Recycling MRW feb 2008
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The document discusses reducing waste from retailers through reducing packaging and food waste. It outlines that retailers are taking actions like setting packaging reduction targets of 25% by certain years. Recycling initiatives include providing in-store recycling facilities and promoting reusable bags. There are still issues around food waste collection and processing infrastructure that need to be addressed to further reduce landfill waste.
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Recycling MRW feb 2008
- 1. Recycling and reducing waste – a new vision Jane Milne Director, Business Environment
- 2. Retailers support the Waste Strategy Hierarchy Retailing generates 4.5% of waste each year, from 6% of GDP
- 3. Landfill and domestic/commercial waste • Need to reduce amount of waste going to landfill • Packaging is the main category of waste generated by retailers • Packaging is 18% of domestic waste, 3% of total landfill
- 4. Reduce • Reductions in material use – light-weighting • More appropriate materials • Innovative processes • Managing perishables
- 5. Reduction: Packaging Action being taken on: • Asda has set a 25% reduction for own label food products by 2008 • Food • Marks & Spencer reducing non- • DIY glass packaging by 25% by 2012 • Sainsbury set a 25% reduction • Upholstered for fresh produce by May 2008 furniture • Tesco aim to reduce all packaging by 25% by 2010 • Kitchens/kitchen • Waitrose aim to keep future packaging below 2002 levels appliances
- 6. • Reducing food waste also key – in-store and at home • Well designed packaging, good stock management, and diversion schemes all play a part
- 7. Recycling initiatives • Retail industry committed to the principle of reduce, re-use and recycle. • Involved in a number of initiatives to promote use of reusable and degradable bags. • Many retailers provide facilities for recycling a wide range of packaging at larger stores.
- 8. Food waste One third of food is thrown away at home • Need to avoid unnecessary waste and find a less damaging way to dispose of inevitable waste • But 48% of local authorities have no plans for separate food waste collections • And only 29% have or plan to introduce anaerobic digestion facilities
- 9. BRC/WRAP labelling consultation Aims to provide consistent and clear information • To help consumers to recycle more packaging, more often • To encourage development of better recycling infrastructure
- 10. A tale of three cities: • Chester • Oldham • Bolton Courtesy of Urban Mines
Editor's Notes
- The BRC represents 85% of UK retailers, from the very largest supermarkets through to independent, local stores. Our members supply their customers through High Street, out of town, neighbourhood and online stores. They retail everything you can buy legally in the UK – food and drink, clothes and footwear, electrical appliances and electronics, books and newspapers, toys and games, crafts and cutting edge technology, tools and building materials, fast food and couture clothing.
- Dual concerns on the need to reduce the amount of waste going to landfill, a disposal method that the UK has been heavily reliant on in the past, and about the resulting methane and carbon dioxide emissions as that waste breaks down have led to a radical reassessment of the amount of packaging we use and how we dispose of it. While retailing represents 8% of the economy it contributes 19% of commercial and industrial waste that is a massive 30m tonnes each year. And the products retailers sell contribute much of the waste put out by households. Defra statistics show that packaging contributes 18% of household waste which represents about 3% - by weight and volume – of landfilled waste. Packaging volumes in the UK have increased by less than 4% since 1999 from 8.5 million tonnes to 8.8 million tonnes in 2004. Household consumption rose by 20.5% over the same period.
- Improvements in packaging design and in production techniques have resulted in significant reductions in material use: One pint glass milk bottles are 65% lighter than in 1940; 275 ml glass beer bottles are 61% lighter than in 1970; Cardboard box outer packs are typically 14% lighter than in 1970; 400 gram metal food cans have been reduced by 39% in weight since 1950; 330ml steel drinks cans have been reduced by 63% since 1950. Retailers responsible for distribution of 90% groceries signed up to Courtauld commitment The recent addition of nine major food manufacturers to the Courtauld Commitment will assist in waste reductions beyond own brands. Retailers welcome this collaborative approach with suppliers. As acknowledged in the Government’s Waste Strategy, the UK Retail sector is taking action with the Government and its delivery body WRAP, the Waste Reduction Action Programme, to reduce the environmental impact of carrier bags by 25% by the end of 2008 and determine how further reductions could be achieved by 2010 to deliver real reductions in environmental impact. Retailers are taking action by: reducing the environmental impact of each individual carrier bag; encouraging customers to significantly reduce the number of carrier bags they use and to re-use bags; enabling the recycling of more carrier bags where appropriate. Despite the voluntary reduction code already in place, there are increasing political demands for greater action on reducing plastic bag use. The BRC’s work with WRAP will produce evidence during 2008 to show how retailers have been working towards meeting 25% reduction targets. We believe we are well on track to meet or exceed these targets. Retailers are switching to lighter materials such as plastic bottles instead of glass or plastic bags instead of paper bags. These actions reduce overall resource use including transport loads, water usage, and landfill volumes. But there are new challenges posed, including the need to use more recycled materials to produce.
