Plastic Packaging Masterclass 2020 - KEY FINDINGS - sustainable.org.nz - Sustainable Business Network
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sustainable.org.nz Plastic Packaging Masterclass 2020 KEY FINDINGS In partnership with:
Table of contents
What do we know now? 4
Key updates from our speakers 5
Where are we on our pathway to 2025 8
Packaging design for recyclability 10
Current Government initiatives 11
Masterclass workshop sessions outputs 12
Masterclass activity: Discussion on data 13
Masterclass activity: Reusable packaging in New Zealand 17
Masterclass activity: Achieving circulation for flexible packaging 20
Masterclass activity: Compostable packaging 22
Sharing the success stories 23
Who's who and where to go for help 27
Sign up to a packaging commitment 29
Useful resources 30
Definition of terms 31
Attendees Masterclass 2020 33
Sustainable Business Network | Key findings from Plastic Packaging Masterclass 2020 2Introduction
This document provides an update on the key aspects group, or cohort, of leading packaged goods suppliers
of New Zealand’s plastic packaging system from the committed to improving the circularity of New Zealand’s
Sustainable Business Network’s Plastic Packaging packaging. The aim is to help packaged goods suppliers
Masterclass 2020. It outlines where we are now and what make more informed packaging decisions and navigate
we all need to do to contribute to a circular economy for towards 2025 packaging commitments. The aims of the
plastic packaging that works in New Zealand. commitments is that all plastic packaging is 100% reusable,
recyclable or compostable in practice and at scale by 2025.
Plastic Packaging Masterclass 2020 is a part of SBN's
Packaging Circular Innovation Programme and is presented
in partnership with New Zealand King Salmon, thinkstep
For more information please contact:
and Foodstuffs NZ. This work builds on last year’s 2019
kate@sustainable.org.nz
Masterclass Series and on SBN’s report, New Zealand’s
Plastic Packaging System – an initial circular economy
diagnosis.
The masterclasses are centred around a representative
Sustainable Business Network | Key findings from Plastic Packaging Masterclass 2020 3What do we know now? Sustainable Business Network | Key findings from Plastic Packaging Masterclass 2020 4
Key updates from our speakers
In the initial session of each masterclass we hear In August 2020, the Ministry for the Environment Guides to look for:
from key stakeholders in New Zealand’s plastic released a consultation document Reducing the
packaging system. Below are brief summaries of Impact on our Environment from Plastic, which Commerce Commission Environmental
their 2020 updates. You can also view their full proposes a phase-out of certain hard-to-recycle Claims Guidelines
presentations here. plastics and single-use items.
Plastics NZ & WasteMINZ collaboration:
Best Practice Guidelines for Advertising
This work is complemented by a wider Resource
Compostable Plastics
Liz Butcher Efficiency and Waste work programme.
Senior Policy Analyst
Ministry for the Environment • his includes work to develop a National
T
Plastics Action Plan, which takes forward the 51
recommendations from within the Rethinking
Jody Whitten
The Government has an ambitious work Founder & CEO
programme on plastics. This is in response to the Plastics in Aotearoa New Zealand report.
Palletite
build up of plastic in our environment, as well as
the Rethinking Plastics in Aotearoa New Zealand • Currently more than 1,000 tonnes of single use
report by the Office of the Prime Minister's and disposable stretch film is used to contain
Science Advisor. Rachel Barker
goods on pallets in New Zealand.
CEO
This work builds on the success of the plastic Plastics NZ
• Palletite is a reusable pallet load containment
bag ban, which came into force in July 2019 and system that is also faster, safer and stronger than
built a strong momentum for further change. • The conversation on plastics has rebalanced
this film.
slightly. Covid-19 has reminded everyone of the
In December 2019, the Government committed to positive aspects of plastics for health and safety • The pallet load containment units are also fully
four key initiatives including work to: applications e.g. use of PPE. repairable and fully recyclable at end of life.
• Set targets to move away from hard-to-recycle • Change is happening in the NZ system; increased • The business model includes three variations of
plastics (starting with PVC and polystyrene) optical sorting will mean more plastics can be payment: wholesale, lease or subscription. This
and consider the phase-out of more single-use reprocessed in NZ. The main focus for kerbside means no increase in cost.
plastic items. will be Polyethylene terephthalate (PET #1),
High-density polyethylene (HDPE #2) and • Palletize’s mission is to accelerate the
• Investigate options for recycling labelling for Polypropylene (PP #5) plastics. sustainability and efficiency of our supply chains.
packaging.
• Product stewardship is on the rise for many
• Work with local government and industry to different types of products, not just those the Reference: Throughout this document we will
develop a more integrated and consistent government has announced as priority products. refer to plastic types by their full names once
kerbside collection system.
only, along with their assigned number in the
• Compostable packaging is viewed as being good New Zealand plastics numbering system.
• Provide a full response to the Rethinking Plastics for specific use cases. The lack of collection For a full guide on this system, click here.
in Aotearoa New Zealand report. and composting infrastructure has meant
compostables have moved into a ‘not right now’
space for most retail applications.
Sustainable Business Network | Key findings from Plastic Packaging Masterclass 2020 5Key updates from our speakers
Kelly McClean Kim Renshaw Lyn Mayes
Sustainable Packaging Project Manager Projects Manager for Compostable Packaging The Packaging Forum
Foodstuffs NZ Beyond the Bin NZ Food & Grocery Council
The Packaging Forum
• ‘Elimination’ of problematic packaging is a The Packaging Forum’s Soft Plastics
team sport – collaboration between retailers, • The Packaging Forum has a new work programme Recycling Scheme
suppliers, supply chain and customers. for compostable packaging working cross-
sector with multiple industry organisations and • The Soft Plastics Recycling Scheme has seen
• Rethinking product design and delivery is stakeholders. significant growth in processing capacity,
powerful. membership and geographic reach.
