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1o ΓΕΛ ΜΕΤΑΜΟΡΦΩΣΗΣ

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EWWR 2024: ΜΗΝ ΔΙΝΕΙΣ ΤΡΟΦΗ ΣΤΗ ΣΠΑΤΑΛΗ - Μια δράση του 1ου ΓΕΛ Μεταμόρφωσης

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1o ΓΕΛ ΜΕΤΑΜΟΡΦΩΣΗΣ

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EWWR 2024: ΜΗΝ ΔΙΝΕΙΣ ΤΡΟΦΗ ΣΤΗ ΣΠΑΤΑΛΗ - Μια δράση του 1ου ΓΕΛ Μεταμόρφωσης

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Countdown to EWWR 2024: Participate in #EWWR2024PhotoContest!

The EWWR 2024 kicks off on 16 November! Once again, we are organising the EWWR Photo Contest. This competition aims to encourage participants to visually showcase their actions. Everyone who has registered an action for the EWWR or is joining an action can participate in the contest by following a few simple rules:

Share a picture of your waste reduction action on Facebook or Instagram

From 16 to 24 November

Use the hashtag #EWWR 2024 PhotoContest

Include the name of the action and a short explanation

How to make your photo the winner? These are the contest evaluation criteria:

Originality

Quality of the picture

Visibility of this year's thematic focus

The prize? The winning picture will become the new cover photo of the EWWR social media channels and of the EWWR website

"All Round Circular R-park" by MiReHu Nonprofit Kft
Winner of the photo contest in 2023

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Countdown to EWWR 2024: Participate in #EWWR2024PhotoContest! - EWWR

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The EWWR 2024 kicks off on 16 November! Once again, we are organising the EWWR Photo Contest. This competition aims to encourage participants to visually showcase their actions. Everyone who has registered an action for the EWWR or is joining an action can participate in the contest by following a few simple rules: Share a...

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Η φετινή συμμετοχή του σχολείου μας, του 1ου ΓΕΛ Μεταμόρφωσης, στην Ευρωπαϊκή Εβδομάδα Μείωσης Αποβλήτων EWWR 2024: "Comic & Photo exhibition about food waste"

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Η φετινή συμμετοχή του σχολείου μας, του 1ου ΓΕΛ Μεταμόρφωσης, στην Ευρωπαϊκή Εβδομάδα Μείωσης Αποβλήτων EWWR 2024: "Comic & Photo exhibition about food waste"

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Lancement du compostage des biodéchets du restaurant municipal A Pignata

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Comic & Photo exhibition about food waste - EWWR

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Διοργάνωση έκθεσης κόμικ και φωτογραφίας με θέμα την σπατάλη τροφίμων, ώστε να ευαισθητοποιηθεί η σχολική και η τοπική κοινότητα. Organizing a comic and photo exhibition on the topic of food waste to raise awareness in the school and local community.

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Μείωση της σπατάλης τροφίμων σε τοπικό επίπεδο: Μια ολιστική προσέγγιση για τους δήμους

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Μείωση της σπατάλης τροφίμων σε τοπικό επίπεδο: Μια ολιστική προσέγγιση για τους δήμους

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Σπατάλη τροφίμων στην ΕΕ

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Σπατάλη τροφίμων στην ΕΕ

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Μείωση της σπατάλης τροφίμων στην Ευρωπαϊκή Ένωση: τρέχουσες προκλήσεις και μελλοντικοί στόχοι

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Μείωση της σπατάλης τροφίμων στην Ευρωπαϊκή Ένωση: τρέχουσες προκλήσεις και μελλοντικοί στόχοι

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Κάλεσμα του ΕΟΑΝ για συμμετοχή στην Ευρωπαϊκή Εβδομάδα Μείωσης Αποβλήτων - EWWR (16-24 Νοεμβρίου 2024)

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Κάλεσμα του ΕΟΑΝ για συμμετοχή στην Ευρωπαϊκή Εβδομάδα Μείωσης Αποβλήτων - EWWR (16-24 Νοεμβρίου 2024)

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Ανάρτηση της δράσης EWWR 2023 στο Chemistry blog

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Ανάρτηση της δράσης EWWR 2023 στο Chemistry blog

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Βλάχου Σταυρούλα

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EWWR 2023: Σκέψου Αειφορία – Μείωσε, Επαναχρησιμοποίησε Συσκευασία – Μάθε Χημεία / Think Sustainability – Reduce, Reuse Packaging – Learn Chemistry - Chemistry blog

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Βίντεο στο YouTube - EWWR 2023 “Think Sustainability - Reduce, Reuse Packaging - Learn Chemistry”

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Βίντεο στο YouTube - EWWR 2023 “Think Sustainability - Reduce, Reuse Packaging - Learn Chemistry”

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EWWR 2023 “Think Sustainability - Reduce, Reuse Packaging - Learn Chemistry”

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Ο Διευθυντής του 1ου Γ

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Ο Διευθυντής του 1ου ΓΕΛ Μεταμόρφωσης με τους μαθητές του προγράμματος EPAS στο 2ο ανταλλακτικό παζάρι ρούχων που καθιερώνεται σιγά σιγά ως θεσμός στο σχολείο μας με στόχο να πραγματοποιείται κάθε χρόνο στη διάρκεια της Ευρωπαϊκής Εβδομάδας Μείωσης Αποβλήτων (EWWR), ενισχύοντας την ιδέα της επαναχρησιμοποίησης σε μαθητές και εκπαιδευτικούς.

