Recyclable plastic food packaging increases sustainability
With the current focus on sustainability and reducing climate change impacts, now is the time for the plastic packaging industry to focus on recyclable plastic food packaging that contributes to meeting climate change targets.
The COP27 Climate Change Conference
Country leaders are meeting now At COP 27 in the ongoing response to the demands of the Paris Agreement of 2015 for action on climate change. We should expect global leaders to renew and improve on their commitments to action to meet the terms of the Paris Agreement.
A feature of COP27 was that participants attending the conference in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, were asked to submit their climate agenda before the meeting. As only 25 were able to meet this expectation, there are doubts being raised about global commitment to climate change action.
What are six significant issues being raised at COP27?
Three objectives were established last year in COP26 and three additional objectives are coming through in COP27. This makes six issues for discussion:
- How to continue to reduce emissions
- How to assist countries in preparing for the impacts of climate change
- Improving technical support and financial interventions for affected countries
- Finance to help countries recover from damage and losses due to climate change
- Building emissions costs into global products and services through a global carbon market
- Making progress in reducing the use of coal
Which businesses are responding to climate change threats?
Taking action to reduce carbon footprints and effectively anticipate legislation are two essential actions businesses need to take if they are to meet the corporate social responsibility demands of consumers and governments. This has driven two global business initiatives in response to the need for ways to solve environmental and economic impacts due to climate change.
The first initiative is The UN Global Business Compact, which is linked to the Science Based Emissions Targets for Business. How COP27 will address the expectations of these two business initiatives is unknown, but as they are working towards the same UN goals as well as EU 2050 targets for net zero emissions we should expect some common action.
What does COP27 stand for?
- Every year the United Nations (UN) holds COP climate summits for governments to update their actions to meet the challenges of climate change.
- Countries that signed up to the 1992 United Nations climate agreement are called the Conference of the Parties, or COP for short.
- This will be the fifth time the COP has met in Africa. Africa is expected to be the region that will be most affected by climate change impacts
- The COP summits have a core aim of reducing emissions by limiting use of fossil fuels and changing to renewable energy sources.
- This year is the 27th meeting, and it is being hosted by the Egyptian government in Sharm el-Sheikh.
Who are the UN Global Business Compact companies?
With a market capitalization in excess of $2.4 trillion, and employing more than 5 million people, the 155 companies that signed the Global Business Compact in May 2020 are significant players in the global economy. In their joint statement to world leaders, the signatories asked for COVID-19 recovery finance and actions to be aligned with the goals of climate science.
The Global Business Compact companies include the business who are committed to the Science Based Targets initiative. They are calling for legislation and actions to reduce the impact of the climate crisis by keeping global temperatures within 1.5°C above 1850 levels, and reaching EU net-zero emissions in advance of the 2050 deadline.
How do science based emissions targets drive business growth?
Science Based Targets for ambitious corporate climate action are a means for companies to meet the 2015 Paris Agreement standards for emissions reduction. More than 3,000 businesses are already working with science based targets to make effective decisions that improve business and environmental outcomes.
What do we mean by ‘science-based targets’?
These are well-defined ways companies can reduce carbon emissions based on scientific evidence that is aligned with the Paris Agreement, and shows businesses are committed to the same targets of keeping global warming below 2°C above pre-industrial levels, ideally limiting warming to 1.5°C.
Using science based targets, businesses can reduce the impacts of global warming on their future business growth. This shows recognition that business sustainability depends on taking action now, and not waiting for the situation to get worse..
What is the goal of COP27?
- The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and UN scientists have found global temperatures are already 1.1C higher than 1850s levels, and will reach 1.5C.
- The scientific evidence shows that half the global population will likely suffer life-threatening effects of heat and humidity if warming exceeds 1.7C
- The 194 countries who signed the Paris Agreement in 2015 agreed to limit global warming effects to a 1.5C increase over pre-industrial levels.
- COP27 has the goal of achieving consensus on actions to reduce global warming caused by humans.
- Reducing carbon emissions and setting up a global market for carbon trading are central aims of COP27
How can businesses mitigate climate change impacts?
Regardless of the actions that come out of COP27, we can see businesses moving in a very clear direction towards increased sustainability. Businesses are recognizing that success comes from a genuinely committed approach to environmental protection, and not simply conforming legislation while greenwashing the public.
There are many emerging competencies that companies can develop to take positive action to reduce the impacts of climate change. Some of these are product or sector dependent, but there are plenty of options. Every business is capable of making a contribution to reassuring our customers we are working towards the sustainable future they want to see.
How can businesses limit the effects of climate change?
- Make products more recyclable
- Include recycled raw materials in products
- Design products for reuse
- Reduce the material used in manufacturing
- Reuse manufacturing waste
- Reduce your carbon footprint
- Use more renewable energy
Does recyclable plastic food packaging help?
Looking at the ways businesses can limit the effects of climate change, the challenge for the plastic food packaging industry is very clear. Many types of plastic food packaging are not recycled or reused and end up in landfill. There they break down into harmful microplastics that damage the environment, and your brand reputation.
Recyclable plastic food packaging, disposed of responsibly, keeps material in the circular economy and out of landfill. This is especially important for convenience store plastic food packaging, which consumers often put in regular garbage bins without recycling.
Reducing material and recovering waste
Alongside making packaging recyclable, reducing the volume of material used and recovering manufacturing waste both lower the environmental footprint of plastic food packaging. In-loop recycling of production offcuts keeps material in use rather than sending it for disposal.
South Plastic’s recyclable packaging approach
South Plastic manufactures recyclable PP and rPET food packaging that meets performance and strength standards, is free from potentially hazardous chemicals, and is designed with minimal material and in-loop waste recycling to help maintain a sustainable economy.
Our range meets all performance and strength standards, is free from potentially hazardous chemicals and fully recyclable. Manufactured with minimal material designs and in-loop waste recycling to help maintain a sustainable economy.
Contact us to discover how our recyclable, tamper evident and microwave safe plastic food packaging offers a one-stop solution to meeting your plastic food packaging requirements.