• A use-case consultation and research work to
• We have to start somewhere, build and iterate. understand the scale of the NZ industry and the • It is 100% funded by industry.
Know what is unacceptable and be aware of landscape of projects will be undertaken before
unintended consequences so these can be the end of March 2021. • Phased expansion to reflect availability of
avoided. markets and infrastructure.
• A large home-composting trial will be undertaken
Marc Gaugler in 2021 in conjunction with WasteMINZ to The Food & Grocery Council’s Compostable
Materials/Polymers Scientist support the existing projects that Scion is Products Sub Committee
Scion working on.
Food & Grocery brands and supermarkets have
• Bioplastics production capacities continue to be • The programme will work to identify which asked for a firm position. The Food & Grocery
built globally. solutions are scalable and realistic for a working Council’s position is:
solution for compostable packaging in New
• Biocomposites and fibre-based packaging are Zealand. • Supports the use of compostable products in
trending due to their perceived environmental a closed loop environment such as festivals,
benefits and sustainable messaging. • The large number of stakeholders connected to events, food courts and for specific uses such as
compostable packaging need to work together to food caddy liners or produce stickers.
• Plastic-free claims are ambiguous and don’t enable progress towards this working solution.
always mean that plastic-like products are • NOT FOR NOW: Does NOT support the current
polymer-free (e.g plant based plastics are still introduction of compostable plastic packaging
plastic). and products sold for use in households. This
is because the infrastructure is not there for
• There is significant potential for NZ as a raw commercial composting and home compost units
material supplier for future packaging solutions, are not at scale to deal with volume.
e.g. cellulose-based materials or marine-
degradable plastics made from biomass waste.
Sustainable Business Network | Key findings from Plastic Packaging Masterclass 2020 6Key updates from our speakers
James Ferrier • Coloured PET 1, polyvinyl chloride (PVC #3) until we identify/develop replacement renewable
CEO trays, polylactic acid (PLA #7), Low-density biomaterials. Development and testing needs
Biofab polyethylene (LDPE #4), and polystyrene (PS #6) to be underway in parallel to make them
should be avoided to optimise recyclability. commercially viable alternatives to move to.
• Mycelium in packaging is a great example of This seems far-fetched at the moment, but
a true bio-composite. It shows the ability to • Fibre market remains volatile. Fibre that is will continue to be far-fetched until we bridge
replace polymers in packaging. layered with other materials is difficult to the gap.
recycle.
• The more we can learn to mimic natural
processes in producing materials, the more easily Nikki Withington
that material will be able to re-enter natural Sustainable Packaging Consultant
systems at the end of its life cycle. We need to SQ1
design products to minimise the potential for
“waste” to be generated in a product’s lifecycle. • Until we establish different systems (e.g reusable
systems) for retail products there will still
• Producing new materials from renewable be need for single use plastics for protecting
sources such as hemp or wood, will create huge products and communicating information.
opportunities for New Zealand to become less
reliant on imported plastics. • Brand owners and designers are in immediate
need of education and resources to help guide
Nick Baker them into using more circular materials. This
General Manager will make it easier for consumers to feed the
Visy packaging into the right end of life streams.
• The recycling Industry in New Zealand needs • Packaging materials could be standardised for
a system that is understood by consumers! products by category.
Australasian Recycling Label may be an option
that takes the confusion out of recycling. • We need to encourage design for end-of-life
i.e. recycling or composting after repetitive
• Visy has recently upgraded optical sort to include reuse where possible, and have information/
separate streams for coloured HDPE #2, coloured instructions clearly communicated on packaging.
PET #1 and PP #5. New Zealand needs to adopt a labelling system
like the Australasian Recycling Label, but have
• In future Visy would like to upgrade material it available for all businesses, small to large.
recycling facility technology to include object
recognition capability, but this requires • Petroleum-based plastic packaging (even with
investment. high recycled content) is a stop gap solution
Sustainable Business Network | Key findings from Plastic Packaging Masterclass 2020 7Where are we on our pathway to 2025?
A snapshot of NZ's progress in 2020: across the packaging system
BY END
OF 2020
BY END
OF 2022
BY END
OF 2025
During the 2019 Plastic Packaging
Masterclass Series we created a
'Pathway to 2025' of key actions and
outcomes that would be need to be
achieved so New Zealand can meet ACHIEVED AND ONGOING NOW MAINSTREAMED
2025 commitments. • Basel Convention on the import and export of • Consumer awareness of problematic/unnecessary
hazardous waste came into effect January 2021 packaging is influencing businesses to make
The following is a snapshot of our packaging changes
progress in 2020: • Government response and prioritisation of
recommendations from Rethinking Plastics in • Increased onshore reprocessing of household
Aotearoa recycled clear PET #1, natural & coloured HDPE #2
• Planned increase of national waste disposal levy
Sustainable Business Network | Key findings from Plastic Packaging Masterclass 2020 8Where are we on our pathway to 2025?