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Συγκέντρωση ρούχων για ανταλλαγή

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Συγκέντρωση ρούχων για ανταλλαγή

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Συνεχίζουμε και φέτος τη συμμετοχή μας στην Ευρωπαϊκή Εβδομάδα Μείωσης Αποβλήτων, EWWR 2023, με τη διοργάνωση του 2ου Ανταλλακτικού Παζαριού Ρούχων στις 23 & 24 Νοεμβρίου 2023, στο χώρο του σχολείου, με την ελπίδα να το καθιερώσουμε κάθε χρόνο ως θεσμό. Για το λόγο αυτό συγκεντρώνουμε ρούχα εφηβικά σε καλή κατάσταση για ανταλλαγή, ευαισθητοποιώντας τους μαθητές μας στην ιδέα της επαναχρησιμοποίησης.
Πληροφορίες στις υπεύθυνες καθηγήτριες: Σταυρούλα Βλάχου και Ειρήνη Πολυκρέτη. Τη δράση θα συντονίζει η ομάδα EPAS του σχολείου μας, στα διαλείμματα του διημέρου Πέμπτης 23 & Παρασκευής 24 Νοεμβρίου 2023.

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Δημοσίευση της δράσης του σχολείου μας στη σελίδα των Οικολογικών Σχολείων.

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Δημοσίευση της δράσης του σχολείου μας στη σελίδα των Οικολογικών Σχολείων.

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Συμμετοχή του 1ου ΓΕΛ Μεταμόρφωσης στην Ευρωπαϊκή Εβδομάδα Μείωσης Αποβλήτων (EWWR) 19-27 Νοεμβρίου 2022

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Η Περιβαλλοντική Ομάδα "Μαθητές εν δράσει, για το κλίμα που αλλάζει" και η Ομάδα EPAS του 1ου Γενικού Λυκείου Μεταμόρφωσης διοργάνωσαν διήμερες εκδηλώσεις - δράσεις στους χώρους του σχολείου, 24 & 25 Νοεμβρίου 2022, με στόχο την ενεργό συμμετοχή του σχολείου στην Ευρωπαϊκή Εβδομάδα Μείωσης Αποβλήτων, EWWR 2022 (από 19 έως 27 Νοεμβρίου 2022), με θέμα "Βιώσιμα Κλωστοϋφαντουργικά Προϊόντα - Τα απόβλητα είναι εκτός μόδας".

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Countdown to EWWR 2023: Join the excitement with #EWWR2023PhotoContest!

Counting down the days until EWWR 2023 kicks off! The EWWR 2023 Photo Contest is here to make the wait worthwhile. This competition aims to encourage participants to visually communicate about their action. Everyone who has registered an action for the EWWR, or who is joining an action, can take part in the contest by following a few easy rules:

Share a picture of your waste reduction action on Facebook or Instagram

From 19 to 27 November

Use the hashtag #EWWR 2022 PhotoContest

Include the name of the action and a short explanation

How to make your photo the winner? These are the contest evaluation criteria:

Originality

Quality of the picture

Visibility of this year's thematic focus

The prize? The winning picture will become the new cover photo of the EWWR social media channels and of the EWWR website
20 22 Photo contest winner:
"Waste is out of fashion... Let your clothes write their own story" by City of Athens

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Countdown to EWWR 2023: Join the excitement with #EWWR2023PhotoContest! - EWWR

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Counting down the days until EWWR 2023 kicks off! The EWWR 2023 Photo Contest is here to make the wait worthwhile. This competition aims to encourage participants to visually communicate about their action. Everyone who has registered an action for the EWWR, or who is joining an action, can take part in the contest by...

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Η φετινή συμμετοχή του σχολείου μας, του 1ου ΓΕΛ Μεταμόρφωσης, στην Ευρωπαϊκή Εβδομάδα Μείωσης Αποβλήτων EWWR 2023: Σκέψου Αειφορία – Μείωσε, Επαναχρησιμοποίησε Συσκευασία – Μάθε Χημεία / Think Sustainability – Reduce, Reuse Packaging – Learn Chemistry

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Η φετινή συμμετοχή του σχολείου μας, του 1ου ΓΕΛ Μεταμόρφωσης, στην Ευρωπαϊκή Εβδομάδα Μείωσης Αποβλήτων EWWR 2023: Σκέψου Αειφορία – Μείωσε, Επαναχρησιμοποίησε Συσκευασία – Μάθε Χημεία / Think Sustainability – Reduce, Reuse Packaging – Learn Chemistry

