Sustainable Packaging - Q1 2021

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Q1 / 2021

Sustainable Packaging Full campaign on www.businessandindustry.co.uk

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Upstream innovation for a circular economy

IN THIS ISSUE

How do you tell genuine sustainability claims from greenwashing?

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If we want to solve the plastic waste crisis, we need to tackle the root cause of the problem, rather than simply addressing the symptoms.

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Stop plastic pollution at the source.

Christian Kaufholz, Manager of Affiliated Programs, World Economic Forum

06 Plastic packaging tax driving recycling opportunities.

Anne Hitch, Citizen and Stakeholder Engagement Manager, RECOUP Project Manager: Emma Shahbazi emma.shahbazi@ mediaplanet.com Business Development Manager: Ciara Barker Managing Director: Alex Williams Head of Business Development: Ellie McGregor Head of Production: Kirsty Elliott Designer: Thomas Kent Digital Manager: Harvey O’Donnell Paid Media Strategist: Jonni Asfaha Production Assistant: Henry Phillips Mediaplanet contact information: P:+44 (0) 203 642 0737 E: uk.info@mediaplanet.com All images supplied by Gettyimages, unless otherwise specified @BusinessandindustryUK

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Please recycle

WRITTEN BY Sara Wingstrand Programme Manager, Plastics Innovation, Ellen MacArthur Foundation

y local coffee shop has started serving coffee to-go in reusable coffee cups only — it is simply not possible to get coffee in a singleuse cup. For every coffee sold, one disposable cup is eliminated. It is solving the problem of packaging waste before it becomes a problem.

Plastic waste is a result of the way we design our products, packaging, and business models. Therefore, with a shift in mindset, we can design out waste and stop it from being created in the first place.

Moving innovation efforts upstream to the design stage is essential to create a circular economy where plastic never becomes waste and materials are kept in use. Yes, it is important to get downstream collection and recycling right, but we are not going to recycle our way out of this problem and we cannot pull plastic out of the ocean at the rate we are putting it in.

Designing for the circular economy By adopting an upstream innovation mindset, companies can move beyond incremental tweaks to their packaging portfolio and bring about fundamental changes that allow them to deliver their products without creating waste.

This means rethinking not just the packaging itself, but the products and business models as well.

We are not going to recycle our way out of this problem and we cannot pull plastic out of the ocean at the rate we are putting it in.

For example, there may be innovative solutions to product design that change its packaging needs, such as moving from a liquid product to a solid concentrate, or from physical to digital. Similarly, rethinking business models can change the packaging requirements.

This could include selling products in refillable or returnable packaging, or localising production, so freshness can be assured without relying on the complex, often less recyclable packaging that is frequently required in global supply chains.

Upstream innovation is crucial to solve the plastic pollution crisis and bring about a circular economy. If the root cause of the problem is found in the design stage, so too should the solution.

The Ellen MacArthur Foundation recently published Upstream Innovation: A Guide To Packaging Solutions, containing practical guidance and real-world examples, all freely available online.

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Jane Bevis, Executive Chair, OPRL

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Turning the tide on ocean plastic pollution Plastic in the ocean is a menace to marine life and to the rest of it. But there is an achievable solution and it starts on land.

INTERVIEW WITH Raffi Schieir Director, Bantam Materials Ltd

WRITTEN BY Virginia Blackburn

Paid for by Bantam Materials

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t is now very widely accepted that single use plastic is enormously harmful to the environment. Whenever possible the consumer should be encouraged to use packaging that is made from recycled materials and can still be recycled. Nowhere does this apply more than to ocean-bound plastics.

“It is really important to distinguish this category,” says Raffi Schieir, Director of Bantam Materials Ltd. Degraded by sun and salt “When it’s been in the sea water, plastic has been so degraded by the sun and salt that it’s virtually impossible to recycle and it’s just a clean-up operation. With ocean-bound plastic, you engage in collection from ocean communities in at risk areas, bring the plastic elements back into the supply

chain before it enters the marine environment and it can then go back to the consumer.”