IN EARLY ADOPTION IN THE PLANNING STAGES YET TO BE STARTED
• Collection and recycling of PP #5 throughout • Consumer demand builds for more reuse • Research and development of independent
New Zealand solutions material choice hierarchy for packaging
• Movement towards use of rigid plastics that • Co-design for regulated product stewardship for • System diagnosis of New Zealand’s reusable
hold local recycling value (clear PET #1, natural & packaging packaging opportunity
coloured HDPE #2 and PP #5)
• Specific uses for compostable packaging are • National plastics data framework
• Increased use of recycled content in packaging identified and compostable packaging best
on shelves practice is defined (e.g certification)
• Renewable bio based drop-in materials entering • Standardisation of kerbside recycling collection
the market
• Innovation funding identified for research into
• Initial evidence that policy changes and design low-carbon circular packaging solutions
guidance are reducing problematic packaging
• National plastics action plan being developed by
• Reusable business models appearing on the Ministry for the Environment
market
• Data gaps identified for understanding material
• New Zealand businesses signing up to packaging flows both locally and internationally
commitments
• Packaging data should be collated in a central
• Businesses adopting a circular approach to industry database and linked to the unique
packaging product identifier the GS1 barcode (the striped
barcodes on the back of products) to provide
• Investment into onshore waste infrastructure more accurate data on plastic packaging
• Agreed labelling standards for packaging in New
Zealand
• Initial investigation into a New Zealand Container
Return Scheme
Sustainable Business Network | Key findings from Plastic Packaging Masterclass 2020 9Packaging design for recyclability
STATE OF PLAY IN 2020:
Easy to recycle Possible to recycle Difficult to recycle
Commonly collected by council in some places Not often recycled
recycling schemes
Sometimes recycled
1 2 5 4 3 6
PET HDPE PP LDPE PVC PS
Polyethylene High density Polypropylene Low density Polyvinyl Polystyrene
terephthalate polyethylene polyethylene chloride
Notes: (In order of current recycling value)
Notes:
Clear PET #1 and Natural HDPE #2 – have the highest recycling value
onshore and overseas. Soft flexible plastics are able to
be recycled via the Soft Plastics
7
PP #5 – Has recycling value with a strong onshore & overseas market.
Coloured HDPE #2 – Has recycling value onshore and overseas but is
Recycling Scheme, check out
(www.recycling.kiwi.nz/).
7
OTHER
not as strong as natural HDPE.
Coloured PET #1 – Is being separated out and recycled, however, Rigid LDPE #4 plastics are not OTHER
is essentially worthless and often costs recyclers to get rid of currently being recycled and
therefore less desired. will be sent to landfill.
Notes:
Multi-layer materials will essentially not be recycled
and sent to landfill.
Notes: PVC #3, PS #6, & Other #7 are at risk of contaminating
recycling streams and are currently being sent to
Consider using recycled feedstock rather than virgin. landfill by council collections.
We need consistent labelling of materials using resin codes
(1, 2, 3 etc rather than PET, HDPE etc).
*Information is based on current market, however this
is constantly changing and evolving.
Sustainable Business Network | Key findings from Plastic Packaging Masterclass 2020 10Current Government initiatives
amendments, imports and exports of most mixed tandardisation of Kerbside
S
roposed phase out of selected
P
plastic waste will require a permit but imports Recycling
plastic packaging and exports of separated plastic waste suitable
for recycling, and mixtures of PET, PE and PP, will WasteMINZ made the following
The New Zealand Government has proposed not require a permit as long as all materials are recommendations to the Government for
to phase out: destined for separate recycling. This will increase the standardisation of kerbside recycling
the difficulty of exporting mixed plastic bales. nationwide. These recommendations provide
• All PVC food and beverage packaging. some good insight into how to design
124 million investment in
$ packaging for New Zealand’s recycling
• All polystyrene food and beverage packaging.
infrastructure:
new on-shore recycling and
• All other expanded polystyrene packaging.
reprocessing infrastructure. • Plastics PET, 1, HDPE, 2 and PP, 5 grocery
• All oxo-degradable plastic products. packaging only, must be clean and presented
This will include plastic recycling and processing without lids.
Public consultation ended in December 2020. plants, weighbridges for improved waste data • Clean aluminium beverage cans and steel
collection and improved material and community food cans.
resource recovery plants. • Aerosol cans will not be accepted in kerbside
Regulated product stewardship for recycling.
plastic packaging. NZ Container Return Scheme • Clean glass food and beverage bottles and jars
only. Must be presented without lids.
As part of the wider plan to reduce the amount • Clean paper, paperboard and cardboard.
The project team for the NZ container return
of rubbish ending up in landfills or polluting the • No shredded paper, till receipts or composite
scheme has delivered its final report and
environment, the Government has declared six materials such as coffee cups or liquid
recommendations. These have been evaluated by
priority products (including plastic packaging) for paperboard containers.
the Scheme Design Working Group. The Technical
regulated product stewardship under the Waste • No items smaller than 50mm in diameter
Advisory Group has also now provided its final
Minimisation Act. (e.g. bottles caps, bread bag tags, small pill
advice to Ministry officials. If implemented, a
container return scheme is expected to have bottles…)
The next stage is to work with stakeholders to co- • No containers larger than 3 litres.
some impact on the amount and composition
design options for regulated product stewardship • No lids, triggers or pumps (including large lids
of beverage container recyclate collected at
schemes. For plastic packaging this has not yet e.g. ice cream container lids).
kerbside but also to improve the overall quality of
started but progress will be joined up with the • It is recommended that there is system
recyclate.
work on proposed phase out of selected plastic specific messaging about the squashing of
packaging in 20/21. containers. If a local authority has a crate
system, they may want to ask their resident
New import and export to lightly squash bottles and cans. If a local
authority has a wheelie bin system and an
requirements automated MRF, they may want to ask their
residents to not squash items.