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Σκέψου Αειφορία - Επαναχρησιμοποίησε Συσκευασία - Μάθε Χημεία, Think Sustainability - Reuse Packaging - Learn Chemistry - EWWR

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Μαθητές του Β5 τμήματος του 1ου Γενικού Λυκείου Μεταμόρφωσης στα πλαίσια του μαθήματος της Χημείας, θα διοργανώσουν δράση από 20 έως 24 Νοεμβρίου 2023, με στόχο την ενεργό συμμετοχή του σχολείου στην Ευρωπαϊκή Εβδομάδα Μείωσης Αποβλήτων, EWWR 2023. Οι μαθητές θα συγκεντρώσουν πλαστικά κυρίως υλικά συσκευασίας και θα συμμετέχουν σε ομάδες εργασίας δημιουργικών κατασκευών.

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2ο Ανταλλακτικό Παζάρι Ρούχων 23 & 24 Νοεμβρίου 2023

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2ο Ανταλλακτικό Παζάρι Ρούχων 23 & 24 Νοεμβρίου 2023

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1ο Ανταλλακτικό Παζάρι

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1ο Ανταλλακτικό Παζάρι

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Στιγμιότυπα από το διήμερο ανταλλακτικό παζάρι που πραγματοποιήθηκε στο σχολείο μας.

Δημιουργός: Κυριάκος Ανέστης

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Το πιστοποιητικό συμμετοχής του σχολείου μας στην Ευρωπαϊκή Εβδομάδα Μείωσης Αποβλήτων EWWR 2022

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Το πιστοποιητικό συμμετοχής του σχολείου μας στην Ευρωπαϊκή Εβδομάδα Μείωσης Αποβλήτων EWWR 2022

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Συμμετοχή στον διαγωνισμό φωτογραφίας #EWWR2022PhotoContest

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Συμμετοχή στον διαγωνισμό φωτογραφίας #EWWR2022PhotoContest

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Δημοσίευση της δράσης του σχολείου μας στη σελίδα Facebook του ΕΟΑΝ, του Ελληνικού Οργανισμού Ανακύκλωσης, εθνικού συντονιστή των δράσεων πρόληψης δημιουργίας αποβλήτων που καταχωρούνται και υλοποιούνται μέσω της Ευρωπαϊκής πλατφόρμας European Week for Waste Reduction (EWWR)

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Δημοσίευση της δράσης του σχολείου μας στη σελίδα Facebook του ΕΟΑΝ, του Ελληνικού Οργανισμού Ανακύκλωσης, εθνικού συντονιστή των δράσεων πρόληψης δημιουργίας αποβλήτων που καταχωρούνται και υλοποιούνται μέσω της Ευρωπαϊκής πλατφόρμας European Week for Waste Reduction (EWWR)

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ΕΟΑΝ-Ελληνικός Οργανισμός Ανακύκλωσης

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Η Περιβαλλοντική... - ΕΟΑΝ-Ελληνικός Οργανισμός Ανακύκλωσης

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Η Περιβαλλοντική Ομάδα και η Ομάδα EPAS του 1ου ΓΕΛ Μεταμόρφωσης συμμετείχαν ενεργά στην Ευρωπαϊκή Εβδομάδα Μείωσης Αποβλήτων, διοργανώνοντας διήμερες...

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Δημοσίευση της δράσης του σχολείου μας στη σελίδα Instagram του ΕΟΑΝ, του Ελληνικού Οργανισμού Ανακύκλωσης, εθνικού συντονιστή των δράσεων πρόληψης δημιουργίας αποβλήτων που καταχωρούνται και υλοποιούνται μέσω της Ευρωπαϊκής πλατφόρμας European Week for Waste Reduction (EWWR)

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Δημοσίευση της δράσης του σχολείου μας στη σελίδα Instagram του ΕΟΑΝ, του Ελληνικού Οργανισμού Ανακύκλωσης, εθνικού συντονιστή των δράσεων πρόληψης δημιουργίας αποβλήτων που καταχωρούνται και υλοποιούνται μέσω της Ευρωπαϊκής πλατφόρμας European Week for Waste Reduction (EWWR)

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Ε.Ο.ΑΝ. on Instagram: "Η Περιβαλλοντική Ομάδα και η Ομάδα EPAS του 1ου ΓΕΛ Μεταμόρφωσης συμμετείχαν ενεργά στην Ευρωπαϊκή Εβδομάδα Μείωσης Αποβλήτων, διοργανώνοντας διήμερες δράσεις στο χώρο του σχολείου. 

