FOR STARTERS …
TRUTH ABOUT PLASTIC AND RECYCLING
The theme for this year’s Earth Day was “Invest In Our Planet. What Will You Do?”. And, to mark the event, The Telegraph has given us “The truth about plastic and recycling in 2022 and exactly what is harmful to the environment”.
The article highlights some of the benefits of plastic and offers the best rules to follow about recycling.
Plus, there’s a warning not to “wishcycle” when you put something in a recycling bin that cannot be recycled, hoping that somehow it will be. That contaminates other products that can be recycled, with the whole lot possibly being sent for incineration or landfill.
We contribute to the Earth Day objectives on many fronts, including products with PCR (post-consumer recycled content) and mono-material options across our range of lidding films.
Also, suppose you doubt how your local authority handles certain materials in your home bin, then you can always use a recycling facility, assisted by Wrap’s Recycling Locator tool.
ANSWER TO WASTE
In the US, the Plastics Industry Association (PLASTICS) has issued its support of Earth Day.
“Improving our national infrastructure to make sure all plastics can be recovered and recycled is the most important answer to reducing waste and building a more circular economy,” said Patrick Krieger, vice-president for sustainability.
URGENT PACKAGING CALL
A new IGD report has called for an urgent reassessment of the UK packaging strategy. Findings include:
- Business as usual will not deliver a shared industry ambition of halving the environmental impact of the UK packaging system by 2030.
- A shift in focus from plastics to all packaging materials is needed.
The report identifies three key routes to change:
- Remove packaging.
- Increase recycled content.
- Decarbonise existing supply chains.
CHANGES TO RECYCLING SYSTEM
A response to the consultation on introducing an Extended Producer Responsibility scheme (EPR) for packaging has been published by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).
The EPR system is now proposed for introduction in 2024, and obligated producers will be responsible for 100% of the cost of collecting, sorting, treating, and recycling packaging.
Defra’s response to the consultation sets out some important changes, including:
- Some of the costs (estimated at 85%) could be passed on to consumers.
- Modulated fees based on recyclability will be introduced from 2025.
- All packaging (except plastic films and flexibles) will need to be labelled with the "Recycle Now" recycle mark by 2026. Plastic films and flexibles to be labelled by 31 March 2027.
- 2022 targets for packaging waste will be rolled over to 2023 to provide continuity as businesses prepare for EPR.
Modulated fees are being introduced to incentivise producers to make more sustainable decisions when designing or purchasing packaging.
BREAKTHROUGH IN PP TRIALS
A breakthrough in food-grade recycled polypropylene has been announced by Nextek’s NEXTLOOPP, the multi-participant global project.
Trials have demonstrated a 99.9% sorting purity at maximum production speed using Nextek’s invisible PolyPRISM fluorescent markers.
Now PPristine recycled PP prototype resins derived from post-consumer packaging are being despatched by NEXTLOOPP to its 43 participants for further trials.
CIRCULAR COLLABORATION
How can mechanical and chemical recycling work together to achieve full material circularity? CEFLEX have asked and endeavoured to answer the question.
CLEANING UP GREENWASHING
An end to “the age of greenwashing” is in sight for the retail sector, according to packaging data specialist ecoveritas.
Greenwashing is designed to make people believe that a company is doing more to protect the environment than it really is.
ecoveritas believes the practice is now being tackled by a combination of changing consumer attitudes and new legislation.
BAGS OF POTENTIAL
Down Under, Woolworths is "growing greener" with the launch of compostable fruit and vegetable bags to help further reduce single-use plastic waste.
The move could divert up to 70 tonnes of plastic waste from landfill each year.
At KM, we offer our C-Range of compostable bio-plastic packaging with similar properties and look and feel as conventional plastic. The range includes a bio-based home compostable bag from renewable resources using versatile materials supplied in a range of grades.
LOVE YOURSELF LIDDING SOLUTION
Love Yourself are a direct-to-door meal delivery company. Their aim is to make eating healthier, delicious and as easy and convenient as possible. They needed a reliable lidding product that matched their ethos.
Discover how, in the words of the customer, we understood their business and found the exact bespoke solutions required.
AND FINALLY - EGGSTRA EGGSTRA
Mars announced a 142-tonne reduction in packaging across its Easter Eggs and a 6-tonne reduction in plastic this Easter.
Earlier we reported that Aldi was also laying off plastic this Easter but, when it comes to the real thing, alternatives for egg packaging were not all they are cracked up to be.
PS:
Welcome to Emma Furness, who has joined the KM team as our new Finance and Business Assistant.
DATES FOR YOUR DIARY
From the KM team … stay safe, keep up the good work, and value plastic.