Sustainable Plastics - March/April 2023 - 16

circularity
Looking
upstream:
How CPGs
can have a
big impact on
circularity
Many articles today highlight the failures
of circularity and suggest that solutions
to 'fi xing the problem' lie downstream.
However, there is more to the story.
By Mike Stockman, Alina Jurcola, and Caroline
Vanchiere of environmental non-profi t Delterra
T
oday, up to about
80% of plastics produced
are either not
technically or economically
viable for recycling.
For packaging that falls into
these categories, taking an endof-life
mindset at the design
stage and focusing on upstream
innovation is the biggest way to
truly improve eventual recycling
of the material and limit leakage
of plastic waste into the environment.
Based
on a recent report
from The Minderoo Foundation,
lack of standardization across
single-use plastic packaging
is a primary reason that most
packaging products end up
being, at best, downcycled. By
making packaging more recyclable
upfront, investments in
downstream collection and recycling
infrastructure can contribute
to meaningful packaging
circularity, as opposed to having
no option for the material
but to downcycle or landfill.
16
March/April 2023
Stakeholder pressure on
companies with large plastic
footprints is rising, and future
extended producer responsibility
(EPR) fees, virgin plastic
taxes, and international policies
could have a significant impact
on bottom lines - up to 25%
of turnover in a low-margin
business. Companies must act
quickly to assess the impact of
their plastic packaging portfolios
and (re)design packaging
strategies in line with impending
policies and legislation in
the countries they operate.
Based on the approach that we
follow for the Plastic IQ initiative,
we propose four key steps
to define an environmentally
and economically beneficial
packaging strategy:
* Establishing a clear baseline
to understand the environmental
and economic impact of your
portfolio today is the first step in
any strategy. The baseline assessment
should include a 'do
nothing' or 'business as usual'
Alina Jurcola
2030 trajectory of plastics volume,
GHG emissions and financial
impact. By compiling details
about their plastic usage and
packaging portfolio, companies
have the information needed to
move on to experimenting with
strategic levers to make their
portfolio more circular.
* The next step and the first
strategic lever to evaluate is
using less packaging. This includes
identifying avoidable
or unnecessary packaging to
reduce overall material usage.
Reducing packaging where
possible is considered the highest-priority
action, as it can
directly reduce costs and environmental
impact at the source.
However, it's important to also
weigh the consequences of reduced
packaging, such as increased
food waste or potential
damage to the product.
* After all unnecessary packCaroline
Vanchiere
aging has been eliminated,
companies can investigate opportunities
to shift their portfolio
by creating better packaging.
This step focuses on improving
the remaining packaging
footprint, for which reduction
is not an option. Strategies to
create better packaging include
increasing the recyclability of
packaging through redesign,
optimizing feedstock, and moving
from plastic to alternative
materials where the economic
and environmental impact make
sense. Meanwhile, it's important
to maintain high standards
for sourcing (e.g., ethical supply
chains, traceable materials, etc.)
to avoid any consumer concerns
around the material usage.
* Lastly, companies should
explore opportunities to contribute
to a better system, for
both waste management and
recycling, through investment
Lack of standardization across
single-use plastic packaging
is a primary reason that most
packaging products end up
being, at best, downcycled
Sustainable Plastics - March/April 2023

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