Παρότρυναν τους μαθητές του σχολείου να φέρουν ρούχα που δεν χρειάζονται και με σύνθημα “Τα Απόβλητα Είναι Εκτός Μόδας”, διαμόρφωσαν ένα ανταλλακτικό παζάρι ρούχων, χωρίς όμως να περιορίζονται εκεί! Τα μέλη της περιβαλλοντικής ομάδας “Μαθητές εν Δράσει, για το Κλίμα που Αλλάζει”, χρησιμοποιώντας φθαρμένα ρούχα, δημιούργησαν κουκουβάγιες, οι οποίες αποτελούν το σήμα του σχολείου. Έτσι έδωσαν το δικό τους μήνυμα με τις υπέροχες δημιουργίες τους και απέδειξαν έμπρακτα ότι νοιάζονται για το περιβάλλον! 👏🏻👏🏻

#EWWR2022 #circulartextiles #sustainabletextiles #wasteisoutoffashion #EOAN #EWWR"

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65 likes, 0 comments - eoan.gr on December 7, 2022: "Η Περιβαλλοντική Ομάδα και η Ομάδα EPAS του 1ου ΓΕΛ Μετα..."

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View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Ε.Ο.ΑΝ. (@eoan.gr)

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Η περσινή μας συμμετοχή στην Ευρωπαϊκή Εβδομάδα Μείωσης Αποβλήτων EWWR 2022: 1st Senior High School of Metamorphosis – Reduce Reuse Recycle – Circular and Sustainable Textiles

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Η περσινή μας συμμετοχή στην Ευρωπαϊκή Εβδομάδα Μείωσης Αποβλήτων EWWR 2022: 1st Senior High School of Metamorphosis – Reduce Reuse Recycle – Circular and Sustainable Textiles

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1st Senior High School of Metamorphosis - Reduce Reuse Recycle - Circular and Sustainable Textiles - EWWR

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The Environmental team and the EPAS team of the 1st Senior High School of Metamorphosis organize two days of events on school premises, 24 & 25 November 2022, with the aim of the active participation of our school in the European Week of Waste Reduction, EWWR 2022 (from 19 to 27 November 2022), with a common theme "Sustainable Textile Products".

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κάλεσμα-του-ΕΟΑΝ-EWWR-2022

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Σήματα στις Συσκευασίες των Προϊόντων

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Σήματα στις Συσκευασίες των Προϊόντων

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Μειώνουμε τα απορρίμματα,δίνουμε χώρο στη ζωή

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Μειώνουμε τα απορρίμματα,δίνουμε χώρο στη ζωή

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Rethink Plastic Campaign,  an alliance of leading European NGOs, representing thousands of active groups, supporters and citizens in every EU Member State

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Rethink Plastic Campaign,  an alliance of leading European NGOs, representing thousands of active groups, supporters and citizens in every EU Member State

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Rethink Plastic is an alliance of leading European NGOs, representing thousands of active groups, supporters and citizens in every EU Member State.
We are part of the global Break Free From Plastic movement, consisting of over 11,000 organisations and individuals worldwide demanding an end to plastic pollution.
Check out our main campaigns below for more information.

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Towards a future free from plastic pollution - Rethink Plastic

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Rethink Plastic is the alliance of leading European NGOs with one vision: a future free from plastic pollution!

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Sustainability in packaging, an article by McKinsey & Company

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Sustainability in packaging, an article by McKinsey & Company

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Sustainability-particularly regulatory and public concerns around single-use packaging waste-is combining with other powerful trends to drive major changes in consumer packaging. Regulators are moving on the issue, and Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) companies and retailers are proactively making bold commitments to improve both the sustainability of their packaging and to fundamentally rethink their packaging systems.

There will be significant impact on packaging converters and their value chain, which could threaten the survival of many in the industry. However, for packaging converters with the right focus and innovation capabilities, the new landscape could offer significant growth and new partnership opportunities to support customers in revising their packaging portfolios. Going forward, converters will have to proactively embrace sustainability issues as consumer demands and regulatory requirements multiply.

Consumer awareness to packaging waste in oceans and landfills is driving change

Packaging is ubiquitous in our daily lives and enables minimization of food waste and overall product breakage with advanced convenience features at low costs. Over the past decade, the global packaging industry has enjoyed strong growth, driven by shifts in choice of substrates and expansion of new end-markets. Headline changes include the increased use of plastics to replace other substrates and accommodate consumers' demand for convenience, but also the economic boom in China and other emerging regions.

However, widespread usage of single-use packaging containers has resulted in a heavy burden on the environment, and the management of packaging waste is facing a crisis due to two unresolved challenges:

Packaging recyclability. Large amounts of packaging produced today cannot be recycled in existing recycling systems. This is especially true for multi-material packaging, which today poses a significant and unresolved challenge in recycling.

