose.global.

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