Plant packaging recovery expansion through EPR initiatives  

The Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation (APCO) and Greenlife Industry Australia (GIA) have received exciting news regarding the expansion of a collaborative producer responsibility (EPR) initiative by Garden City Plastics for the recovery of plant packaging, for processing back into plant packaging. 

The Australian greenlife industry’s strong support for the Polypropylene Plant Packaging Recycling (PoPPr) Project has directly contributed to the acceleration of this and similar initiatives by demonstrating the economic and environmental benefits of recovering plant packaging, raising awareness of producer responsibilities and instilling confidence in the marketplace by bringing the industry together in a powerful display of collective impact.

This strong industry led action, leveraging the output of the PoPPr project, means an effective EPR program for plastic plant packaging is now being implemented. As such the PoPPr project will be concluding early.

Under the National Product Stewardship Investment Fund (NPSIF), the project has delivered:

• A situational analysis and business case demonstrating strong stakeholder support for a national scheme.
• A successful Pilot Program which captured key operational and financial details for product stewardship scheme design.
• Assessment of alternative scheme design options and a preliminary cost benefit assessment for a national scheme.
• Version 1 of a co-designed and industry supported product stewardship framework.

Interested greenlife packaging value chain stakeholders can review the first version of the framework for the plant packaging stewardship scheme online at www.anzpacplasticspact.org.au/taking-action/.

GIA and APCO would like to thank the many industry stakeholders who united to share their knowledge and provide their considered feedback in support of the project and acknowledge the Australian Government grant support under the NPSIF. Particular thanks go to the businesses who shared their sites for the pilot program and to the Steering Committee who committed their time to the task.

The expansion of this initiative coupled with other existing initiatives means options for businesses to participate in the clean stream recovery of plant packaging including pots, labels, stakes, and trays are growing. For information on available plant packaging collection programs, please contact GIA at jolene.brown@greenlifeindustry.com.au. 

For enquiries regarding the PoPPr Project, please contact APCO at info@anzpac.org.au or GIA at jolene.brown@greenlifeindustry.com.au.