Guinness to phase out plastic packaging

The maker of Guinness, Harp and Smithwick's plans to phase out its use of plastic packaging in an effort that would remove the equivalent of 40 million plastic bottles from the waste stream, company officials said.

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The company is investing $21 million to make the changes, officials said.

"For 260 years Guinness has played a vital role in the communities around us," Mark Sandys, global head of beer for Diageo, which owns the beer brands. "We already have one of the most sustainable breweries in the world at St. James' Gate and we are now leading the way in sustainable packaging."

The cardboard packaging will be on shelves in August in Ireland with an international rollout planned for 2020.

Individual cans, including the widget, are recyclable already.

Cox Media Group