Category Archives: A&A News

A coherent plan needed for on-the-go packaging

Plastic beverage bottles were under the spotlight as MPs continued to quiz industry figures as part of the inquiry into disposable drinks packaging.

A coherent plan needed for on-the-go packaging

The Environmental Audit Committee heard evidence from packaging and retail experts, who defended plastic packaging while also arguing that a coherent strategy for on-the-go packaging was needed.

Barry Turner, director of plastics and flexible packaging at the British Plastics Federation, argued that the sector was taking action to boost recycling rates as well as improving the amount of recycled plastic in bottles. But he argued that the UK’s contribution to plastic pollution was small compared to other countries.

Also giving evidence was Alice Ellison, head of the environment at the British Retail Consortium, who said: “We want to move to a circular economy but why just look at plastic bottles? There is a gap [in recycling] from on-the-go consumption. That needs to be addressed.”

Gavin Partington, director general of the British Soft Drinks Association, said that the UK did not have adequate recycling facilities.

He said: “Our sector wants to reuse as much as possible. We want to work with the government to get some consistency. There is consumer confusion on what to recycle and where.”

Ellison added: “The PRN system is not perfect. You currently have a perverse incentive to export waste abroad. That could be removed very quickly. A reformed PRN could have ring-fenced budgets to tackle different things. If the business does this alone then not everyone will come with us. It needs vision and a strategy from government.

Another concern was how the waste policy would be shaped post-Brexit. Turner said that the EU circular economy package had been a major driver for change and that he would not want to see a divergence in riles.

“We rely on Europe for a lot of legislation which has been, by and large, beneficial,” he added.

Turner said that the plastic packaging industry was keen to see improvements in recycling and said that the sector was calling for a more consistent approach to design. He was challenged by the committee’s chair Mary Creagh MP, who asked why unrecyclable films were wrapped around plastic bottles.

“We advocate that they use the right material,” said Turner. “We cannot dictate to a brand what they should do. It’s a commercial decision for them.”

Businesses are not looking to reduce packaging costs

A recent nationwide YouGov survey conducted for Davpack Packaging has shown that 95% of small businesses are not looking to reduce packaging costs.

Businesses are not looking to reduce packaging costs

The survey, conducted in July, showed, however, that 36% of decision-makers in over 1,100 small and medium-sized businesses are actively looking to cut their business costs in the near future. With most of the responses citing leaving the E.U. as their key reason for cutting costs, the survey shows that packaging is an area that is least likely to be cut. Staffing, marketing, and professional services respectively, have shown to be areas that are more likely to be cut ahead of the country’s political future.

While this may mean a slow decline in the employment or service industries outside the packaging industry, most SME’s decision makers are positive about the future of the packaging industry and are keen to ensure that their packaging continues to communicate and display their company’s values and beliefs to their customers.

Barney Byfield, managing director of  Davpack Packaging, commented: “We are in constant conversation with our customers about their business needs, and Brexit is often mentioned as an uncertainty. However, the indications are that the packaging market continues to expand and that customers don’t foresee a need to cut costs on this business essential. In fact, we are currently experiencing strong demand across the board, not just within economy packaging supplies, but also added value areas such as custom printed boxes and e-commerce solutions”

“However, many businesses do feel a need to offset the uncertainty around the future impact of Brexit with some cost reductions today as an insurance policy. We will continue to monitor the situation, because if companies feel more affected as Brexit gets closer, this is likely to affect business confidence and, in turn, demand for packaging supplies.”

Of the 5% who do want to target reductions in packaging, 31% cited that Britain leaving the EU was the main reason for this consideration. While the country’s decision stands, the packaging industry will see a shift in spending, but it can be assured that amongst SME’s the packaging industry will continue to use packaging as a marketing tool as the country presses forward.

Borough Market to have free drinking water fountains

Borough Market to phase out plastic bottles with free drinking water fountains.

Borough Market to have free drinking water fountains

London’s Borough market has claimed that the introduction of free drinking water fountains is a big step towards the area becoming “plastic free”.

