Environment Victoria’s National DUMP Awards (Damaging and Useless Materials in Packaging) shine a spotlight on the environmental consequences of excessive and irresponsible packaging. Ever since they were first held in 2004, the awards have been keenly watched by industry and government, with many past winners compelled to change their practices following adverse publicity
Well-known national retailer Coles received the Golden DUMP Award for their 5 Pack of Lemons wrapped in unrecyclable and unnecessary plastic packaging.
Well-known national retailer Coles received the Golden DUMP Award for their 5 Pack of Lemons wrapped in unrecyclable and unnecessary plastic packaging.
The full assessment report for Environment Victoria’s National DUMP and KEEP Awards is available at Environment Victoria.
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A framework for reducing the impacts of packaging in Australia
Environment Victoria recently released a discussion paper that examined the role of the National Packaging Covenant (NPC). The report proposed the following framework for a more sustainable approach to packaging design and life cycle management which could be adopted by the industry.
1. The greenhouse gas emissions of packaging should be reduced. Greenhouse gas emissions should be used as a guide to the environmental impacts of packaging.
2. Product distribution and display systems should be overhauled to reduce the need for packaging. Brand owners and supermarkets should rethink the way a product is transported, displayed and sold in order to reduce its environmental impact.
3. Non recyclable materials should be banned from use in packaging by 2010. A national standard should be developed setting out which materials are recyclable and therefore permitted.
4. Recyclable packaging should be banned from landfill. State governments should use the available legislative arrangements to stop materials such as cardboard and paper, glass, aluminium, steel and plastics from going to landfill.
5. Facilities for recycling should be provided at supermarkets for flexible plastics (plastic bags, shrink wrap etc).
6. Reusable packaging should be introduced into a much wider area, including freight packaging, home delivery and by redesigning product packaging.
7. Consumers should take action by lobbying brand owners to take more action to cut the environmental impacts of packaging.
8. Away from home recycling should be increased by introducing a fund to support public place recycling and a national container deposit system should be introduced.
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Environment Victoria recently released a discussion paper that examined the role of the National Packaging Covenant (NPC). The report proposed the following framework for a more sustainable approach to packaging design and life cycle management which could be adopted by the industry.
1. The greenhouse gas emissions of packaging should be reduced. Greenhouse gas emissions should be used as a guide to the environmental impacts of packaging.
2. Product distribution and display systems should be overhauled to reduce the need for packaging. Brand owners and supermarkets should rethink the way a product is transported, displayed and sold in order to reduce its environmental impact.
3. Non recyclable materials should be banned from use in packaging by 2010. A national standard should be developed setting out which materials are recyclable and therefore permitted.
4. Recyclable packaging should be banned from landfill. State governments should use the available legislative arrangements to stop materials such as cardboard and paper, glass, aluminium, steel and plastics from going to landfill.
5. Facilities for recycling should be provided at supermarkets for flexible plastics (plastic bags, shrink wrap etc).
6. Reusable packaging should be introduced into a much wider area, including freight packaging, home delivery and by redesigning product packaging.
7. Consumers should take action by lobbying brand owners to take more action to cut the environmental impacts of packaging.
8. Away from home recycling should be increased by introducing a fund to support public place recycling and a national container deposit system should be introduced.
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