The peak body for Australia’s food and grocery manufacturing industry Australian Food & Grocery Council has welcomed the announcement on 10 November from Environment Ministers around design standards for packaging and a focus on traceability.
“Today’s announcement is fundamental for a closed loop on packaging, particularly soft plastics in Australia. Importantly, the fact we are talking about a circular economy means all sections of the supply chain need to collaborate and move forward together”, according to a spokesperson for Australian Food & Grocery Council.
“Any increase in the use of recycled content relies on sufficient collection and processing of that material here in Australia. Mandatory design standards are essential for a circular economy, but importantly require a recycling system to process the material Australians collect at home. Traceability of recycling material will provide confidence for Australians to recycle, brands the confidence to procure recycled content and the broader supply chain the confidence to invest in recycling infrastructure, creating local jobs.
“A circular economy for soft plastics is a huge opportunity for Australia economically and environmentally. We look forward to being part of the solution and continuing to collaborate with the entire supply chain to reduce landfill, create jobs and to close the loop on soft plastics.
“Our entire industry congratulates Ministers on the step forward today and looks forward to more progress in months to come.”