The Ministry for the Environment has introduced
amendments to the Imports and Exports Contact: Sarach Pritchett
(Restrictions) Prohibitions Order (No 2) 2004 sarahp@wasteminz.org.nz
(Imports and Exports Order) to meet the proposed Contact: Ministry for the Environment
Basel Convention amendments. Under these Plastics.Consultation@mfe.govt.nz
Sustainable Business Network | Key findings from Plastic Packaging Masterclass 2020 11Masterclass workshop SESSION OUTPUTS Note: this is a summary of conversations by attendees and is not attributable to any one organisation's plans or actions. Sustainable Business Network | Key findings from Plastic Packaging Masterclass 2020 12
Masterclass Activity:
Discussion on data
Using data to help make better Key takeaways: Two distinctive data steps
packaging decisions. New Zealand currently has limited packaging data
were identified:
available. However, this isn’t unique to packaging
Data is crucial to understanding what, where and 1. Data Capture & Validation – Credible and up-to-
with Ministry for the Environment acknowledging
how much packaging we currently use, identifying date data capture of packaging material flows
that data capture and interpretation could be
how it currently fits into the NZ packaging system. It e.g. material type, location, volumes. This should
improved across the entire waste system.
provides the starting point for where to strategically be available to a range of stakeholders in the
direct our efforts to meet packaging commitments. supply chain. The data needs to be real time/
What could good data enable across synchronised data capture to ensure changes in
During Masterclass 2020, participants focused on product packaging initiated by a packaged goods
identifying where packaging data currently exists
the New Zealand packaging system?
supplier are captured and published to trading
across the NZ packaging system, where it is missing • Allow the setting of clear, informed goals and partners/customers.
and how they may play a role in increasing our targets towards 2025 packaging commitments
system wide knowledge in the data they can capture. at a systems level with greater confidence, 2. Assessment – Interpretation of data. This can
e.g. % of recycled content. include labelling and environmental impact
evaluation e.g. Life cycle assessments. This
• Improve transparency throughout the system informs decision making and communication.
from packaging production through to end of life. Assessment is reliant on robust data capture and
Understanding these material flows will help us management.
to drive change across the system,
track progress and be more effective at reducing
environmental impact.
• Support standardisation of packaging across
different product categories.
• Make more informed packaging decisions
low impact packaging based on Life Cycle
Assessments (LCA).
Thanks to Kelly McClean (Foodstuffs), Barbara Nebel
(thinkstep) and Richard Manaton (GS1) for facilitating
this discussion.
Sustainable Business Network | Key findings from Plastic Packaging Masterclass 2020 13Masterclass Activity:
Discussion on data
Government should ensure global standards are
There are multiple stakeholders Governance & Infrastructure applied to the recording of packaging data. This will
help to ensure the data collected provides credible
who can contribute to the Workshop question: To enable good data capture,
information across the system.
capture, sharing and management what does the packaging system need from
governance and infrastructure? Government needs to ensure all packaging in the NZ
of packaging data. We asked system including imports and exports are able to be
masterclass attendees the roles Attendees of the masterclass identified a need for all
captured (including raw resins). It was suggested that
stakeholders including government to access product
they might play in this data capture: Statistic New Zealand could be involved along with
packaging data from centralised databases such as
other global standards organisations.
GS1 and others, with established open standardised
data that includes measures for: Government needs to provide clear educational
material as a trusted source to inform material
• Material type
choice and end-of-life options for a New Zealand
setting.
• Weight
*In the Government’s Response to Rethinking
• Colour
Plastics Report it is indicated that the Ministry for
• Recycled content Environment and Statistics New Zealand are working
to improve data collection across the waste sector
• Contamination with a high priority in early 2021.
• Reuse
• Industry
• Source
• End market (local or overseas)
• Location
• Average product lifetime of all packaging
used in NZ
Sustainable Business Network | Key findings from Plastic Packaging Masterclass 2020 14Masterclass Activity:
Discussion on data
Packaged goods suppliers • It would be valuable to the system if data was Ellen MacArthur Foundation uses
accurate and comparable across all packaged
Workshop question: To enable good data capture, good suppliers. the following 5 points to determine
what does the packaging system need from packaged if packaging is problematic:
goods suppliers? • Work is currently underway in the grocery sector
with manufacturers/retailers and GS1 NZ (NZ
• Packaged goods suppliers need to know what barcode providers) to capture packaging data.
packaging they have. An initial step for an This was supported by masterclass attendees.
1. It is not reusable, recyclable or
organisation may be to do a packaging audit. This could also help with automation of
compostable in practice and at scale
This involves identifying where across your packaging data being captured.
supply chain you are using packaging, how 2. It contains, or its manufacturing requires,
much of it you are using and what packaging is • Consumer education via clear and concise
hazardous chemicals that pose a
problematic. Once you know what problematic labelling of packaging information on pack so
significant risk to human health or the
packaging you have and where it is, you can consumers can dispose of packaging correctly at
environment (applying the precautionary
prioritise where to focus resources and efforts the end of life.
principle)
to have the greatest impact.
• Collect and share packaging performance
3. It can be avoided (or replaced by a reuse
data e.g amounts of waste/product loss/ food
model) while maintaining utility
waste/ damaged packaging to understand any
relationships between loss of product and 4. It hinders or disrupts the recyclability or
material types at a system level. compostability of other items
• There is currently a gap of data available for 5. It has a high likelihood of being littered or
reuse models. Those operating reuse models ending up in the natural environment.
could provide this insight e.g supply data
captured via customer transactions, not only
volume of single use displaced.
Sustainable Business Network | Key findings from Plastic Packaging Masterclass 2020 15Masterclass Activity:
Discussion on data
Packaging suppliers
Workshop question: • Collect and share data on the environmental • Use the whole of life, life cycle analysis and
To enable good data capture, what does the impact of the products being supplied, e.g Life circular economy approach to new materials
packaging system need from packaging suppliers? Cycle Analysis data of one format/ material vs innovation. Collate data to be able to inform how
another. this fits in the
• The packaging industry groups could play a NZ system.
key role by helping to minimise intellectual • For plastic packaging ensure the recycling code is
property issues and provide aggregated data present on all components. This provides data to • Research into environmental impact at a system
where needed. customers and recyclers. level and research into how circular economy
thinking could be applied at a national level.
• The packaging industry plays an important • Share data/information from market research on
role in ensuring transparency so their things like consumer behaviour, perception and Where are the gaps/challenges?
customers know: awareness to help understand where consumer
education is needed and what infrastructure is Data for reusable packaging systems:
– What materials/ resin type/s (e.g. PET available to packaging trends.
