HAS RECYCLING BECOME A LOADED WORD?
In our new Recycling Spotlight series, we dig into industry developments, regulations and consumer trends to show how recycling is everyone’s business.
Recycling is a big topic to unpack. To help narrow it down, we focus on package recycling and examine the drivers shaping it, as well as some of the progress being made across geographies.
In 2020, the latest figure for world waste is estimated at 2.24 billion tonnes of solid waste. A lot of which comes from plastic in packaging materials. But surprisingly only 9% of globally produced plastic is recycled. This means, that there is a huge potential to do more. With sustainability being a core focus for businesses and consumers alike, waste management is top of mind for everyone. Manufacturers understand how important it is to reduce, reuse and recycle throughout the supply chain.
And the good news is, that leading packaging providers are stepping up to tackle the waste management issue in a collaborative manner, prioritising recycling initiatives.
What’s driving recycling?
Regulation has traditionally been one way to manage global waste and improve recycling rates. But the rules vary globally and with new legislation always on the horizon, it’s hardly surprising that many businesses find it difficult to keep up. In 2020 the EU updated the Circular Economy Action Plan with tangible goals for tackling packaging waste. Its directive was that by 2030 all packaging is reusable or recyclable.
At the beginning of this year, India implemented the extended producer responsibility program for plastic packaging with recycling targets for plastic producers, importers and brand-owners starting at 25%. Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) goals are another reason that many organisations are relooking at how they operate in their up-and-downstream value chains and consider their overall carbon footprint and recycling ambitions.
A commercial reality
With sustainable packaging becoming a focus area, companies are making 100% recyclable products a commercial reality. Take Carlsberg’s first bio-based recyclable fibre bottle launched earlier this year. SIG was already setting new sustainability standards when it committed to halve its environmental impact and double its benefit to society – SIG's Net Positive plan aims to innovate an aseptic carton with over 90% fibre content suitable for paper recycling streams by 2030.
New industry initiatives
Providing renewable, climate-positive, and circular packaging has also become a priority for the food and beverage industry. In Europe, the Alliance for Beverage Cartons and the Environment, commonly known as ACE, has recently set a target to increase the collection rates for used beverage cartons to 90% and the recycling rate to at least 70% by 2030.
Despite heightened consumer awareness and new demanding recycling targets, the growing energy crisis and different market regulations make the road ahead challenging. But progress is being made.
In the second part of the series, we shall turn the spotlight on consumers and focus on motivations; the role of misinformation and how heightened awareness can help boost recycling. To follow along and check out the other topics, subscribe to SIGnals Update, our exclusive bi-weekly newsletter.