Packaging recycling and leakage. Recycling rates for plastic packaging are relatively low. In the United States, for example, waste is generally managed with low leakage but recovery rates for packaging and food-service plastics are about 28 percent. In Europe, the plastic-packaging recycling rate reported was somewhat higher at approximately 40 percent, compared to approximately 80 percent for paperboard, and 75-80 percent for metal and glass (note, however, that overall data collection quality on recycling rates is rather immature, so real-world rates may differ from reported figures). Emerging regions (Asia in particular) are under the most pressure, because packaging demand growth is outpacing global growth rates, and waste-collection systems-let alone recycling-are not in place at the required scale. Global leakage or unmanaged dumps of all plastic material flows (both durable and non-durable) is estimated to be around 19 percent, and only 16 percent of all plastic waste is re-processed to make new plastics. In fact, most of the global plastics waste goes into incineration (25%) and landfills (40%), meaning that these materials are lost forever as a resource, despite plastics' potential for reuse and recycling.

This has not gone unnoticed; public awareness of packaging waste leakage, especially plastic waste, into the environment has increased significantly to an all-time high over the past 12-24 months. The visceral images of the effects of ocean plastics pollution have stirred up consumer sentiment around the world.

Governments have started to respond to the public outcry

Governments, on all continents, have responded to public concerns regarding packaging waste, especially single-use packaging waste, and are implementing regulations to both minimize environmental waste and improve waste-management processes (Exhibit 1).

Some of the largest and most developed countries and regions are taking significant steps to introduce regulations to drive sustainability, while others are still operating as per the status quo, with limited or no regulations in place. For example, in the US 16 states have enacted statewide regulations around packaging waste, which tend to target single-use plastics, shopping bags, and increasing recycling targets. Several more bills are pending to be approved over the next 3 years. Meanwhile, Europe has progressed further than some other regions when it comes to sustainability. Measures announced in May 2019, under the "New EU Directive for Single-Use Plastics," aim to reduce leakage of the ten single-use plastic products most often found on European beaches. Additionally, some countries-in particular France, Germany, and the United Kingdom-are going above and beyond the already robust recycling regulations across the European Union with Extended Producer Responsibilities (EPRs). These countries are implementing even more aggressive targets, fees for introducing non-recyclable packaging, and additional legislation such as only using recyclable packaging, setting higher recycling targets, and so on.

In Asia, Thailand recently announced a nationwide ban on single-use plastic bags at major stores effective January 1, 2020, and aims for a full ban by 2021 to reduce plastic leakage into the environment. India has shelved plans for a full ban of single-use plastics for now, but is pushing for increased awareness campaigns and more collection points to improve collection and curb waste. China has banned imports of plastics waste and approved legislation to ban/reduce single-use plastics, increase recycling, recovery, and recirculation of used plastics. Latin America had relatively low commitments to sustainability with few regulations in place through the early 2000s. However, in the past few years there has been a considerable rise in awareness: between 2016 and 2019 many local and federal bills have been approved or proposed in countries across the region. For example, Chile is banning plastic bags for business and Mexico City is banning single-use plastics.

FMCG companies and retailers are acting fast to go far beyond traditional lightweighting initiatives

Historically, actions by FMCG companies and retailers have mostly focused on quick wins such as reducing weight and materials usage to enable them to lower their packaging costs. A development that has also been enabled by strong material innovation upstream at substrate producers such as resin producers. These moves have favored substitution of rigid packaging formats with use of flexible packaging and pouches (Exhibit 2).

In the past few years, however, packaged goods manufacturers and retailers have started to make commitments to act on packaging waste. Almost all the top 100 FMCG companies (in terms of revenue) have made bold declarations and commitments to drive sustainability over the coming years. Our research shows that these commitments focus on three areas of activity (Exhibit 3): emphasis on full recyclability and a significant higher degree of recycled content are the most widely embraced initiatives, accounting for 60 percent of commitments; this is followed by a reduction of total plastics usage (26 percent) and by the innovation and promotion of change in the use of packaging (14 percent).

At the same time, these sustainability-focused initiatives around innovation and the need for change in the use of packaging are combining with other major industry trends affecting the packaging industry: for example, cost pressures, e-commerce and digitization (in general), and shifting consumer preferences. As a result, FMCG manufacturers and retailers are beginning to experiment with complete packaging redesigns and a fundamental rethinking of their delivery chains (including circular delivery models). They are also looking to curb plastic-waste generation by experimenting with use of metal and glass in returnable systems. In effect, major brands are starting to self-regulate.

In one recent example, a US company launched laundry detergent in new packaging specifically for online orders. The detergent was reformulated to be more concentrated, and its packaging designed to reduce its overall weight to be lighter than the original version in transit. Handling has been improved with a plastic sleeve that fits snugly inside a rectangular cardboard package. In addition, this hybrid mix of substrates adds a further sustainability benefit by using 60 percent less plastic than previously, although we should note that composites can be harder to recycle. In another example, a consortium of leading brands, a logistics provider, and a recycler recently teamed up to test the concept of returnable and reusable packaging-in effect reviving the concept of a "milk man." The pilot has been rolled out during 2019 in areas of Paris and New York; however, the jury is still out on how much potential exists to justify future scale-up. Meanwhile, certain brands have flagged their readiness to consider packaging innovations that incorporate increased use of fiber-based packaging instead of traditional polymer packaging.