“There are between eight and 12 million tonnes of plastic entering the ocean each year,” says Schieir. “But we can focus on a true and achievable solution by supporting bottle collectors and coastline communities in recycling. We also need to connect with the consumer, otherwise companies will continue to use new plastic as it’s still easier and cheaper to do so. But if the consumer prefers products that are more sustainable, then it will encourage companies to adopt these practices more quickly to increase their market share.”

There are between eight and 12 million tonnes of plastic entering the ocean each year.

Creating demand Many other elements come into play, not least the importance of traceability

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and independent third-party certification to reassure consumers about what they are buying. “We want to increase understanding about the supply chain so people really recognise the differences their choices are making,” says Schieir.

“This is already happening. Lidl started using Prevented Ocean Plastic for its white fish and salmon and has subsequently rolled it out into poultry.

The supermarket chain Booths has started to use it and Childs Farm and Farmologie now use 100% Prevented Ocean Plastic for their shampoo bottles.” New partners are planned for launch across the year.

Indeed, the quality of RPET (recycled polyethylene terephthalate) is now so high and employs such high criteria that it has been used for PPE, specifically face visors. “The industry is fully regulated,” says Schieir. “But the most important thing is to tell the truth to the consumer. Many people are sceptical as products are presented as green or blue and then turn out not to be, but in this case a positive solution can be achieved. Buyers can believe what it says on the pack.”

Read more at preventedocean plastic.com

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How to turn waste to good

Sustainability claims and consumer power

Plastic has had bad press of late. But now there are exciting initiatives to recycle and reuse almost all.

People are increasingly aware of the imperative to live more sustainably and to have a lighter footprint on the planet. But how do you tell genuine sustainability claims from greenwashing?

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here are few areas in the world that carry more misconceptions than plastic, but if the population was educated more about ecofriendly packaging and sustainable packaging, they would come to realise that it can be easily recycled. “Plastic is not evil,” says John Garner, Head of Business Development at Antalis, which offers a free Smart Packaging Audit to customers to help them reduce waste. “Single use plastic is a problem, but it is recyclable.

If you look at industrial plastic, 90% of it is captured and recycled.”

A shift in perception One problem is that consumers’ perception is shaped by the fact that post-pandemic, so many people get their items delivered to the home.

The huge amount of waste it generates makes them dubious about the idea of environmentally friendly packaging.

There is currently a world shortage of corrugated cardboard, for the simple reason that people have been sitting on it and not taking it for recycling. “When shopping is delivered, it brings plastic to people’s homes and 90% of what is in the sea comes from that,” says Garner.

He is broadly supportive of the idea of a plastic tax that applies to plastic packaging produced in or imported, into the UK that does not contain at least 30% recycled plastic. Although when this tax might actually be implemented is still a moot point.

Greater consumer knowledge However, he believes that real change will come from consumers learning about sustainable brands. “After what we experienced in the last 12 months, environmental concerns went on the back burner as people were just striving to get goods,” he says. “But for the next generation of consumers, sustainability is going to be huge. The frustration of receiving a box full of air bags for something the size of a teacup means that future manufacturers are going to have to get it right.” Above all, though, he believes in sticking to the mantra of reduce, reuse and recycle.

WRITTEN BY

Jane Bevis Executive Chair, OPRL Ltd

y its nature, sustainability is complex; combining health, social, environmental, resource and economic issues. There are trade-offs and synergies, so making the right decision requires lots of information, but most of us want clear, reliable signposts to make ‘doing the right thing’ easy.

Brands and retailers are providing consumers with an increasing array of sustainability information on packaging, although packaging contributes less than 3% of a product’s carbon footprint. Many are based on recognised, audited standards. A few are little more than marketing.

