Tracy's Packaging Bulletin: PPWR passes milestone, CIWM x Root report on circular design, tube innovation reduces product waste

Tracy's Perspective

We have had a great response to our 4th Industry Report: Getting to the Root of Europe's Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation*. We also had a great turnout for our explanatory webinars which have helped businesses take the first step towards preparing to meet this forthcoming Regulation. If you didn't get the chance to join you can watch the recording here.

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The team are hard at work finalising CIWM's 2024 Presidential Report. The purpose of the report is reveal how the resources and waste sector can better support designers and those involved in the design process to drive more circularity and less waste. We'd love to?hear your views in this short survey on which items should or could be designed or produced to be more circular.

I spoke at Sustainable Packaging Coalition (SPC)'s Impact 2024 event in New Orleans last month and recognised varying tactics and mechanisms to address sustainability issues from law makers and brands in the US versus Europe - read my takeaways here and here.

I was a judge for the Design Labels & Packaging Awards and Hannah has just completed the first round of judging for Packaging Europe's Sustainability Awards. Some of the innovations that we have seen are sure to make waves when the finalists are announced in the coming months, good luck to all entrants!

The 22nd April was Earth Day with this years theme being plastic vs planet, EARTHDAY.ORG are calling for a 60% reduction?in the production of plastic by 2040, a target many business will consider incredibly challenging.

We have also been investing time in the local community as part of our Root Cause Program. I have been volunteering with Kent Wildlife Trust again with biodiversity research and Hannah has been helping local sports clubs incorporate biodiversity into their land management plans.

Are Bioplastics Toxic?

In the run up to the recently concluded UNEP plastic treaty 4th round of negotiations in Ottawa, researchers were sounding the alarm on the potential toxicity of both biobased plastics and petroleum based ones. Read more about the research here. The researcher's key takeaway is that the issue stems from the final product of the chemical process to make plastic + additives rather than the source of the material.

In Ottowa, the theme of reduction was a key talking point, with a proposal to to limit plastic production and set a 40% reduction target on virgin plastic production by 2040 gaining momentum.

Europe's Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation Passes Critical Plenary Vote

On the 24th April the European Parliament passed the PPWR to the next phase with 75% in favour. This puts us on much firmer footing for a November 2024 transposition.

The clarity from the recent draft and vote has allowed businesses to start preparing with confidence.

Innovation to Reduce Product Waste

Our recent judging has brought up a range of new innovations, but this tube designed to reduce product waste and increase accessibility for customers caught our eye as something a little bit different. Let us know in the comments what you think of this innovation, making single-use less bad, or a good example of incremental change towards more circular and efficient packaging?

Complimentary Risk Audits

We are offering a limited number of complimentary risk audits to help brands and producers identify the risks their businesses are exposed to as a result of Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation. Click here to book a call.