FAQs on Tackling the Plastic Problem A Focus on Single-Use Plastics

Transcription

1 FAQs n Tackling the Plastic Prblem A Fcus n Single-Use Plastics

2 Gvernments, industry, the media and NGOs all ver the wrld are fcussing n single-use plastics and hw t reduce their envirnmental impacts. The UK gvernment is taking a stance n this and explring hw the amunt f single-use plastics can be reduced. This includes ptential taxes and charges, reducing unnecessary prductin, increasing reuse and imprving recycling. The scpe f reducing plastic waste is acrss the whle supply chain, frm prductin and retail t cnsumptin and dispsal, t make sure any actin and future legislatin is thrughly effective. The UK Gvernment s cnsultatin dcument asks a range f questins n single-use plastics. We have develped sme pssible answers based n ur indepth knwledge f the issues and pprtunities available. Please cntact us if yu wuld like t discuss yur unique business issues and hw we can supprt yu. Questin Anthesis view What is single-use plastic? A rbust definitin is difficult t state. Plicy makers in many regins are lking at this and wrking n legal definitins t fit int their lcal plicy framewrks. Generally, mst primary packaging is single-use, as are many cnsumable items. At Anthesis, we cnsider single-use plastic t be: All fd and drink packaging (including bttles, puches and crisp packets) Other packaging (e.g. plastic bags, bubble wrap and flw wrap) Laminated bard (e.g. lined paper cups) Other single-use r shrt-term use plastic based cnsumables including straws, dispsable cutlery and wet wipes Returnable, refillable and reusable items are, in ur view, excluded frm the definitin. Althugh many secndary and tertiary packaging items are returnable, any that are plastic and destined fr single applicatins will be included in the definitin.

3 What are the mst imprtant prblems assciated with single-use plastics, and why? Which plymer types are particularly prblematic? Which items are particularly prblematic? The prblems assciated with single-use plastic are cmplex and can ccur and different stages f the supply chain. Each rganisatins plastic situatin is unique and therefre s are the challenges they face. Please cntact ur plastic and supply chain experts at Anthesis if yu wuld like t discuss yur specific circumstances and the challenges. Examples f cmmn prblems and challenges that rganisatins may face, include: Manufacturing and prductin the manufacturing and prductin f plastic has a negative carbn and envirnmental impact. Cmpanies wh want t reduce their carbn ftprint and ther negative envirnmental impacts f their peratins may wish t cnsider reducing their plastic impact. Hwever, it is imprtant t balance this impact at prductin with the ptential carbn savings made in ther parts f the supply chain when plastic packaging is used. Recyclability f plastic - the majrity f plastic plymers can theretically be recycled, hwever in reality a number f factrs, including prduct frmat/space, srting technlgies and ecnmics means that sme plymers are less likely t be recycled than thers. Fr example: Plastic cntaining carbn black pigment - this cannt be srted by material recycling facilities, which separate different plastic plymer material streams, meaning these items can ften end up being sent fr dispsal. This usually applies t black plastic packaging, hwever sme white plastic als cntains this pigment. Plastic packaging made f multiple plymers - these are difficult t recycle e.g. plastic tub with a plastic film, which are usually made frm different plymers. Plastic film - this is prblematic fr recycling within a mixed recycling system. There are recycling slutins available but due t the lightweight nature f the prduct it can be unecnmically viable t cllect as a separate stream, especially thrugh husehld cllectins. Plastic film is als ne f the mst difficult packaging types t eliminate as it prtects fd frm spilage (therefre reducing fd waste) and ensures hygiene. Laminated bard - drinks cups made frm laminated bard nw have a suitable recycling system and end market fr the items nce cllected, but there are still issues arund cntaminatin f cups with ther items. Visit the Paper Cup Recvery and Recycling Grup website fr mre infrmatin. Other

