FOCUS FUTURE OF PACKAGING
Australia’s packaging future This new suggested strategic framework outlines the challenges within the packaging space and what needs to be done for Australia to deliver on its 2025 National Packaging Targets
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he whole packaging value chain collaborates to keep packaging materials out of landfill, and maximise the circular value of the materials, energy and labour within the local economy – this is the vision for Australia’s packaging future, a future that recognises that the planet has finite resources to meet an everincreasing consumption. It also acknowledges that the traditional make-and-waste approach is not going to sustain communities of the future. As such, APCO has released a study, Our Packaging Future, which sets out the collective impact framework that is necessary to deliver on the 2025 National Packaging Targets, focusing on three key outcomes: 1. Packaging designed for circularity 2. Rolling out new and improved collection and recycling systems 3. Creating expanded markets for used packaging Driving these outcomes is a series of interdependent strategies co-designed by key stakeholders within the packaging value chain. The Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation (APCO) CEO Brooke Donnelly said successful collective impact is predoninantly dependent on all stakeholders within a system taking coordinated action to deliver real change and impact. “Our Packaging Future is a call to action to all stakeholders in the
6 ProPack.pro Winter 2020
packaging ecosystem to thoughtfully and collectively determine how they can contribute to the achievement of the vision for our packaging future in Australia,” she said. “How they can work collaboratively to identify the things that are working to improve the system, to stop doing the things that negatively impact the system, and begin to do the necessary things to implement a significant and sustainable system that is cost effective and world leading in terms of government and community impact, job creation and economic growth, is necessary.” Considering the complex packaging value chain, the report identifies that it is vital that stakeholders from different sectors commit to a common agenda to address these complex social, economic and environmental issues. The report focuses on a structured approach to problem-solving that consists of five core criteria: 1. All participants have a shared vision for change, including a common understanding of the problem and a joint approach to solving it through agreed actions 2. Consistent and open communication is needed across the many players to build trust, assure mutual objectives, and create common motivation. 3. Creating and managing a collective impact requires a dedicated staff team with specific skills to co-ordinate participating organisations and agencies 4. Participant activities must be differentiated while still being coordinated through a mutually reinforcing plan of action 5. Collecting data and measuring results consistently across all participants ensures that efforts remain aligned and participants hold each other accountable As such, packaging material flow data, infrastructure mapping and
economic analysis completed by APCO in 2019 and 2020 identified a range of systemic challenges and opportunities. The report identified 14 areas of opportunity, in addition to considerations that need to be addressed across the board: 1. Implementing reuse models Reusable packaging provides a more circular solution than recycling by keeping packaging in use for a longer period of time before it reaches end-of-life. Reusable packaging formats are already widely used in business supply chains, with consumer applications becoming more popular for food service and specialty stores. Packaging reuse systems will play an important role across B2B and consumer applications, and further development and collaboration is required to assess the opportunities for reusable packaging across different sectors. Commercial viability, costs to consumers and life-cycle analysis of reuse options need to be considered to determine if the total benefits to society (environmental, economic and social) exceed the costs. 2. Improving recyclability through redesign and system changes Recyclability is impacted by a range of factors such as format, composition and colour, as well as insufficient collection systems, sorting and reprocessing. www.propack.pro