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Our Packaging Future

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Our Packaging Future report launches to outline critical steps required to deliver Australia’s 2025 National Packaging Targets

1st Apr 20

Assistant Minister for Waste Reduction and Environment Management, The Hon Trevor Evans MP, and the Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation (APCO) – of which bygreen is a Member, today launched ‘Our Packaging Future’, the new strategic framework outlining how Australia will deliver the 2025 National Packaging Targets.

The significant new report was unveiled during an industry webinar, featuring discussion from Minister Evans, Dr Helen Lewis and APCO CEO Brooke Donnelly.

Of the 5.5 million tonnes of packaging material placed on the market annually, 88% is currently recyclable, yet just 49% is recovered for use in future applications, with the remainder ending up as landfill, or litter on land and in our oceans. ‘Our Packaging Future’ combines data and insights from more than 200 authors and contributors, to identify the current critical challenges contributing to this gap. It then maps the strategies required to move away from our current take, make and waste approach to managing packaging. The strategies address issues of packaging design, improved collection and recycling systems and expanded markets for used packaging, and provides a systemic, whole of environment approach to building Australia’s sustainable packaging future.

Key recommendations and approaches addressed in the plan include:

  • A change to the 2025 National Packaging Target for recycled content levels in packaging. The Target for the average recycled content in all packaging will increase from 30% to 50%.
  • The launch of a National Consumer Education Campaign for sustainable packaging in 2020
  • APCO to convene a CDS National Working Group as a collaborative forum aiming to facilitate consistency and alignment of future closed-loop schemes
  • APCO to explore and facilitate waste collection partnerships in regional and remote areas including potential collaboration with other product stewardship schemes where kerbside collection is not feasible
  • Voluntary code of practice for shopping bags with key stakeholders
  • New reuse models for both consumer and B2B packaging
  • For compostable packaging, develop a national strategy with industry and government partners.
  • Explore extending the Australasian Recycling Label to include B2B packaging and recycled content.
  • Develop a traceability and verification program for recycled content in packaging and products

Read the full story here

Source APCO – www.packagingcovenant.org.au