With a range of EU packaging waste amendments coming into force in the next few years, and with existing bans and taxes, retailers and brand owners are seeking to develop plastic reduction initiatives. But is there a risk that this is driving poor decisions for reduction for the sake of it, without considering the full impact? A full end-to-end circular economy, delivering packaging where materials can be separated into the correct waste streams before they reach the recycling facility, so that they can be recovered and used again, is ideal. However, it is also important that this doesn't require the consumer to have to react or behave in any different way as there is still a long journey to travel on consumer education and behaviour. Some of the big supermarkets and major players are starting to set specific plastic reduction targets that are potentially driving decisions to put packaging into the marketplace, using card, paper-board or fiberboard with plastic lining laminates or plastic components that can- not be separated. This means they are not easily recycled or need specialist recycling centres to handle the processing, so ultimately most of these products end up going direct to landfill or to incineration.
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