#1) is the packaging they are supplying? • There is currently a gap of data available for reuse
Science, design and innovation models. There is a need for investment into
– What are the raw materials that go into identifying how reusable packaging could play a
the packaging (e.g petrochemical vs orkshop question:
W role as well as independent life cycle analysis for
sugar cane vs fibre)? To enable good data capture, what does the reusable packaging to understand the potential
packaging system need from science, design benfits gained. Those operating reuse models
– What are the end-of-life options are for and innovation? could help to provide insights e.g supply data
that material? captured via customer transactions, not only
• Support development of baseline packaging volume of single use displaced.
• The packaging industry needs to capture, data in a national database.
aggregate and feed data into a national Too much or too little:
database to help understand the material • Research into way of collecting data, and
flows. understanding. • Masterclass attendees spoke of the delicate
balance between having not enough data and too
• Develop relationships with infrastructure • Create open sourced life cycle assesments so much data for decision making.
suppliers e.g recyclers to share information businesses can make more informed decisions
two ways about what packaging is in demand not just on material types but also on packaging
and what markets are available both on shore models e.g reusable vs single-use.
and overseas.
Sustainable Business Network | Key findings from Plastic Packaging Masterclass 2020 16Masterclass activity: Reusable
packaging in New Zealand
• Centralised washing infrastructure employing
Unlocking reusable packaging Workshop question: Imagine locals to stimulate jobs in a circular economy.
opportunities across the supply the whole of NZ using reusable
• More subscription schemes like Loop in NZ.
chain. packaging systems. What could that
During the masterclass participants imagined what
look like?
Aotearoa could look like if we operated as a reusable
• Returning to past practices (e.g. milk bottle
economy. They identified where reuse is currently
doorstep pickup).
operating and where the opportunities lie, looked at
who the key stakeholders would be to implement the • Businesses incentivised to operate and engage in
vision and what roles they may play. reuse schemes.
• All packaging in standardised containers/
materials with kerbside collection for washing
and refilling.
• Public education campaigns on waste and
circular economy to create a driving consumer
market for reuse.
• Fewer legislative barriers.
• Reusable packaging designed for durability and
circular and regenerative end of life.
• Advancement in the use of digital platforms,
barcodes, QR codes and RFID chips to enable
smarter more elegant reusable systems that fit
into today’s fast paced society.
Thanks to Anna Dawson (Plastic Free Solutions)
and Kayleigh Appletone & Carys Templer (Waiheke
Resources Trust) for facilitating this discussion.
Sustainable Business Network | Key findings from Plastic Packaging Masterclass 2020 17Masterclass activity: Reusable
packaging in New Zealand
Workshop questions:
Where is reuse currently operating in New Zealand?
Where are the opportunites for reuse across the supply chain?
Refill at home: Refill on the go: Return from home: Return on the go: B2B:
Users refill their reusable Users refill their reusable Packaging is picked up from Users return the packaging at In addition to the four business
container at home (e.g. with container away from home home by a collection service a store or drop-off point (e.g. to consumer reuse models,
refills delivered through a (e.g. at an in-store dispensing (e.g. by a logistics company). in a deposit return machine or a wide range of business-to-
subscription service). system). a mailbox). business (B2B) reuse models
• Woop exist. These can range from
• Sodastream • GoodFor • Associated Bottlers Co individual companies reusing
(swap-a-crate) their own transport packaging,
• Ethique – concentrate bars • Ecostore’s supermarket to industry-wide reuse systems
‘just add water’ refilleries • LPG gas bottles based on interconnected
to own container operators managing a shared
• New World BYO container • Again Again set of standardised, reusable
• Handwash/other personal for deli packaging.
hygiene bulk refills, canned • Reusabowl
tomato sauce to refill • Common bulk refills e.g • Palletite
plastic bottle handwash/ other personal • Globelet
hygiene, canned tomato • Foodcap
sauce to refill plastic bottle • Wanakup
• Pallet, crates, drums,
• Oaklands milk vending • Cupcycling bags etc reused in house
machines for transportation of bulk
• DISHrupt goods. Check out this
• Various reusable cup example by Foodstuffs NZ
offerings e.g IdealCup, • Good to Go
and CHEP.
KeepCup
• Silver Service
• Aotea Brewing
• Ecostore packaging recall
programme
Sustainable Business Network | Key findings from Plastic Packaging Masterclass 2020 18Masterclass Activity: Reuseable
packaging in New Zealand
Workshop Questions:
Where is reuse currently operating in New Zealand?
Where are the opportunites for reuse across the supply chain?
• Education campaigns to drive consumer demand • Centralised washing infrastructure – to enable a
Organisations advocating for reuse in for reuse. truly efficient reuse economy brands need a cost
New Zealand. effective and efficient solution to cleaning and
• Membership/ subscription services like Loop redistribution of reusable packaging.
• Throwaway takeaways in NZ?
• Storage.
• Sustain Aotearoa • Pharmaceuticals/ Construction/B2B packaging.
• B2B reuse opportunities recognised and
• Reverse logistics for e-commerce packaging. incentivised.
Opportunities: • Design for end of life e.g material choice to be • Health & safety guidance.
recyclable/ compostable.
• Universal standardisation of packaging formats • Logistical rules and policies.
for reuse.
What do businesses need to
• R&D /innovation investment.
• Centralised washing/ redistribution stations. progress reusable systems in NZ?
• Real life models/ case studies to learn from.
• Logistics infrastructure e.g return to store/ • Life cycle assessments (LCA’s) - LCA is a
kerbside collections/ drop off locations. technique that quantifies the environmental • Wholesale opportunities.
impacts of a product or system, typically from
• Universal Rfid/ QR/ barcoding technology to track the cradle to the grave. There are limited • Increase consumer demand through public
reusable packaging. LCA costing studies comparing the costs of education.
reusable packaging systems vis-à-vis single-
• Product stewardship – reuse mandatory. use packaging systems that are open sourced in • Take back systems.
the scientific literature. Publicly available LCA’s
• In store sterilisation at retailers for refill/ BYO will help businesses to be able to understand • Local & global logistics system.
container schemes to combat H&S. theconsidering reusable packaging formats.
