PoPPr program moves on scheme design

By Gabrielle Stannus
 

Stage 2 of the Polypropylene Plant Packaging Recycling (PoPPr) product stewardship program has now commenced with the appointment of a Steering Committee representing the plant packaging value chain. Industry businesses are invited to the next meeting of the Sustainable Packaging in Horticulture (SPiH) working group in September where an update of activities since the June meeting will be provided. has now commenced with the appointment of a Steering Committee representing the plant packaging value chain. Industry businesses are invited to the next meeting of the Sustainable Packaging in Horticulture (SPiH) working group in September where an update of activities since the June meeting will be provided.

Greenlife Industry Australia (GIA) in partnership with the ANZPAC Plastics Pact, led by the Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation (APCO), has commenced Stage 2 of the National Product Stewardship Scheme for polypropylene (PP) plant packaging – the PoPPr program. The Steering Committee have commenced meeting to provide input into the scheme’s design.

Once established, the PoPPr program aims to achieve:

• Industry-based material circularity for PP plant packaging diverting over 4,000 tonnes of PP from landfill annually
• 100% recyclability for all PP plant packaging, a higher than 70% recycling rate for PP plant packaging
• A recycled content rate for PP plant packaging greater than 50%
• An alternative pathway for recovery of problematic black PP currently lost through existing systems

An industry closed loop will create a clean supply of PP for processing to new plant packaging, retaining the material at its highest value in the market, addressing challenges particular to the packaging format and building a quantifiable end market for recycled PP. The program may also offer a potential recovery pathway for other PP packaging for an Australian market struggling to meet demand for recycled PP. It will also help save an estimated 1 to 1.5 tonnes CO₂ equivalent per tonne of plastic recycled.

The PoPPr Program is one of several important activities that GIA is undertaking as part of the Greenlife Industry Australia Strategic Plan 2020-2023 so that risks to industry are managed to ensure its long-term sustainability. The GIA Board also supports the Hort Innovation Sustainability Framework that has been developed and GIA will lead and drive the development of a nursery industry-based sustainability action plan.

Your feedback is welcomed at next SPiH Working Group session

Industry members from manufacturing to plant production and retail, are encouraged to attend the next Sustainable Packaging in Horticulture (SPiH) Working Group session to receive an update and feedback on the PoPPr scheme design.

Date: Wednesday 1 September 2021

Time: 11am – 1pm (AEST)

Registration: To join the session, please register via Eventbrite. Connection details will be provided upon registration, including a calendar entry for your diaries. You can also access previous session slide decks and summary reports via links on the registration page.

Register here