Going forward, FMCG companies and retailers will have to become more aggressive in their approach to addressing sustainable packaging in response to growing consumer awareness and increasing regulatory requirements. It should be noted, however, that curbing use of plastic packaging and changing packaging materials comes at a cost in terms of additional complexities and trade-offs, many of which will be far from trivial:

FMCGs and retailers will have to face complicated trade-offs such as recyclability versus carbon footprint and food waste.

Not all types of actions have the same impact on the different aspects of the sustainability footprint.

Technical and economic feasibility varies by plastic type and application, as well as by geographic region, and cost implications go beyond just packaging material prices and conversion costs.

Any packaging material or design change has implications on overall branding strategy, and large portfolios comprised of different plastics, applications, and geographies make strategizing highly complex.

The new challenges around waste management and recyclability are taking FMCG companies and retailers into new and unfamiliar territory. In the past, these organizations have pursued a relatively narrow packaging sustainability agenda that has focused substantially on "lightweighting." Successfully addressing the new recyclability and waste challenges is likely to stretch the capabilities of their current tools and strategies. Consequently, FMCG companies and retailers will require much closer collaboration with upstream players, packaging converters, and recyclers to successfully deal with these new challenges. One key area is the need to build infrastructure to manage increased recycling by employing more closed systems (that is, bottle-to-bottle recycling to avoid downcycling). Another area is to coordinate changes with film converters and recycling infrastructure to build recovery capability to accept polyolefin multi-substrate films, which could allow for a much larger amount of flexible packaging and other multi-material packaging to be recycled. This also involves developing and scaling more advanced recycling technologies, for example, where the packaging can be converted to liquid hydrocarbons using pyrolysis or gasification, to be used for fuels or as feedstock for producing "new" plastic with similar performance as "virgin-based."

These types of developments could mark a watershed in the relationship between the FMCG manufacturers and retailers on one hand and the packaging converters on the other. Traditionally, packaging converters have played the role of the compliant supplier to their larger and more powerful brand-owning customers. However, as FMCG companies and retailers discover the need to move from an arm's length relationship with suppliers to more of a partnership and collaborative approach, new opportunities could emerge for packaging converters-particularly for agile converters that are able to quickly expand their innovation capabilities.

Converters are moving forward on sustainability, but are they doing enough?

The new pressures to reduce the environmental impact of packaging, comply with regulations, and satisfy consumer preferences are going to require packaging converters to make new investments and undertake major scale-up of their innovation capacity.

This will be an important adjustment in innovation. Apart from lightweighting/downgauging, currently many packaging companies have their sustainability efforts primarily focused internally on improving energy efficiency and waste reduction, with some limited work starting on applications innovation for sustainable packaging solutions across substrates. This inevitably implies a gap between the need to support the sustainable packaging aspirations of the FMCG companies and retailers, and the range of development initiatives being undertaken by the packaging converters.

Examples of this gap include the fact that innovative application solutions that offer higher recyclability today are far from being as cost- and as barrier-efficient as incumbent solutions. Successful sustainability innovations will need to be at a neutral or affordable cost trade-off to gain scale. Equally, many application innovations seem to be difficult to scale up beyond the smaller initiatives currently in place; this is partly due to the fact they are often at an early stage in the research process and use costly materials.

Today, it is upstream substrate producers that appear to be taking the innovation lead in sustainable packaging. These players are working on top-priority areas such as mono-materials with "high-barrier" properties that can also offer high recyclability, or incorporate recycled content. Among paper and board producers, there is innovation work under way on high-barrier materials to replace plastics using bio-derived products, most of which are recyclable, compostable, or both. For example, several specialty paper producers are developing flexible paper-based packaging with water-based coatings that can act as barriers for vapor, oxygen, and oil, and can therefore replace plastic/aluminum laminate packages, among other types of laminates. Others are working on creating lighter and stronger packaging board that offers lower carbon footprint while providing sufficient barrier properties. For example, one producer is including Micro-Fibrillated Cellulose (MFC) in its paper board to create lighter, stronger packaging board that also uses less virgin material.

Plastic film producers, meanwhile, are pushing hard to develop mono-material (such as all-polyethylene) packaging solutions, which are fully recyclable at the end of their lifecycle and can replace today's multi-material flexible plastic packaging that cannot be recycled with today's processing technology. There is also substantial work under way to develop more food-safe-grade plastic films incorporating recycled content. This development will increase the use of recycled materials in the large quantities of flexible packaging that are used today for food.

At the same time, a number of producers of virgin plastic resin have acquired plastics recycling processors, which is giving them the potential to add recycled plastic to their portfolio of resin offerings. Having these products available would make it much easier for converters that want to include recycled content in their products. Similarly, resin producers are developing polymers based on feedstock made from chemical recycling of plastic waste; this feedstock can replace oil- and gas-based feedstock in manufacturing plastic substrates used for packaging materials, and packaging end-products can then be tagged as made from "recycled" plastic.

