I am! Not only because I am tired of having to drag Lulu past Mc Donald’s packages, ice cream wrappers, milk cartons, chip bags etc every time I take her for a walk! If you own a scavenger, you become very aware of rubbish!!
Another (less selfish) reason is the energy and resources that go into packaging the goods- for example in making or recycling paper or plastics then in dealing with the waste. Packaging is often necessary to protect the product or provide a safe product for our consumption, for containment of goods and branding, but often the type and amount of packaging isn’t appropriate for its function. Packaging is not always appropriate and could often be better designed to reduce the amount used and the components.
What is being done to reduce these problems?
Australian Packaging Covenant (“the APC”) provides a mechanism for industry to take a leadership role in reducing the amount of packaging material that ends up in the litter stream and to accept accountability for the environmental outcome of their actions. It focuses on the design of packaging, its recyclability and its impacts over the whole lifecycle of the packaging to reduce the negative impacts that consumer packaging is having on waste and resource depletion.
The APC signatories commit to working together to take responsibility throughout the supply chain for managing the environmental impacts of packaging. From the fees paid by signatories the APC funds initiatives which increase recycling and reduce litter.
Clients ask me if they have to sign up to the APC.
Brand owners turning over more than $5 million a year who produce or supply consumer packaging need to sign up and comply with the APC. Anyone turning over less than this can sign up and develop plans to reduce the impact of their consumer packaging.
“Brand owners” are:
- owners or licensees in Australia of a trade mark under which a product is sold or distributed;
- the first person/company in Australia to sell imported products;
- the supplier of in-store packaging to the retailer;
- the importer or manufacturer of plastic bags or the retailer who provides the plastic bag to the consumer at the point of sale.
Signatories include government, business and industry players operating throughout packaging chain and as at 30 June 2013, 925 organisations were signatories. The APC often forms part of the company’s environmental management, or sustainability, strategies or is a good place to start.