Governments urged to accelerate circular economy transition through green recovery plans
As nations continue to deliver their strategies for the economic recovery from Covid-19, they must better embed measures to improve resource efficiency, recycling, reuse and nature restoration, according to a major new policy briefing.
According to think-tank Circle Economy, less than 9% of the 100 billion tonnes of virgin raw materials extracted each year are reused or recycled
The briefing has been produced by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation and outlines a universal set of goals that policymakers can work towards – in collaboration with businesses – to shift economies away from unsustainable, linear models of consumption.
Waste Not Want Not: Malaysia Moves to Become a Leader in Tackling Plastic Waste
After China issued its plastic waste import ban in January 2018, global plastic waste shipments were quickly rerouted to Southeast Asia, with Malaysia as a top recipient. Like bamboo sprouts after the rain, illegal plastic recycling facilities quickly popped up in Malaysia. To stay under the radar, some operators set up recycling plants and waste dumpsites in oil palm plantations.
In 2019, Malaysian authorities shut down 170 illegal recycling factories in a series of high-profile raids. The government declared the country would not become the new dumping ground for western waste and customs officials started refusing waste imports. In total, some 225 containers filled with plastic waste were returned to 21 countries. However, Malaysian import companies with approved permits continue to bring in plastic waste. While these imports are a hot button issue, they make up a smaller portion of Malaysia’s
To Regulate or Not to Regulate?
As power changes hands in Washington, some change in federal policy toward sustainability is also expected, and that might involve packaging, especially plastics.
Jan 27th, 2021 As I type this on January 20th, President Biden is being sworn into office after a tumultuous few months of politics. What that will mean to we who labor in the packaging arena isn’t entirely clear, but it’s probably a safe bet that we’ll see a tilt toward more regulation aimed at protecting the environment. And since consumers have long viewed packaging waste, particularly plastic, as an environmental villain, we should probably expect a renewed interest in some form of regulation seeking to address packaging waste.
Many of the UK’s leading supermarket chains are “treading water” in the fight against plastic pollution, new research reveals. The third annual plastics survey, conducted by the London-based Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) and Greenpeace UK, shows that the 10 leading supermarkets collectively put almost 900,000 tonnes of plastic packaging on the market in 2019. However, while the 896,853 tonnes was a reduction of 1.6% on 2018, it equates to a 1.2% increase compared to 2017.
January 24, 2021
EPR
WHILE change has become fast paced and inevitable, one thing remains constant; the need to protect our environment. All possible means to do so, including recycling and reusing packaging, should be increased at pace.
The mission to change is further being driven with the imminent implementation of a mandatory, national Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) scheme, which will require producers to be accountable for the end-of-life impact of its products and packaging.
While this may be seen as a massive task for corporate South Africa, it is in fact one of the main reasons for the existence of producer responsibility organisations (PROs) and recycling packaging organisations to assist the industry to self-regulate and coordinate their reuse and recycling activities, and educate consumers, amongst other activities.