Fost Plus presents its ‘Sustainable Packaging’ roadmap.
As consumers are demanding ever more environmentally friendly and efficient packaging solutions and companies are prioritising sustainable practices, the path is being laid towards a greener and smarter packaging landscape. But this comes with inevitable challenges. Fost Plus is continuing to expand its expertise in recycling in order to be able to assist businesses in the transition to sustainable packaging.
“Today, about 40% of packaging on the Belgian market is already reusable. It is not a matter of putting everything into a reusable package, but rather a question of setting up a packaging system that does what needs to be done with as low an environmental footprint as possible.” Let’s listen to Lieven Capon, Program Manager for Sustainable Packaging at Fost Plus. Fost Plus set up the recycling chain for single-use packaging some 30 years ago, by collecting glass in bottle banks, paper-cardboard, and PMD in the blue bag. “We accomplished that by getting all partners to sit down together and design an efficient system that made convenience for citizens the most important consideration. Now, we have to do this again for reusable packaging.”
Raising the awareness of citizens
Without the citizen, it won't work, that much is certain. It is important to get the population on board both in their purchasing behaviour and in disposing of empty packaging afterwards. “Only recently, a large supermarket chain announced it would stop selling wine in reusable bottles because too few of them were returned and the environmental impact thus became too high. That hits the nail on the head.” Consumers don’t buy packaging, after all; they buy a product that comes in packaging. And the choice of type of packaging depends on the consumption moment. At home, you drink soft drinks more often from large, reusable glass bottles. But on the train, you will opt for a smaller, single-use bottle or can. And at an amusement park, a refillable cup may be more convenient. Price and convenience are the main factors. “There is no single solution. We start by looking at the function of the packaging, and help businesses choose the most sustainable option from there. Companies have for years been looking to us for advice about the recyclability of packaging. Now they expect us to play a role in reusable packaging as well.”
What should this role look like? “Let’s be realistic, we do not yet have sufficient expertise in reusable packaging. But we certainly do have expertise in systemic thinking, setting up networks, materials management and behavioural change. As an organisation, we are uniquely positioned at the midpoint of the stakeholder field, enabling us to scale up promising pilot projects or to develop efficient logistical solutions, among other things.” Prevention is also part of the approach. Not everything needs packaging. In e-commerce, certain suppliers can send non-fragile products directly in their primary packaging and do not need to add extra packaging. “Sustainable packaging prioritises clever materials management. This means, for example, using recycled materials wherever possible or eliminating packaging entirely. Reuse is in itself also a form of prevention.”
It’s clear that new business models without packaging or with reusable packaging will play an ever more important role. To achieve this, an integral approach is needed to come up with the most sustainable packaging system that meets the needs of the product as well as of the consumer.
The future of single use
And then there’s the question whether single-use packaging is still appropriate today. The European Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation already places greater emphasis on prevention, and promotes reuse in e-commerce, for drinks and for consumption outside the home. At Belgian level, Fost Plus together with its members, aims for a 5% reduction in the amount of single use packaging by 2028 and a 5% increase in the proportion of reusable packaging for the same period. “It’s clear that new business models without packaging or with reusable packaging will play an ever more important role. To achieve this, an integral approach is needed to come up with the most sustainable packaging system that meets the needs of the product as well as of the consumer. An unpackaged product that is damaged by the time it reaches the consumer, or reusable packaging that is not returned, is not sustainable either.”
Belgium has already developed a successful return system for reusable glass bottles for beer, water and soft drinks. But is it feasible to simply copy this model for other drinks or products? The introduction of reusable cups at festivals and events does seem to be working, as long as the right approach is taken. “The key is to look on a small scale what is necessary in order for the system to work, and then scale it up. Fost Plus would like to set the chain in motion. It won’t be easy, and will undoubtedly take time. It took 30 years to be where we are today with the recycling of single-use packaging. However, our society cannot afford to take another 30 years to change our relationship with packaging so that we no longer consider it to be waste but as a valuable raw material.”
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