• Financial/ legislative changes to enable reuse.
Sustainable Business Network | Key findings from Plastic Packaging Masterclass 2020 19Masterclass Activity: Achieving
circulation for flexible packaging
Addressing the flexible Why is it used? What functions does Workshop question: What is the
packaging challenge it perform, what benefits does it challenge?
During the masterclass, participants began to
provide? How could we still provide the benefits of flexible
address flexible packaging and answer the packaging via:
• Durable barrier protection and product safety.
following questions:
Eliminate
• Ability to heat/cook food within.
What is flexible packaging? • Offer alternative packaging formats specifically
• Efficiency with current manufacturing processes. for online sales.
Flexible packaging is any package or any part of a • Consumer recognition – they are familiar with
package whose shape can be readily changed. • Encourage movement away from ‘snack packs’
formats. e.g. expand plastic free lunch box initiatives
Common examples are pouches and sachets. in schools.
• Consumer convenience – accessible opening and
resealing. • Where feasible move away from multi-layered
laminates and mixed plastic configurations e.g.
• Communication – visibility on shelf, a platform
rigid caps with flexible packaging.
for branding and providing information to
consumers. Innovate
• Enables product visibility. • Use single substrate films e.g just HDPE #4.
• Breathability function. • Reduce pack sizes via more concentrated
formulas.
• Lightweight enabling efficient transportation.
• Reduce the number of packs by offering bulk
purchases.
• Increase reuse via refillable models.
• Down gauging/ light weighting e.g using less
plastic by reducing the thickness of packaging
Thanks to Rachel Barker (PlasticsNZ) for helping to
facilitate this discussion.
• Consistent messaging on pack for end of life/use
instructions e.g. soft plastics recycling scheme.
Sustainable Business Network | Key findings from Plastic Packaging Masterclass 2020 20Masterclass Activity: Achieving
circulation for flexible packaging
Circulate Key pathways forward
• Develop and expand flexible packaging and identified were:
reprocessing infrastructure.
1. U
nderstanding the problem, developing a vision 2. Closing the loop on flexibles.
• Investigate chemical recycling options. and associated best practice to achieve that.
Where we are seeing evidence of closed loop
• Develop end markets for materials. Knowledge and pathways for rigid plastics is widely systems (packaging back into packaging) for rigid
known and this has seen movement towards clear packaging, there is a vision identified to achieve that
• Develop ‘easy clean’/sterilising options to enable PET #1 and natural HDPE #2 for example. for flexibles. Technical advances would be required
quality reprocessing. to enable recycled content to be incorporated while
However, there is limited knowledge about the still maintaining functionality, as well as, advances in
• Smart tracking of materials throughout the whole material composition and associated implications of processing and recycling.
of life. flexible packaging.
Greater standardisation and simplification would
• Replace flexible formats with reusable or rigid Current barriers and emerging opportunities for inevitably be needed. Incentives and regulations
packaging where feasible. increasing circularity for flexible packaging are would be required to fund and enforce the transition.
not clear. Flexible packaging format decisions are
therefore made in isolation, with limited knowledge A current solution for soft/flexible plastics is the
and with no common ‘direction of travel’ towards a soft plastics recycling scheme. Consumer drop off
more circular system. locations have expanded enabling flexible packaging
to be recycled into fence posts by Future Post.
Best practice guidance is required in terms of Check out where the scheme is currently
material selection from a holistic environmental operating here.
perspective from carbon emissions implications to
recyclability.
A starting point would be gaining an understanding
of usage data on current flexible packaging types
and overlaying life cycle analysis data to determine
current ‘better’ performers from an environmental
perspective.
Sustainable Business Network | Key findings from Plastic Packaging Masterclass 2020 21Masterclass Activity:
Compostable packaging
Update on compostable packaging
Masterclass Activity: Making the 2. Reusability second where possible making
packaging reusable. in New Zealand
right decision on compostable
packaging. 3. Recycling third. The Food & Grocery Council has made a stance
on compostable packaging sold for use in
This session was run by Kim Renshaw who is project 4. Finally, compostable plastic as an interesting households as 'not for now'. It's reasoning is that
manager for The Packaging Forum’s Compostable solution if the compostable packaging meets at present the infrastructure is not there for
Technical Advisory Group. The session focused on sustainability criteria. commercial composting and home compost units
setting the scene for identifying the appropriate are not currently at the scale needed to deal with
use of compostables within the packaging system. In 2019’s ‘Innovate’ Masterclass participants created potential volumes.
The scene was set through providing international an initial decision tree to answer the question
position statements (listed below) and challenges to ‘Should I use compostable Packaging?’. This year To address and progress solutions The Packaging
the use case. participants tested different forms of packaging to Forum is leading a compostable technical
understand the use case. advisory group with the aim to remove the
challenges compostable packaging faces in New
International Views We discussed what sort of packaging should be Zealand. Their team is working with a range of
composted, what shouldn't, and what was a 'maybe'. stakeholders in a systems approach to arrive
Bio-based and Biodegradable Industries Associtaion This work will feed in to The Packaging Forum's work at a national solution. They have identified the
UK: “Compostable packaging does not provide programme on compostable packaging and will be following barriers that need to be adressed:
nutrients but helps bring food waste cleanly to tested with industry stakeholders.
