Page 15 - Packaging News Magazine Mar-Apr 2021

March-April 2021 | www.packagingnews.com.au | SUSTAINABILITY
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Plastic Pact progress ramps up
Since opening its doors to members in January, the ANZPAC Plastics Pact has made exciting progress, launching new projects and bringing together organisations across the plastics supply chain throughout the Oceania region. It will launch officially in mid-2021.
do need is reusable, recyclable or compostable; circulating all plastics we use to keep them in the economy and out of the environment.
PLASTIC A PRIORITY IN THE PACIFIC
In January, the Plastics Pact was introduced to businesses, members of the government and NGOs in Vanuatu during an event hosted by the British High Commission and the Vanuatu Environmental Science Society.
British High Commissioner Karen Bell praised the leadership Vanuatu had shown in reducing and re-using plastic waste through government and private sector led initiatives.
The event welcomed the initiative as a means to bring together manufactur- ers and suppliers in the region with cus- tomers in Vanuatu to eliminate plastic waste, create economic opportunity and protect the environment. ■
To find out more about the program visit anzpacplasticspact.org.au
NEW MEMBERS
The ANZPAC program has welcomed a host of high-profile new members and supporters – from major brands and retailers, through to industry asso- ciations, waste and recycling organisa- tions and environmental groups.
Members will represent the three major geographies within the pro- gram – Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands – and early founding members play an impor- tant role in shaping the program in the coming years.
Katinka Day, No Plastic in Nature Policy Manager at WWF-Australia, commented: “Plastic pollution is a global crisis that needs urgent local and regional solutions. To do this, WWF-Australia sees ANZPAC as crit- ical in bringing together a diverse range of stakeholders towards a com- mon goal – to address plastic pollu- tion and move towards a circular economy for plastics.”
NEW PROJECTS
Progress is already underway for some of the ANZPAC program’s cir- cular economy and product stew- ardship projects, which seek to drive tangible advancement in
critical areas across Australia, NZ and the Pacific Islands.
One example is the new Polypro- pylene Plant Packaging Recycling (PoPPr) project, which sees Austra- lian Packaging Covenant Organisa- tion (APCO) work closely with Green Industries Australia to design and implement an industry-endorsed col- lection points network for plant pack- aging. It enables Australians to return their plant packaging for recycling into new plant packaging and close the loop on horticultural PP5.
A second project is a new national collection and recycling scheme for plastic oil containers, which cannot be recycled at kerbside due to resid- ual oil and are an environmental and safety hazard. APCO will engage with industry and government part- ners to design and implement an effective, whole-of-supply chain product stewardship model that will address industry funding, free-rider protection and national coverage.
As well as working to improve col- lection, sorting and recycling, the ANZPAC program will also focus on designing upstream solutions to eliminate plastic that we do not need; innovating so that plastic we
At the ANZPAC Vanuatu event: (L-R) Richard Dirks, Deputy New Zealand High Commissioner to Vanuatu, Hirohisa Chiba, Japanese Ambassador
to Vanuatu,
Dr Christina Shaw, Vanuatu Environmental Science
Society, Karen Bell, UK High Commissioner to Vanuatu, and Sarah de Zoeten, Australian High Commissioner to Vanuatu.
COMMUNITY GROWTH
The ANZPAC Plastics Pact member and supporter community is growing. Since applications for Membership officially opened on 1 January, APCO is delighted to have welcomed some of the most influential organisations from across the region.
The ANZPAC program now includes representatives from across the entire plastics value chain including plastic packaging manufac- turers, major FMCG brands, retailers, committed small business- es and waste and recycling organisa- tions. Influential industry associations and a range of environmental awareness and advocacy groups have also joined as official ANZPAC Plastic Pact supporters.
The deadline for applications is fast approaching – 10 May. Don’t miss out on your chance to be part of the founding community that will build a circular economy for plastics in the region.