Three water fountains have been placed around the market and each has two streams of water to drink or fill up a bottle. Plans are currently in place to produce Borough Market refillable bottles made from recycled plastic that can be purchased from stalls around the market.

Borough market intends to phase out all sales of single use plastic at the market over the next six months.

Darren Henaghan, managing director of Borough Market, said: “It’s great that people are increasingly aware of the health benefits of keeping hydrated, but we’ve been troubled to see increasing numbers of plastic bottles used every day, which damage the environment and add to litter.

“By using the new Borough Fountains our visitors will be able to refill and refresh without having to buy a plastic bottle each time.  We are proud to take this significant step forward as part of our ongoing commitment to making Borough Market Britain’s greenest place to shop and hope that others will follow suit.”

New chemicals guidance for waste packaging

New chemicals guidance for waste packaging, guidance to assist companies in meeting waste packaging obligations.

New chemicals guidance for waste packaging

This guidance document “The assessment and classification of waste packaging” was developed by trade associations representing companies operating in the chemicals supply chain that uses packaging.

The Environment Agency, Natural Resources Wales and Scottish Environment Protection Agency have welcomed the development of this guidance and have agreed to its adoption in England, Wales and Scotland.

The document provides guidance for assessing whether packaging to be taken offsite is waste or not and if waste, whether it is waste packaging or not and whether it should be classified as hazardous or non-hazardous. It includes a method that allows for the weight of the packaging to be taken into account and is intended to be complementary to the joint environment agencies’ Technical Guidance WM3.  

The guidance will also support companies in the context of resource efficiency and the concept of the circular economy.

Green Alliance simple actions to tackle marine litter

Plastic marine litter from the UK could be reduced by nearly two thirds with five simple actions, says think tank Green Alliance.

Green Alliance simple actions to tackle marine litter

In a speech to WWF on 21 July, Environment Secretary Michael Gove promised to tackle marine plastic litter as part of a renewed waste and resources strategy. Green Alliance said Gove’s announcement that microbeads will be banned from rinse-off products later this year is a step forward, but it will tackle less than 1% of the problem. The government’s plastic bag charge also addresses 1% of the plastic that enters the sea.

The think tank said other well-publicised methods, which use buoys to remove litter from the open oceans, only tackle floating debris and so could only remove 2% of the plastic that gets into the sea. This is because most plastic sinks below the ocean surface or is ingested by animals.

According to Green Alliance analysis, the single most effective action would be to stop plastic bottles getting into the sea through a deposit return scheme (DRS). The largest proportion (33%) of plastic litter comes from plastic bottles, and this problem is likely to escalate as global bottle production is forecast to jump by 20 per cent by 2021.

Alongside a deposit return scheme, Green Alliance believes four other actions would reduce the UK’s contribution to plastic pollution in the sea by nearly two thirds in total:

  • enforce Operation Clean Sweep to cut pollution from plastic pellets or ‘nurdles’ used as raw material in industrial processes (9% of plastic pollution); [5]
  • enforce existing maritime waste dumping bans, using techniques similar to those used by Norway to enforce its fish discards ban (11% of plastic pollution); [6]
  • upgrade wastewater treatment plants with sand filters to retain the micro plastic fibres shed from synthetic clothes when they are washed (9% of plastic pollution); [7] and
  • Expand the UK’s ban on microbeads to all products, not just rinse-off products (1% of plastic pollution).

Dustin Benton, acting policy director for Green Alliance said: “It’s depressing to visit a beach that is covered with plastic, and downright scary to learn that the seafood you are eating might be contaminated by plastic pollution. The popularity of the microbeads ban and plastic bag charge shows the public is up for tackling these problems. The government should listen, introduce a bottle deposit scheme, and enforce rules on sources of industrial waste. These simple steps would address two-thirds of the UK’s marine plastic problem.”

There has of course been much opposition to DRS, most recently from the Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) and the Scottish Grocers’ Federation (SGF) who said their research indicated that a deposit return scheme would negatively impact local shops.