Retail Retreat 2018 - The Plastics Dilemma Brian Walsh, Packaging Technologist Repak Ltd - Retail Excellence

Retail Retreat 2018 – The Plastics Dilemma

Brian Walsh, Packaging Technologist
Repak Ltd.

Presentation
                                              2

1. Repak Introduction
2. Plastic Packaging Dilemma
3. Prevent and Save
    Minimise Input Packaging
    Minimise Output Packaging
    Plastic Packaging Design Considerations

3

Repak Introduction

REPAK LTD               ( Irelands Packaging Recovery Compliance Scheme – Not for profit)

1997 – Business – Waste Packaging Directive – Fund Recycling & Recovery of Waste Packaging

2017 Members 2350 - Legal Compliance – National Recycling & Recovery Targets – Education (Behavioural
Change)

                                       10 tonnes and €1.0m turnover

Repak 1997 to 2017                                                                 10m tonnes
                                                                               diverted from landfill
                                                                             126no – 4no.
                                          8,666,387 tonnes recycled
                                                                                                              Met all EU targets
                                          1,375,333 tonnes recovered                                           5th in EU league

           Recycling 15% to 68%

            Recovery 15% to 91%

                                                                       €400m invested in
                                                                           recycling
                                                                                                                      1,848 no.

                     5,025 waste sector
                       jobs supported
                                              Circa 250,000
                                                  tonnes
1.2 million Bins                              saved annually
                                                                                                    118 no.

6

Plastics Dilemma

PLASTICS IN PACKAGING

PLASTICS’ VERSATILITY, STRENGTH, LIGHTNESS, STABILITY, BARRIER
  PROPERTIES AND EASE OF STERILISATION MAKE THEM AN IDEAL
             PACKAGING MATERIAL FOR MANY USES.

The Plastic Packaging Dilemma          9

 Food Waste is a Global issue
 Over 30% of food grown across
 the globe is never eaten.
 1 million tonnes of food waste
 per year in Ireland.
  Extended Shelf Life = Reduced Food
  Waste
  Positive impact in reducing
  Packaging Waste
                                9

The Plastic Packaging Dilemma        10

 CO2 impact of food waste
 significantly higher than plastic
 waste.
 Other environmental impacts
  Land use.
  biodiversity losses.
  Impact on poorer nations.

                                10

11

Prevent and Save

Waste Prevention - How has Repak
                                                             12

helped?
• Prevent and Save Programme set up in 2007
• Supported by EPA, DCCAE along with Industry.
• Team of packaging technologists.
• Optimise packaging systems for members.
• On site and desk survey work.
• Project Work and Research.
• Case studies shared through brochures and online at
  www.preventandsave.ie.

                                                        12

Tools - Minimising Packaging Removed from                                 13

Supplied Goods (Inputs)

- Policy and Specifications
   - critical for deciding what packaging the business does and doesn’t
     and doesn’t want.
   - Can include polymers that should and should not be used.
   - Informs the supply base.

- Local Supplies – minimise.

- Refill / Reuse rather than recycle / discard.

- What can be bought in Bulk?

Tools - Minimising Consumer Packaging                      14

- What is robust / stable enough to remove all packaging
  packaging elements – loose?

- What is robust stable enough to remove a component of
  component of the pack – e.g. tray?

- What has more headspace/ a larger footprint than
  needed.

- What doesn’t add value from the consumers point of
  of view?

- Downgauging = Trade off between lightweighting and
  and recyclability.

15

Identifying Target Packaging Projects

Consider primary, secondary and tertiary
packaging together.
What are the top sellers and can provide the
greatest savings?
What can be done at no or low cost?
What packaging designs have not been changed
or redesigned recently or are due to be soon?

Look at the weight of packaging vs. net weight of
product.

16

Design Considerations – Films and Bags
- 20+ years of Cost reduction / Packaging Material
  minimisation.
- Significant movement from rigid into flexibles.
 However: -
  Meat and dairy products can mean blood or heavy / oil
  grease contamination.
  Laminates often used to enhance shelf life.
  Increasing trend towards cook in bag/ tray will increase
  likelihood of contamination.
  Film material complexities and value on recycling
  markets a challenge.
  Compostables an option but caution needed – consumer
  understanding and wastestream contamination are key
  issues.
- Moving back to rigid over recycling concerns =

17
Design Considerations – Trays and lids

Lidding films often brittle and difficult to tear
cleanly.

Soak pads an issue – will not be removed in
Material Recovery Facilities.

Tray colour a consideration for Trays – Black =
issues with light absorption/ detection
  Black chosen for premium tiers – producers and
  retailers moving more to clear.
  Ask suppliers about detectable colourants.
  Non black pots/ trays recently given “widely
  recycled” designation by OPRL.

In Summary
• The public hear more in
  the media about plastic
  in the Ocean (Blue
  Planet 2/ Sick of
  Plastic Campaigns/ Sky
  Ocean Rescue).

• Balanced approach
  needed to avoid knee
  jerk reactions to
  plastics issue.

• Risk to Food Waste
  Charter if we get it
  wrong.

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        Repak contact details
If you would like to know more about Repak’s Prevent and Save Programme please
contact our Packaging Technology team:
- brian.walsh@repak.ie
- colm.munnelly@repak.ie

• Address:
    Repak Limited,
    Red Cow Interchange Estate,
    1 Ballymount Road,
    Clondalkin,
    Dublin 22

• Telephone: 01 4670190

Thank You