- Improvements in packaging design and in production techniques have resulted in significant reductions in material use: One pint glass milk bottles are 65% lighter than in 1940; 275 ml glass beer bottles are 61% lighter than in 1970; Cardboard box outer packs are typically 14% lighter than in 1970; 400 gram metal food cans have been reduced by 39% in weight since 1950; 330ml steel drinks cans have been reduced by 63% since 1950. A number of retailers have already taken action to reduce food packaging: Sainsbury has cut plastic waste from ready meal and organic food packaging and set a 25% packaging reduction target for fresh produce by May 2008; The recent addition of nine major food manufacturers to the Courtauld Commitment will assist in waste reductions beyond own brands. Retailers welcome this collaborative approach with suppliers. As acknowledged in the Government’s Waste Strategy, the UK Retail sector is taking action with the Government and its delivery body WRAP, the Waste Reduction Action Programme, to reduce the environmental impact of carrier bags by 25% by the end of 2008 and determine how further reductions could be achieved by 2010 to deliver real reductions in environmental impact. Retailers are taking action by: reducing the environmental impact of each individual carrier bag; encouraging customers to significantly reduce the number of carrier bags they use and to re-use bags; enabling the recycling of more carrier bags where appropriate. Despite the voluntary reduction code already in place, there are increasing political demands for greater action on reducing plastic bag use. The BRC’s work with WRAP will produce evidence during 2008 to show how retailers have been working towards meeting 25% reduction targets. We believe we are well on track to meet or exceed these targets. However, the debate has moved beyond usage of virgin plastics or reduction of environmental impacts from plastic bags and packaging to a symbolic challenge to the ‘throwaway society’. Boots re-using packaging and display materials such as sandwich trays. Argos trialled re-usable transit packaging for upholstered furniture B&Q trialled re-usable kitchen packagaing and JLP re-usable kitchen appliance packaging
- Recent Defra study suggests 14,700 tonnes of rotten tomatoes dealt with by retailers each year! Retailers are acting to minimise waste from food products. Packaging plays an important role in preventing food waste through preventing damage and avoiding more waste than generated by the packaging. In the UK, packaging used for fresh produce accounts for less than 2.6% of all sales packaging, equivalent to 0.4% of household waste. Under-packaging has ten times the environmental impact than the same amount of over-packaging. Once in landfill food breakdown produces methane, which is 23 times more powerful as a greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide. Marks and Spencer has implemented new film sealing systems for salad products, keeping produce fresher for longer and reducing the amount of plastic used Somerfield are redesigning their ready meal packaging to extend shelf life and cut food waste. Most supermarkets do offer both pre-packed and loose fruit and vegetables, providing consumers with choice where they would prefer to purchase unpackaged foods. Orphan sandwiches and other short life foods are given to homeless charities etc wherever possible
- The retail sector is committed to the principle of reduce, re-use and recycle, and is involved in a number of initiatives to reduce the use of plastic bags and to promote the use of reusable and degradable bags. We will continue to press for evidence based policy-making and for any measures to address the underlying consumer behaviour the Government is targeting, rather than the symptom. But customers and the Government are undoubtedly looking for less packaging, increasingly made from environmentally friendly materials such as cornstarch, or from recyclable materials. 56% packaging waste is now recycled. Many retailers provide facilities for recycling a wide range of packaging at larger stores, adding convenience and avoiding additional journeys. These facilities are invaluable in local communities, particularly where customers cannot recycle through their local authority’s schemes, and demonstrate retailers’ commitment to helping customers be responsible and environmentally conscious consumers. Recent trials, co-ordinated by WRAP and involving Tesco and Sainsbury, set out to radically change the image and capacity of recycling facilities by improving their appearance, locating them closer to the store and providing consumer incentives. These have increased recycling levels.
- As much as one third of food purchased in the UK is thrown away, with young families contributing much of this as well as householders worried about Use by dates. Food in landfill decomposes to generate methane, a greenhouse gas with 23 times the effect of CO2. So it is important that we avoid unnecessary waste and that we find less damaging ways to dispose of inevitable waste. Better packaging, extending the life of fresh produce, and better education and information on product storage and when it is still safe to eat are all important components. But that still leaves the problem of safe disposal. Recent research suggests that home composting is the best answer for domestic food waste, reducing transport and preventing contamination of other waste streams.
- At the end of 2007 we consulted on labelling proposals on packaging recycling we put together with WRAP. These aim to provide consumers with consistent and clear information, using a recognised national – or perhaps even international – recycling brandmark. We are reflecting on responses and working on implementation plans. The aim is to help more consumers to recycle more packaging, more often and to encourage development of better recycling infrastructure. It will form a significant part of our work on waste this year and ultimately may influence the choice of packaging materials.