Page 15 - Packaging News Magazine Jan-Feb 2019

WASTE IN NUMBERS – FROM THE END OF WASTE WHITE PAPER
91%
of Australians are concerned about environmental impact of packaging
57%
say they could do more to recycle packaging waste in their households
14%
say they don’t recycle all their packaging as they don’t feel their actions make any difference or that the materials go to landfill anyway
76%
report they are more concerned about packaging waste now than they were five years ago
87%
say they are annoyed by the amount of packaging on products
45%
would be willing to pay more for environmentally friendly packaging
70%
feel guilty about the amount of packaging waste their household produces
52%
say they don’t understand what happens to packaging once packaging is taken away for recycling
66%
say the cost for more sustainable packaging should be borne by industry
15
January-February 2019 www.packagingnews.com.au SUSTAINABILITY
“The problem of
industry beyond the War on Waste to the End of Waste – a circular economy that will reuse, recycle and reduce landfill, without losing value.
And Australians are demanding change. New research commissioned by Pact Group demonstrates that 91 per cent of consumers are concerned about the impact of packag- ing, while 76 per cent of Australians say they were more concerned about packag- ing waste now than they are five years ago. Tellingly, more than half say they do not understand what happens once their pack- aging is taken away for recycling.
Pact says that now more than ever, in- dustry needs innovation in sustainability, and while such innovation can increase cost to the supply chain, a unified ap- proach can provide scale to reduce costs and uncover new opportunities so con- sumers are not forced to choose between value and sustainability. To achieve this End of Waste goal, industry must take bold steps to divert household waste from land- fill, minimise packaging wherever possi- ble, and create closed-loop systems that recycle continuously without losing value along the way.
Pact Group’s vision requires a coalition. Government support is critical, but it says it is industry that must lead a whole-of-soci- ety solution by simplifying options for con- sumers, eliminating problematic products and creating new products that build closed-loop systems to re-use and recycle household packaging waste.
The White Paper, available for download on the company’s website, details the key challenges faced by industry, and market- wide solutions that can meet the rising ex- pectations of government, retailers and con- sumers to bring about the End of Waste. ■
waste has to be sorted and it has to be sorted now. There is no plan B.”
– Raphael Geminder, Pact Group chairman
are widely evident, with plastic mounting up in warehouses across the country.
Meanwhile, consumption of packaging continues to increase in line with popula- tion and economic growth, but Austra- lia’s waste management systems are prov- ing inadequate and no longer fit for purpose. As a result, pressure is mount- ing across the supply chain, from brand owners and packaging manufacturers, to councils, governments and recyclers, to radically change the industry to ensure that less household packaging waste ends up in landfill.
The white paper says the questions are clear: What is the solution, who will drive change, how much will it cost and who will pay? It examines the economic cost imposts of change as well as the cost of inertia. It articulates the current opportu- nities facing the industry and proposes solutions to end household waste.
Pact Group has positioned itself as a leader in sustainability for many years, with its War on Waste driving innovation. But now the company has set new, ambi- tious goals to drive change and lead the
End of Waste: Pact chairman Raphael Geminder with sustainability provocateur Dr Leyla Acaroglu at the launch of the white paper
in Melbourne late last year.