treatment and then to soil.” • No agreed compostability standard for NZ
conditions
Australasian Bioplastics Association: “Compostable • No agreed labelling standard
bioplastics have a role to play in the circular • Limited collection network
economy through the replacement of conventional • Variation of compostable products and facility
plastics in problematic packaging and as food waste requirements
bags, garbage bags and bin liners.” • Confusion with conventional (non-
compostable) materials
Wrap/APCO: “One of the most commonly cited • Contamination
situations where certified compostable plastics • Organic certification requirements for facilities
could be particularly useful is for packaging that is
likely to be so contaminated with food that it cannot The group ran a recent survey of New Zealand's
be mechanically recycled and where it can facilitate Focus groups will follow through The Packaging compostable packaging stakeholders where they
the collection of food waste.” Forum's Compostable Packaging Work Programme. identified that over 100 compostable packaging
Anyone is invited to take part in their home projects have been completed in the last five
Netherlands Case Study: composting trial in 2021. years, with another 81 in progress and 85 more
Findings – The focus for packaging should be on: planned. This demonstrates a clear need for co-
Contact Kim Renshaw for more information. ordinated action on compostable packaging.
1. Prevention first – eliminate any unnecessary
packaging. kim@beyondthebin.org.nz
Sustainable Business Network | Key findings from Plastic Packaging Masterclass 2020 22Sharing the success stories Sustainable Business Network | Key findings from Plastic Packaging Masterclass 2020 23
Sharing the success stories
Foodstuffs NZ
produced in the first place - the now naked spring • Successfully trailled a new fibre alternative to
One of the New World initiatives onions saved around 1,400kg or 1.4 tonnes alone. polystyrene bin - potential to eliminate 102T of
Glen Stevenson, retail support manager - operations polystyrene foam from the seafood supply chain
already making waves is ‘Food for Foodstuffs South Island, told Newshub: “It’s been
in the Nude’: A drive to remove a team effort with stores, growers and customers • Introducing home compostable fibre net bags for
all willing to do things differently. The growers have onion and citrus pre-pack
unnecessary plastic packaging on switched out sleeves for tags and our produce
fresh produce to create a more managers have enthusiastically embraced the vision.” • Completing transition to rPET punnets and
clamshells
sustainable offering of ‘nude’ fruit Foodstuffs have recently trialled and rolled out
and vegetables. After all, nature many initiatives aligned with their 2025 packaging • Private Label pilot of the Australasian Recycling
commitments: Label's PREP tool
provided bananas and oranges
with their own coverings, so do • Ran a plastic-free Little Garden campaign • Running supplier workshops and adding a
packaging sustainability section to the Foodstuffs
we need more? • Lightweight pallet wrap has resulted in a 30% eXchange supplier website
reduction - saving 205T of LDPE #4 annually.
First debuted in 2016, 36 out of 42 stores in the
South Island now are ‘nude’, and according to New
• Eliminating individual single-use plastic bags
World, it’s driven a positive impact on sales, with
from uniform orders
some soaring by up to 300% in certain stores - spring
onions, silverbeet and celery in particular. • Seeing some excellent new supplier products
coming through that design out waste and water
Foodstuffs also looked at data from the last 10 years
e.g. concentrates, double rolls, durable reusables
and can confirm that food waste has not increased in
stores running ‘Food in the Nude’. It’s a win win! • 15 New World stores joined RefillNZ free water
refill network
Food in the Nude is achieved through innovative
vertical misting units that ensure produce hydration • Reusable crate expansion in supply chain
and quality, collaboration with suppliers to eliminate logistics – over 18.5 million crate circulations per
plastic sleeves and wide-spread adoption of reusable year
crates in the supply chain. Customers can support
this mahi by bringing in their reusable produce bags. • Introducing a 70% recycled and Forest
Stewardship Council certified paper bag option
New World says that over one year, ‘Food in the to ‘Alison’s Pantry’ at New World and PAKn'SAVE
Nude’ had stopped 3.4 tonnes of plastic from being
Sustainable Business Network | Key findings from Plastic Packaging Masterclass 2020 24Sharing the success stories
New Zealand King Salmon
As a partner in the New Zealand packaging and the use of plastic across the business.
Plastics Packaging Declaration, Some recent wins include:
New Zealand King Salmon have • The introduction of a new software system which
committed to the goal of using 100% calculates the packaging weight of their products
giving an overview of how much they have used,
reusable, recyclable or compostable the percentage in different packing products and
packaging by 2025. the money spent. This means they can prioritise
which products to cut down on packaging and
This is a large-scale project, with many salmon waste. They now have a baseline in order to measure
products requiring different packaging specifications improvements in future years.
for distribution in New Zealand and around the world.
“The key is to prioritise where we can make changes, • The removal of plastic interleave from their food
both big and small, and use up the packaging we service Regal packs and from a premium smoked
have in stock so we can move onto new solutions”, salmon product. This will save $11,000 in material
says Victoria English, Product Development Manager. cost per annum and 27,883m2 of plastic per year
from going into the environment.
“We work closely with our suppliers as well as an
independent packaging specialist to help us look • Moving to a plant based rollstock for their wood-
at non negotiable parameters such as shelf-life roasted portions and nibbles, resulting in a saving
and product presentation, as well as balancing the of approximately 38,450kg of petrochemical based
need for functionality like easy-peel packaging with material from being produced.
sourcing locally-made options.”
• An increase in cardboard carton usage with a
With 50% of their salmon exported to overseas corresponding decrease in polybin usage, in a drive to
markets, the team are also looking at how to tackle reduce the use of polystyrene.
recycling abroad. “Recycling policies are different in
each country and what is recyclable here might not • The removal of plastic from a factory process
be recyclable in Thailand or North America”. New saving approximately $7,400 worth of material and
Zealand King Salmon have recently become members 936kg of plastic going to landfill.
of APCO which means they can use the widely-known
recycling logos on a number of products which are • The removal of a material which is unrecyclable
now recyclable in kerbside recycling programmes in and soon to be banned in New Zealand. Although only
New Zealand and Australia. used in small amounts, the result is that they will
send 63kg less petroleum-based plastic to landfill
Their internal Plastics and Packaging Sustainability every year. The material that they are now using is
30% plant-based and the remainder is able to be Check New Zealand King Salmon’s sustainability
group meet regularly to look specifically at reviewing
recycled. report here.