Approach to target opportunities in sustainable packaging

Converters can strategically best position themselves to support FMCG companies and retailers on sustainable packaging by recognizing that:

FMCG manufacturers will continue to need to manage cost efficiency of packaging solutions and a high degree of customer convenience-for example, easy-opening products and packaging designed for on-the-go consumption.

Not all types of actions will have the same impact on the various aspects of the sustainability footprint (for example, low food waste versus recyclability-using a high-barrier packaging material or multilayer film can significantly increase shelf life and minimize the amount of food waste along the chain, but the packaging itself may be less recyclable).

Different end-product segments will have varying sensitivity to sustainability.

Technical and economic feasibility varies by application as well as geographic region, and cost implications go beyond just packaging material prices and conversion costs.

Any change of packaging material or design has implications on overall branding strategy.

There is no one-size-fits-all solution that converters can embrace as they work on strategies for sustainable packaging with their FMCG and retailer customers. There are complexities and trade-offs to consider if they are to navigate through these sustainability challenges in order to find the most effective route to growing and preserving value with application innovations. To chart their course, we suggest that converters consider a three-part approach to help them identify opportunities.

Step 1: Low-hanging fruit

The "low-hanging fruit" group of opportunities offers packaging converters some no-regret moves, where they can double down on product segments where barriers to switch are low, and most of the work can be done by the individual converter and FMCG company without broader value chain coordination. These opportunities will typically be product segments where all of the actions can be taken with close to zero impact on operating cost or capital expenditure needs, functionality, or attractiveness of the packaging, including:

Removing unnecessary use of packaging. While lightweighting has been ongoing for a long time, there are still plenty of applications where packaging can be replaced with lighter-weight materials.

Developing existing packaging. Increase usage of recycled content in less sensitive applications (for instance, non-food), while also considering different types of plastic that could improve the product's sustainability profile. This also should include packaging design for easy use and recycling (e.g., clarity for consumers on how packaging should be collected and sorted at recycling stations).

Material substitution. Introduce more mono-materials and decrease the complexity of the combinations of different materials used, while retaining the ability to produce the same type of packaging and requiring no change in its structural design.

Communicating the sustainability narrative of your current products better.

Step 2: Harder but doable

In contrast, the "harder but doable" group of applications requires building an approach from the ground up, which will also require collaboration with upstream and downstream partners. One recent example of such a collaboration involved a dairy customer partnering with a packaging converter and upstream suppliers of raw material to fully redesign its packaging. The new design uses liquid carton board and recycled plastics that are claimed to have a 50 percent lower environmental impact than polystyrene-based packaging. The important lesson learned here was to think through what partnerships would be needed to innovate "game-changing" packaging solutions that are truly designed for sustainability.

Step 3: System-level changes

The third group of initiatives falls under the heading of "System-level changes." To truly achieve significant progress toward sustainable packaging, changes to the broader packaging and recycling system will be required where development and implementation costs are also much higher-and will be difficult to achieve by individual stakeholders. This is what our colleagues refer to as "concerting effort around improving coordination across the value chain." Some examples of these kinds of changes include improving existing recycling infrastructure, recycling technologies, and circular value chains, alongside initiatives to increase consumer awareness and drive community support for behavioral change around recycling, but also availability. Another example entails developing new types of materials; involving fundamental scientific research and requiring collaboration with players in the substrate-making industries. There are already several examples of such initiatives, but so far these have mainly been driven by brand owners rather than packaging companies.

Three critical elements to have in place to get started on the change journey

Going forward, packaging converters need to have the following three things in place as they seek to help customers innovate and capture opportunities to bridge current sustainability shortfalls:

1. a clear methodology on how to truly benchmark your packaging products in terms of sustainability, cost, and convenience

2. an understanding of the full opportunity and value at stake across your product portfolio resulting from increasing sustainability requirements

3. clarity and innovation in your packaging and technology road map, along with having the right partnerships in place to respond to consumer and customer packaging demands going forward

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The drive toward sustainability in packaging-beyond the quick wins

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Can system-level approaches, including collaboration along the value chain, help make sustainable packaging a reality?

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Sustainable alternatives of packaging for food, an article by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

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Sustainable alternatives of packaging for food, an article by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

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Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

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Whether it's made from glass, plastic, metal, paper or bamboo, packaging plays an important role in keeping food fresh, ensuring it is safe as well as extending its shelf-life to reduce loss and waste.

In primary packaging, or packaging which comes in direct contact with food, plastic is very common, being lightweight, flexible and comparatively low cost. While some plastics can be easily recycled and reused, others cannot, and, as we know, the impact of plastic on the environment is huge when it is not reused or recycled.

At the same time, food loss and food waste also carry a huge environmental burden. Lost and wasted food means a loss of all the resources that go into making it, such as water, soil, energy and more. Using adequate packaging to avoid losses and waste of food products can benefit the environment more than not using packaging at all.