Sustainable claims Responsible businesses design packaging to the well-established resource hierarchy (avoid >reduce >reuse >recycle >recover >landfill). While reusable packaging is the Holy Grail, the plastics used in many are not recyclable at end-of-life and some are overdesigned, using excessive material.

Single-use packaging is increasingly light-weight, uses compatible and recyclable materials and gives consumers information on disposal.

Can it be recycled? Where? Does it need to be rinsed first? Do food or product residues matter?

But many symbols found on packaging, mistaken as recycling advice, actually mean the producer has paid a levy or indicate the polymer used. Others are generic and don’t reflect whether the UK’s recycling infrastructure can handle them.

‘Recycle-ready’ almost certainly means it can’t be recycled here.

‘Plastic-free’ is often applied to packaging made from bioplastics: still plastic but made from wood,

Careful attention to sustainability claims is vital. Getting it wrong is disastrous for brand value, erodes consumer trust and, worse still, undermines consumer confidence in taking pro-environmental action. bamboo or agricultural by-products, not fossil fuels. They may or may not be sustainably sourced, recyclable or compostable and can cause equal harm in the environment if not disposed of responsibly.

Compostables work well in closed systems like the Olympic Park, but not at home or on-the-go. The UK doesn’t yet have household collections.

Industrial composters and anaerobic digestion plants handling garden and food waste can’t risk contaminating their end-products with plastic fragments. They can’t distinguish compostable from conventional plastics so remove everything for landfilling or incineration. Oxo-biodegradables leave micro-plastics in the environment and are being banned in Europe.

Sustainability claims affect brands Whether packaging procurer, marketeer or consumer, careful attention to sustainability claims is vital. Getting it wrong is disastrous for brand value, erodes consumer trust and, worse still, undermines consumer confidence in taking proenvironmental action. That’s why the Advertising Standards Authority and Competition & Markets Authority are both, rightly, taking a lively interest.

INTERVIEW WITH John Garner Head of Business Development, Antalis

WRITTEN BY Virginia Blackburn

Paid for by Antalis antalis.co.uk/ protect-the-future

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Recycled content levels in Faerch food packaging certified by third party auditor Using post-consumer recycled content (PCR) in food packaging is good for the environment, appreciated by consumers and supported by taxation.

Full transparency on the amount of post-consumer recycled content used in food packaging is crucial. It allows taking the right material choice, complying with legislative requirements, communicating accurately and avoiding to confuse consumers.

We apply the strictest calculation standards and provide our customers with certification on the level of recycled post-consumer content (PCR) in our packaging audited by third party.

As the world’s first integrated tray recycler, we manufacture PET food containers with market-leading amounts of post-consumer recycled content, which we recycle back into new food packaging at industrial scale.

We believe that full transparency on post-consumer recycled content in food packaging is the key driver to accelerate the required transition towards circularity.

Contact us and learn more about how we can support you in making circular packaging your competitive advantage.

SCAN GET ALL THE DETAILS

Faerch Group

@faerchgroup

* Definition of post-consumer recycled content according to (ISO 14021:2016): “Material generated by households or by commercial, industrial and institutional facilities in their role as end users of the product, which can no longer be used for its intended purpose. This includes returns of material from the distribution chain.” Numbers refer to Faerch’s CPET products made from post-consumer recycled content (PCR) manufactured in the UK; based on mass balance calculation in the period between 01/04/20 and 30/09/20; third party validation from PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) as per 18/11/20; certificates for each recipe with exact PCR levels available.

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Plastic packaging tax driving recycling opportunities

Stop plastic pollution at the source Recycling alone is not enough to solve the plastic pollution crisis. Investing in reusable solutions will be just as important.

Will the upcoming plastic tax achieve its aims without further legislative and investment support?

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ill the tax prevent plastic pollution? As a stand-alone measure, probably not. But strengthening recycled content requirements will certainly make a difference.

Since the introduction of the plastic bag levy in 2015, alongside powerful images of plastics pollution in every corner of our planet courtesy of Sir David Attenborough, citizens are outraged (and rightly so) that our consumption driven society of buy, use, dispose, has created such a mess.

