Page 21 - Packaging News Magazine Jan-Feb 21

January-February 2021 | www.packagingnews.com.au | SUSTAINABILITY
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• Reusable shopping bags: Reusable non-woven polypropylene (PP) bags, and reusable low density poly- ethylene bags (supermarket type) These five reusable packaging sys-
tems avoided the use of an estimated 1.7 million tonnes of single-use packaging. This demonstrates the enormous potential of reusable packaging systems to reduce con- sumption of single-use packaging, which will be a major area of focus for APCO and its Members over the next five years.
WHAT’S NEXT?
There are many positives to take away from the data in this year’s report, with particularly pleasing results against the Target for 100 per cent of packaging to be reusable, recyclable or compostable and the Target for 50 per cent average recy- cled content included in packaging.
However, these findings also clearly support the need for stron- ger interventions into the way Australia manages plastic packag- ing. The good news is we have already begun the process of work- ing to address this need.
In early 2021, the ANZPAC Plastics Pact (see page 22) will go live – a col- laborative solution that brings together key players across Australia,
100% of all Australia’s packaging will be reusable, recyclable or compostable by 2025 or earliera
70% of Australia’s plastic packaging will be recycled or composted by 2025
50% average recycled content will be included across all packaging by 2025
Problematic and unnecessary single-use plastic packaging will be phased out
2017/18 Result: 88%
2017/18 Result: 16%
2017/18 Result: 35%b
2017/18: Foundation Phase
TARGET
2018/19 Result: 89%
100%
70%
50%
TARGET
Reduction in priority items
2018/19 Result: 18%
TARGET
2018/19 Result: 38%
TARGET
2018/19:
Reduction in PVC, PS, EPS, oxo-degradable plastics and retail shopping bags POMc
Figure E-7 – Summary of the National Packaging Targets and progress to 2018–19
a) Reusable packaging flows are not included in this data.
b) Post-consumer recycled content only. Does not include manufacturing scrap (pre-consumer) recycled content.
c) These estimates are subject to a relatively large accuracy range and significant changes in year-on-year reporting.
New Zealand and the Pacific Islands behind a shared vision of a circular economy for plastic.
Meanwhile, Australia’s work towards achieving the phase out of problematic and unnecessary single- use plastic packaging continues, with the recent release of APCO’s new Action Plan (see page 12). This docu- ment is designed to support Australia’s packaging supply chain as it works to phase out these packaging types through innovative, sustainable
solutions, with the objective to shift our economy and community away from single-use disposable plastic packaging to more durable, reusable and recyclable packaging. ■
APCO has a wide range of resources available to help businesses – particu- larly small and medium-sized organ- isations with fewer resources – start implementing sustainable packaging initiatives today. For more informa- tion visit apco.org.au/resources.