4 laminated bard (e.g. cntaining fd) has nt really been cnsidered but are mre prblematic as they are usually mre heavily cntaminated with fd waste. Crisp packets and ther cnfectinary packaging - currently recycling systems dn t exist in many cuntries fr this type f pst-cnsumer packaging. Other single-use plastic based prducts - many are nt cmpatible with recycling cllectin/srting systems e.g. plastic based cutlery, straws, cndiment packets and wet wipes. Hw d we priritise the plastics in ur wn supply chain t fcus n when lking fr pprtunities t drive change? The best place t start is t undertake a review f prducts and packaging acrss yur prtfli. This will help yu t identify where yu have scpe and pprtunity t change. As current plastic packaging has been develped fr specific purpses and has many psitive qualities (e.g. lightweight and gd barrier prperties fr fd hygiene/prduct prtectin), yu will need t cnsider brader envirnmental issues when lking at alternatives. Smetimes mving away frm a prduct can have unintended cnsequences, fr example, by remving plastic packaging frm fd, the shelf life and prduct prtectin functins can be reduced creating increased waste and carbn ftprint. Plastics incrprating recycled material are mre envirnmentally friendly as they replace virgin material, and use less resurces. What abut the rle f bibased prducts and bidegradable prducts t replace plastics? Bi-based plastics fall int tw brad categries: bidegradable/cmpstable and nn bidegradable (i.e. which have the same prperties as cnventinal plastics e.g. bi-pet). Bidegradable can be a misleading term as it simply means that a plastic will break dwn naturally, but it desn t specify the cnditins in which this will ccur r t what extent the plastic will break dwn. This means that bidegradability cannt be recmmended fr all circumstances. Cmpstable is less ambiguus as it means that the plastic will break dwn under the cnditins f an industrial cmpster. Fr cmpstable packaging t be handled sustainably at end-f-use it needs t be cllected and taken t a cmpsting facility that can reprcesses it.

5 Further research and life cycle analysis is needed int the impact f bi-based cnventinal plastics and cmpstable packaging acrss the supply chain. It is likely that the sustainability credentials f bi-based plastics will depend n the specific circumstances in which it is prduced, used and then handled at end-f-life. The fllwing are factrs t cnsider: Surces f the bimass and its ptential displacement f land availability fr fd prductin Availability f separate cllectin and cmpst treatment facilities fr cmpstable packaging Impact f bidegradable/cmpstable plastics, as well as bi-based cnventinal plastics, n recycling supply chains in the regin that the bi-based plastic is t be used. I have heard that Gvernments acrss the glbe are lking at different plicies t tackle plastics, hw can I calculate the impacts f this n my business? Tackling the rise in plastic use and the negative impact f plastics in the marine and land based envirnments has mved quickly up the plitical agenda in many jurisdictins glbally. Taxes n specific items, Extended Prducer Respnsibility systems and Depsit Return Systems are already prevalent in EU, USA, Canada and Australia and the Nrdics. In the Eurpean Unin this will be driven thrugh the existing EPR schemes, linked t the EU Circular Ecnmy Package, specifically the EU Plastic Strategy. The ptential use f taxes r ther financial incentives n single-use plastics will be discussed as part f the plastic strategy implementatin. The UK is lking t take an apprach that ges beynd the cmmitments f the EU CE Package and is lking at ptins fr single-use plastic tax, cffee cup tax and DRS fr beverage sectr. The plastic plitical landscape, particularly in relatin t single-use plastics, is fast evlving. This means it is imprtant fr rganisatins t stay up t date with the debate in the gegraphies they perate in. Anthesis is a glbal rganisatin that can supprt yu t stay up t data r even better, ahead f the debate. Anthesis als has a team f EPR, plastic and financial/ecnmic mdellers that are able t supprt yur rganisatin. Steps yu can take internally t keep abreast f the changing plitical landscape: Talk t yur trade bdies Get invlved in the cnsultatin prcess as they happen Attend industry specific/sectr events where this tpic is being discussed

6 Undertake ptins assessments and financial r ecnmic mdelling f different fiscal incentives being cnsidering in the regins yu perate in Jin lcal initiatives e.g. the UK Plastic PACT r align internal plastic reductin bjectives with internatinally recgnised cmmitments e.g. Sustainable Develpment Gals and r the UN Marine Plastic Reslutin. Hw can we help cnsumers t understand hw t manage plastics respnsibly? Cnsumers are generally cnfused abut plastic packaging. Firstly, cnsumers dn t always appreciate the benefits it can bring and secndly, they dn t always understand hw t respnsibly handle the plastic packaging pst use i.e. they dn t knw if it can be recycled in their lcal recycling cllectin system r if they are suppsed t d anything with the packaging befre putting it ut fr recycling. T supprt cnsumers in ding the right thing with the plastic packaging yu are putting n the market, yu can: Clearly label (using recgnised materials such as OPRL) packaging items t shw that they are recyclable Dn t use labels that cnfuse cnsumers e.g. the number and triangle Create packaging that is easy t recycle and that is designed fr end f life disassembly Help custmers t understand that plastic is smetimes the apprpriate packaging material and is fit fr purpse by reprting annually Supprt anti littering campaigns.

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