WRITTEN BY

Christian Kaufholz Manager of Affiliated Programs, World Economic Forum

Understanding the technicalities The upcoming plastic packaging tax will not apply to “any packaging which is not predominantly plastic by weight”. Those who achieve a 30% postconsumer recycled content will also avoid the £200 per tonne tax.

Some will consider other materials, but many, in an attempt to retain the functionality of the pack, will turn to a combination of laminated material layers without considering the overall environmental impacts based on carbon, energy and recyclability.

Commercial viability of plastics recycling is market and demand driven.

Increasing the pressure on producers to include recycled content is one solution. Of course, ensuring all plastic packaging placed on the market is compatible with recycling is also key.

Over recent years, there has been a drive by many brands to voluntarily go beyond 30% recycled content with many success stories in the rPET and HDPE milk bottle markets. Since the tax announcement, work has accelerated on food grade PP reprocessing too, which currently cannot include recycled content due to food safety regulations.

an the zero-waste movement survive a pandemic? Despite a statement from 125+ scientists last June attesting to the safely of reusable products, things looked shaky. As cases soared, many states and countries suspended bans on single-use plastics. The global plastic packaging market is projected to grow to $1012 billion by 2021 – even though a staggering 86% of packaging is never recycled.

But priorities have begun to reset.

The UK endorsed a global treaty on plastic pollution. Germany and Greece have pledged to phase out single-use plastics by summer. In China, one of the world’s biggest plastic polluters, the ban on disposable bags and straws is already in effect.

Convenience and sustainability go hand-in-hand Takeaway cups and containers are convenient and disposable. They’re a microcosm of a larger culture – a “takeuse-dispose” mindset that prioritises generating unsustainable amounts of new materials.

In cities around the world, creative businesses have designed waste out of takeaway culture – while keeping the convenience factor intact. In Singapore and Hong Kong, the social enterprise Muuse creates a citywide network of cafes where consumers can collect and return reusable cups and containers. When COVID-19 prompted an increase in demand for home deliveries, they introduced a food delivery service with reusable boxes.

Smart packaging, smart results Want to make a zero-waste purchase for your home? Increasingly, brands and retailers are tapping into technology to sell goods in refillable,

Importance of educating citizens Keeping plastics capable of being recycled in the materials loop and driving circular economy relies on citizens doing their bit. The 2020 RECOUP UK Household Plastics Collection Survey reported that in 2019 we placed 59% of household bottles and 33% of household pots tubs and trays for recycling. To supply enough recycled plastic content from the UK, support of UK citizens is required.

As well as taxation and other legislative tools such as use of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), it is important to invest in educating on the role individual behaviour plays to drive circular economy.

Simple, convenient solutions like these are changing the way people consume every single day – and they make me hopeful that we are one step closer to a world free of plastic pollution. reusable packaging that’s easy to use.

At the retail level, stores in Prague, Paris and Switzerland have enlisted the start-up MIWA to install smart shelves with dispensers. They allow in hygienic way to dispense both food and non-food products from MIWA reusable capsules, which are then cleaned and shipped to be filled again by producers and brands. On top of that, consumers can dispense goods into their reusable containers with a diverse range of products like rice, nuts and dried goods – a process that eliminates any need for single-use packaging from the start.

When it comes to home deliveries, the company Algramo has also revolutionised the way people buy household products and food. In both emerging markets like Santiago and megacities like New York, its app allows customers to order the exact amount that they need, delivered straight to their smart, reusable packaging at home.

These are just three examples of innovative businesses that have successfully designed waste out of everyday products. Simple, convenient solutions like these are changing the way people consume every single day – and they make me hopeful that we are one step closer to a world free of plastic pollution.

Anne Hitch Citizen and Stakeholder Engagement Manager, RECOUP

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Packaging the pandemic: could cartonboard hold the answer to our growing climate concerns?

