Japanese beverage giant Suntory Holdings has said it would work with rival Coca-Cola as well as Nestle to push the government in Vietnam, among the biggest contributors to plastic waste in the ocean, to create a large-scale recycling system. The alliance will also include the local operations of companies including Tetra Pak and NutiFood. The news comes amid growing global outrage over plastic pollution, with the European Union voting to outlaw some single-use plastic items such as straws. Japan plans to discuss the issue at the G20 summit it hosts this month. Suntory, the maker of Hibiki whisky as well as soft drinks, plans to switch out pure petroleum-based plastic bottles in all markets by 2030, using only recycled or plant-based materials. This would cost around 50 billion yen ($467 million), Suntory Chief Executive Takeshi Niinami told Reuters. This goal is particularly challenging in Suntory’s Southeast Asian markets, including Vietnam, where it has a joint venture with PepsiCo. Much of the region lacks sophisticated systems for collecting, sorting and treating used plastic.

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