Sustainable Business Network | Key findings from Plastic Packaging Masterclass 2020 25Sharing the success stories
Farmland Foods Woop Vitaco – Aussie Bodies
The Farmland team has given their top-selling As a team Woop are committed to reducing their In 2020 Aussie Bodies, one of Vitaco’s core brands,
products fresh new looks, including changing the impact on the environment and as a values-led underwent a significant product and brand relaunch.
packaging trays to now be made from NZ sourced business they are very passionate about it. Woop
recycled #1 RPET plastic. The new looks apply to want to make sure that they are doing more than With the knowledge Vitaco gained through attending
Country Pride Ham & Chicken Luncheon 200g, Shaved just their part and take responsibility to continually the SBN Plastics Masterclasses, such as choosing
Ham 200g along with the Just Cut 100g range and the improve. plastics with the highest recycling value, the need
new Lunch Club 100g range. for a more circular economy and understanding
One hundred percent of their packaging is the importance the consumers place on recyclable
With consumer demand growing for environmentally now recyclable or compostable, and they take packaging, it was critical for them to use this as an
sustainable products and packaging, the recyclable responsibility for that through our Back to opportunity to reduce their environmental footprint.
trays will be diverting more than 1.5 million packets Base programme. But Woop's commitment to
per year from landfill, making a true step towards a sustainability goes further than that. They see locally After a lot of careful consideration, and with the
circular economy where resources can be used again sourced ingredients, portion control to avoid food collaboration of their packaging partners, Vitaco
and again. waste, and delivery emissions offsetting as essential made the decision to move all of the Aussie Bodies
parts of their sustainability focus too. protein powder range into natural HDPE plastic
Steven Young, Brand Manager, says: “We’re proud containers and lids. Part of the decision process
to be the first pre-packaged small goods company Woop found their sachets were the most challenging, was to also move to a label structure that would
in New Zealand to use NZ sourced recycled #1 rPET as they aren’t able to be recycled through kerbside not contaminate the recycling streams. The changes
plastic, putting our stamp on creating a sustainable recycling. However, by partnering with Future Post were rolled out in May 2020 and have resulted in
future for NZ.” Woop are now able to recycle them. almost 10,000kg of packaging now able to be close-
loop recycled. As part of the brand refresh, all Aussie
Woop have now been able to find an end-of-life Bodies packaging now includes the Australasian
recycling solution for all of our packaging. This took Recycling label, so consumers are well informed of
a lot of research. what to do with their waste.
Sustainable Business Network | Key findings from Plastic Packaging Masterclass 2020 26Who’s who and where to go for help Sustainable Business Network | Key findings from Plastic Packaging Masterclass 2020 27
Who’s who and where to go for help
Sustainable Business Network
sustainable.org.nz
Industry bodies
Packaging Forum
recycling.kiwi.nz/about-us
Packaging NZ
packaging.org.nz/page/6/who-we-are
Plastics NZ
plastics.org.nz/about-us
WasteMINZ
wasteminz.org.nz/about
Government & policy updates
Ministry for the Environment
mfe.govt.nz/waste
Sustainable Business Network | Key findings from Plastic Packaging Masterclass 2020 28Sign up to a packaging commitment
New Plastics Economy Global Commitment New Zealand Plastic Packaging
(NPEC) Declaration
The New Plastics Economy Global Local and international businesses commit to
Commitment unites businesses, using 100% reusable, recyclable or
governments, and other organisations behind compostable packaging in their New Zealand
a common vision and targets to address operations by 2025 or earlier.
plastic waste and pollution at its source.
This recognises the role that business can
Signatories include companies representing play to improve the plastic system in New
20% of all plastic packaging produced Zealandand align New Zealand’s efforts with
globally, as well as governments, NGOs, a global movement on plastic packaging.
universities, industry associations, investors,
and other organisations. mfe.govt.nz/news-events/new-
zealand-plastic-packaging-declaration
Signatories commit to three actions to
realise this vision. Eliminate all problematic
and unnecessary plastic items. Innovate
to ensure that the plastics we do need
are reusable, recyclable, or compostable.
Circulate all the plastic items we use to
keep them in the economy and out of the
environment.
newplasticseconomy.org/projects/
global-commitment
Sustainable Business Network | Key findings from Plastic Packaging Masterclass 2020 29Useful resources
Office for the Prime Minister’s Chief WasteMINZ Marx Design
Science advisor
• Compostable packaging work and • Open source packaging stewardship
• Rethinking Plastics in Aotearoa resources briefing document
New Zealand
• Truth about plastics recycling report
Commerce Commission
Ministry for the Environment • Recommendations for the
standardisation of kerbside recycling • Environmental Claims Guidance
• Government response to Rethinking
Plastics report Australian Packaging Covenant Scion
Organisation (APCO)
• Recommendations for standardisation • Compostable packaging certification
of kerbside recycling to Ministry for the • Packaging Recyclability Evaluation Portal
Environment (PREP)
Sustainable Business Network Ellen MacArthur Foundation
• Full outputs from 2019 Masterclass Series • Upstream Innovation guide to packaging
solutions
• New Zealand Plastic Packaging
Guidance 2019 • Reuse thinking packaging resource
• New Zealand’s Plastic Packaging System -
An Initial circular economy diagnosis WRAP UK
• Covid-19 and plastic packaging webinar • Plastics Resource library
• Design tips for making rigid plastic more
recyclable
Sustainable Business Network | Key findings from Plastic Packaging Masterclass 2020 30You can also read