Fuelled by the pandemic, consumers are keener than ever to make a difference to the environment and make more sustainable choices, starting with packaging.

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esearch by Pro Carton found that 54% of UK consumers have become more concerned about the environment since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Climate change was their second highest concern after the virus.

“Climate change is top of people’s minds and there is a strong desire from consumers to do the right thing,” says Tony Hitchin, General Manager of Pro Carton.

“There has been a tremendous increase in interest in using and buying sustainable packaging across brand owners, retailers and consumers. The message has got through very forcibly, and governments are helping too by taking action to reduce the amount of waste we create and eliminate products and packaging which are not sustainable, not renewable, or which harm the environment at the end of life.”

over two-thirds of consumers said they would pay more for packaging which had less impact on the environment.

In the UK, 50% said they have already switched brands based on concerns about packaging.

Finding new solutions Consumers’ increased interest in sustainable solutions provides an opening for recyclable packaging options such as cardboard or cartonboard. A study by Material Economics found 25% of plastic packaging could be replaced by paperbased alternatives, reducing carbon dioxide by 85%.

Jon Clark, General Manager of BPIF Cartons, says, “The big advantage of paper-based packaging is that it comes from a renewable resource, is fully recyclable, and should it be erroneously put into nature it will biodegrade.

“That is what the circular economy should be all about. There is an origin and end of life for everything, that origin can be regenerated and no harm done at the end of life. That is the utopian position we want to get to.”

With consumers more aware than ever of environmental issues, 75% said they would choose a product packaged in cardboard or cartonboard, while only 12% said plastic.

INTERVIEW WITH

Tony Hitchin General Manager, Pro Carton, The European Association of Carton and Cartonboard Manufacturers

INTERVIEW WITH

Jon Clark General Manager, BPIF Cartons (British Printing Industries Federation)

Written by: Meredith Jones Russell

©INFOGRAPHIC SUPPLIED BY PROCARTON

Climate change is top of people’s minds and there is a strong desire from consumers to do the right thing.

The change of lifestyle during the pandemic has made more people realise the importance of sustainability and recycling wherever they can.

Packaging needs during the pandemic As a result of the pandemic, the importance of sustainable packaging solutions is becoming impossible to ignore for many. Households are seeing much more waste and are responding by recycling more. Of the 1,023 British consumers surveyed by Pro Carton, 61% claimed to be recycling more waste now than a year ago.

Hitchin remarks, “With the nonessential retail trade shut, we are all getting a lot more home deliveries.

Recycling has become completely second nature and people are understanding more about their responsibilities to the environment.

The change of lifestyle during the pandemic has made more people realise the importance of sustainability and recycling wherever they can.”

Meanwhile, with fewer opportunities to spend money on travel and leisure,

Clark adds, “Brand survival is based on understanding and satisfying consumer needs and this is so clear, it is really a no-brainer. Brands want to be responsible and appeal to their consumers.”

The future of cartonboard Technological advances have seen the adaptability of cartonboard packaging solutions increase dramatically in recent years.

Products such as meat, ice cream and fast food can all now be packaged in it, as opposed to previously widespread alternatives like plastic or polystyrene, while bottles made from wood fibre are being developed for liquid products.

Clark explains, “The future of cartonboard is incredibly bright and long-term availability is good. It ticks so many boxes. European forest owners are planting more trees than are harvested and as more trees are planted, more carbon dioxide is taken out of the air. Forest-based products really are the answer and packaging is a huge part of that.”

Pro Carton: procarton.com BPIF Cartons: bpifcartons.org.uk

Paid for by Pro Carton and BPIF Cartons

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Plastic waste is a result of the way we design our products, packaging, and business models. Therefore, with a shift in mindset, we can design out waste and stop it from being created in the first place. ~Sara Wingstrand, Programme Manager, Plastics Innovation, Ellen MacArthur Foundation

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