Page 14 - Food & Drink Magazine April 2020

BY ASSOCIATION
Collaborating to sustain an
Combating waste is a battle not to be fought alone, and the government is working with the beverages industry to introduce more programs to minimise waste nationwide. Australian Beverages Council CEO Geoff Parker writes.
SUSTAINABILITY consistently ranks highly in consumer sentiment research and beverages companies have responded rapidly by turning sustainability into more than simply a selling point by embedding it into a company’s DNA. Consumers have responded accordingly by favouring products that are more sustainable while remaining attune to attempts at greenwashing.
Despite significant progress, the drinks industry is often the subject of misplaced criticism for its use of
plastics, reliance on groundwater or the
environmental impacts on waste streams or landfill.
In March, in front of a plethora of stakeholders at
the National Plastics Summit in the Great Hall of Parliament
House in Canberra, the Prime Minister outlined three key pillars that form part of the
Australian Government’s broader waste plan.
In the first instance, the waste plan very much takes an
‘our waste, our responsibility’ approach to tackling the
problem, and the recent export restrictions that were announced underpin that strategy. The Australian Government is simply no longer content with Australia’s waste ending up in a developing neighbour’s village or streams.
The second pillar has a clear focus on industry by enhancing capabilities in reducing and reprocessing waste, whether through greater technological innovation, higher levels of co-investment between government and private
enterprise, or ensuring waste levies are better directed towards reinvestment in recycling rather than being used for unrelated purposes.
Thirdly, there is a clear intention to encourage more demand for recycled products. This could include strengthening government procurement criteria on sustainability and recycled content or building the market and value in waste products.
Proudly, the drinks industry has made great strides in many of these areas and will continue to provide world class stewardship of the planet’s precious resources. From large to small, drink companies are taking real, demonstrable
Coca-Cola Amatil, have made impressive announcements with key strategic partners that will increase the supply of recycled PET in the domestic market while at the same time committing to 100 per cent recycled content targets across large parts of the industry’s packaging portfolio.
Both initiatives will have the capacity to significantly increase plastic recycling with tens of thousands of tonnes being diverted from landfill and into recycled content. Against the backdrop of a restriction on waste exports by COAG, developments like these also benefit the Australian economy with more jobs being created, adding to the 46,000 FTEs
14 | Food&Drink business | April 2020 | www.foodanddrinkbusiness.com.au
“ Partnerships are the key to solving complex problems... governments are looking for collaborative organisations to deliver win-win solutions.”
action across all three pillars and are clearly stepping up to meet the call to action.
MORE RECYCLED CONTENT
Already today, much of the industry is manufacturing containers from recycled material, some of which is being supplied through container deposit schemes and significant R&D continues to be invested into this important area. As the price of oil falls, however, commitments to manufacture containers, packaging and other materials used by the industry will be tested as the cost of recycled plastic heads north.
Recently, the nation’s two largest bottlers, Asahi and
already supported by the drinks industry and its supply chain.
CLEANER WASTE STREAMS
In the last couple of months, Victoria has moved, as the last state to do so, to formally announce a Container Deposit Scheme (CDS). While long anticipated by those close to the issue of bottle, can and carton return schemes, the announcement has been roundly welcomed by industry, charities and consumers alike.
The Victorian market is the second largest market in Australia for drinks, after NSW. Of the 46,000 people employed in the drinks industry in Australia, nearly 10,000 are in Victoria. That