A circular approach is key. Circular packaging solutions focus on a reduce-reuse-recycle approach, including minimising single-use plastic, encouraging the reuse and recycling of materials and improving the economics and quality of recycled plastic materials.

Here are four better packaging solutions we can leverage to reduce food loss and waste:
1) Re-useable packaging
Food loss is the decrease in the quantity or quality of food up until the retail stage. Poor bulk packaging or improper handling along the supply chain are amongst the main causes of damage and decay. In the case of fruits and vegetables, losses resulting from compression and abrasion tend to be highest during transport. This compromises the quality and economic value of fresh produce. The use of appropriate packaging can significantly reduce these losses, protecting produce in transit, and ultimately reducing the carbon footprint of food.

For example, in South and Southeast Asian countries, losses in the traditional banana supply chain averaged at around 29 percent. Bananas are delicate and easily damaged during transport, leading to unsightly bruises and more rapid decay on ripening. FAO introduced good post-harvest management practices together with reusable bulk packaging materials such as plastic crates for use during transportation. The plastic crates provide a much higher level of protection by absorbing shock during transport, while the use of locally available crate-liners such as leaves, straw and newspaper reduce abrasion damage.
2) Sustainable and innovative packaging options
The fruit arrived in markets blemish-free and fetched higher prices due to their better overall appearance and quality. This improved packaging reduced losses in the supply chain by up to 61 percent. After use, plastic crates are returned to the harvest site, cleaned and reused for subsequent harvests. Maintained properly, these crates can be used for up to 10 years, meaning their carbon footprint is minimal.

Using sustainable materials is of course one of the biggest ways to minimise packaging's impact on the environment.
3) Refillable packaging
In many countries, fresh produce has long-since been sold in the most natural packaging of all - leaves. Whilst leaves are not enough to protect fruit during transport, at the retail level, they are a good alternative to plastic as they help keep food fresh until it is sold. The bundling of fresh produce is a popular practice across the developing world in view of the high cost and limited access to other packaging options. For example, asparagus and leafy vegetables are commonly wrapped with banana leaves or newspaper before being tied together and sold as a bundle.
Learn more
Another option is to use innovative packaging methods that reduce food waste and loss by preserving food quality. One example of this is Modified Atmosphere Packaging (MAP), which maintains a low level of oxygen in packaged foods to ensure a longer shelf life. MAP is commonly used in coffee packaging. Usually, roasters must allow the beans to cool and degas in open air because the build-up of CO2 in packaging can cause it to burst. However, leaving beans in open air reduces their freshness. MAP packaging valves allow for the release of carbon dioxide from the coffee bag without letting in any ambient gases or contaminants, allowing coffee beans to stay at their height of freshness.

Sometimes, due to the large size of retail packaging, consumers purchase more food than needed and often throw away what they cannot use. Refillable packaging, such as cleanable glass or stainless-steel containers, offers consumers the opportunity to purchase food in loose or bulk formats in retail outlets. In 2018, a Dutch grocer became the first to offer a plastic-free aisle to its customers. Soon after, a well-known UK supermarket followed suit, with many supermarkets now offering this option. However, innovative designs of containers that preclude human contact with the product during filling are important to avoid cross-contamination and food safety risks.

Packaging plays an important role in not only reducing food loss and waste but by extension boosting food security, nutrition and livelihoods too. A circular approach to how we package our food can make a big difference to the food security of our communities and the health of our planet.

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Reduce, reuse, recycle: a mantra for food packaging

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How a circular approach to packaging can reduce food loss and waste and respect the environment

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Compostable plastic packaging guidance, by WRAP

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Compostable plastic packaging guidance, by WRAP

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Key points

Six key applications where switching to compostable plastic packaging would be feasible in the current UK infrastructure.

Compostable plastics should be avoided where there is potential for them to contaminate conventional plastics recycling.

Clear labelling for citizens on their disposal is crucial.

The guidance:

Clarifies what compostable plastic packaging is;

outlines current waste management practice;

identifies key applications and opportunities to use compostable plastic packaging within existing infrastructure; and

considers communication with citizens on appropriate disposal.

It highlights the necessity of clear and correct labelling, design, communications and treatment of compostable materials but does not suggest uses that are currently unfeasible in the UK today.

The six key applications for compostable plastic packaging are:

1. Food caddy liners

2. Fruit and veg stickers

3. Tea bags

4. Coffee pods

5. Ready meal trays

6. Closed loop situations like at festivals or within buildings like coffee shops

Making the right decision

If you work in the following areas click the links below to navigate to the interactive decision tree. They will help you determine which packaging applications might be better suited to either composting or traditional recycling routes.

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Considerations for compostable plastic packaging

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Key points Six key applications where switching to compostable plastic packaging would be feasible in the current UK infrastructure. Compostable plastics should be avoided where there is potential for them to contaminate conventional plastics recycling. Clear labelling for citizens on their disposal is crucial.