Retailers urged to reduce packaging waste
www.yahoo.com 2007-11-29
Green campaigners called today for all food packaging to be made recyclable or compostable by 2013.
The Green Alliance said that manufacturers, retailers, local authorities and waste companies will all have to make changes to reduce the amount of food packaging going into landfill.
Some 18% of household waste in the UK is food waste and a further 20% is packaging, figures show.
Stephen Hall, the director of Green Alliance, said: "Consumers want to be greener but need help to reduce their waste and carbon footprint. Landfill is no longer an option. Manufacturers, retailers, local authorities and waste companies can, and must, do more to help householders do the right thing."
It called on packaging manufacturers to produce more sustainable packaging that can either be composted or easily recycled. Retailers should specify compostable or recyclable packaging in their purchasing decisions and simplify the range packaging materials used for food, the alliance said.
Local authorities must provide households with composting bins and food waste collection and work with waste companies to develop integrated recycling and composting facilities, the group said. It also called for central government to ensure there are common standards on what is collected and how.
Green Alliance's target was drawn up after extensive discussions with retailers. It has published a step-by-step guide to compostable packaging for food waste, supported by Sainsbury's, Boots and Marks & Spencer.
Rowland Hill, the sustainability manager for M&S, said: "Many of the environmental challenges associated with packaging can only be resolved by all parts of industry and government working together with a shared vision."
M&S got the lowest green rating in a packaging survey last month. Research from the Local Government Association revealed that just 60% of M&S packaging was recyclable, compared with the best-performing supermarket in the survey, Asda, where 70% of packaging could be recycled. Both were beaten by market traders, whose packaging was 79% recyclable.
Green Alliance is a charity that works with individuals and organisations from all sectors on environmental issues.
(editor : jane)
