JUNE 2005:

As the first year of Accord 2004 comes to an end (June 30th) a clinical assessment of progress will be made, and it is clear that the initial inertia has been overcome by the individual sector groups with not only their progress but progress on a cross-sectoral basis addressing identified critical issues.

Over and above Accord issues the Packaging Council has, on behalf of the total packaged goods industry continued to address issues of interest with many relevant activities happening over the last half of the year. 

IN THIS ISSUE WE WILL COVER

•  Packaging Council of NZ 2005/2006 Executive Committee

•  ACCORD News - June

•  Paper

•  Plastics

•  Glass

•  Brand Owners/Retailers

•  LGNZ

•  Ministry for the Environment

•  International News

•  New Zealand News

•  June Case Study - Fonterra / Mil-Tek

Use of balers to achieve cost-savings in recycling initiatives.

•  Upcoming Events

•  Links to Useful information

PACKAGING COUNCIL OF NEW ZEALAND AGM

The Packaging Council of New Zealand held its AGM at Kermadec Restaurant on 17 th June. A large turnout of members heard an inspiring, humorous and sometimes moving address from Tony Christianson. Tony lost both legs at age nine when he was involved in a train accident. It would be fair to say that this has not stopped him from achieving more than most people. All who attended were inspired to take something of Tony's positive, can-do attitude away with them. If you would like to know more about this amazing man click here.

Packaging Council President, Lawrence Olsen and Executive Director, John Webber presented reports on the 2004/5 year. The main challenge has been the unexpected high workload resulting from activities associated with the first year of the Packaging Accord. This has put considerable pressure on staff resources, an issue that is currently being addressed. Lawrence thanked John Webber, Deb Statham and the Packaging Council staff for their huge effort to keep business-as-usual going at the same time as picking up the extra workload for the Accord.

Lawrence thanked outgoing executive members Liam Jeory, McDonalds Restaurants (New Zealand Ltd) and Kevin Piccione Sealed Air ( New Zealand ) Ltd and welcomed the new executive.

PRESIDENT

VICE PRESIDENT
Keith McCracken
Managing Director
Tetra Pak ( New Zealand ) Ltd.

IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT
Brian Slingsby
General Manager
O-I New Zealand
Website: www.o-i.com

PACKAGING MANUFACTURERS

George Campbell
Plant Manager
Sealed Air ( New Zealand ) Ltd. / Cryovac
representing Plastics New Zealand
Website: www.sealedair.com

John McCormack
Manager
NCI Packaging (NZ) Ltd.
Website: www.nci-packaging.com

PACKAGING USERS AND FILLERS

Laurence Eyres
Technical & Development Director
New Zealand Dairy Foods Ltd.
Website: www.nzdf.co.nz

Donald Nelson
Technical Director, NPD
Lion Nathan
Website: www.lion-nathan.co.nz

Chris Wilson
Purchasing Director
Griffins Foods Ltd.
Website: www.griffins.co.nz

RAW MATERIAL SUPPLIERS, SERVICES & WASTE

Andrew Gleason
General Manager
Visy Board (NZ) Ltd.
Website: www.visy.com.au

Clinton Jones
Auckland Sales Manager
Waste Management NZ Ltd.
Website: www.wastemanagement.co.nz

Craig Forman
Chief Executive Officer
Carter Holt Harvey - FullCircle
Website: www.chh.com

DISTRIBUTION & SALES FOR WHOLESALE / RETAIL PRODUCTS

3M New Zealand Ltd.
Website: www.3m.com/nz

Melissa Hodd
Executive Manager
Foodstuffs (NZ) Ltd.
Website: www.foodstuffs.co.nz

Mark Brosnan
General Manager
- Merchandise & Packaged Goods
Progressive Enterprises Ltd.
Website: www.progressive.co.nz

REPRESENTATIVE OF ONE FROM ANY SECTOR

Derek Shaw
rep Huhtamaki Henderson Ltd.
Website: www.huhtamaki.com

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NEW ZEALAND PACKAGING ACCORD - SECTOR UPDATES

How to let your colleagues know about the Accord

PAC NZ has developed a very user-friendly power point presentation to explain the history, importance and targets of the Packaging Accord 2004. The presentation is self-explanatory and the only thing you need to do is ensure it is seen around your organisation. We are happy to send a copy - contact Deb for yours. Email d.statham@packaging.org.nz .

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Paper

On 22 June the NZPPA presented the results of a survey that was jointly commissioned by the New Zealand Paperboard Packaging Association (NZPPA) and the Ministry for the Environment (MfE). The survey was undertaken as part of their commitment under the New Zealand Packaging Accord. The overall objective is to reduce the amount of packaging going to landfill and this survey was designed to provide a benchmark of current household shopper attitudes and the areas the industry needs to focus on when communicating with the public. It was conducted in May 2005 and is believed to be the first study into this topic in New Zealand .

A copy of the full survey results can be obtained through NZPPA's host organisation Printing Industries New Zealand Website on www.printnz.co.nz or contact Ashley Chisholm - NZPPA - ashley@printnz.co.nz

Key findings include:

•  While packaging is seen as a substantial environmental problem, people realise that there are benefits associated with it such as convenience, protection against tampering, and protection against damage.

•  Bad things about packaging relate mainly to three areas; overuse of it, disposal of it and the effects it is having on the environment.

•  How recyclable a piece of packaging is drives almost all of people's perceptions as to its environmental friendliness - the easier something is to recycle the better people think it is for the environment.

•  Plastic, paper, metal and glass are the most common items recycled, with over half of households claiming to recycle all of them and at least three-quarters claiming to recycle most.

•  Exactly half of household shoppers' say that the impact of the type of packaging on the environment affects their purchasing decisions, while almost two-thirds say that they would pay more for a product with environmentally friendly packaging.

NZPPA is currently implementing a plan to address many of the findings in this report. They have recently developed a Code of Practice for the paperboard sector. They will be talking to NZPPA members, potential members and customers about how to develop and purchase environmentally friendly paperboard packaging as well as discussing how to assist them to meet their objectives under the New Zealand Packaging Accord. For full results and further information on the study www.printnz.co.nz

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Plastics

Plastics New Zealand 's website www.plastics.org.nz

Life has been pretty busy in the plastics sector. The first half of the mass balance survey exercise is almost complete with the second going out next week.

Sustainable Management Funding from the Ministry for the Environment has been approved to enable running of the Plastics Design for the Environment program. The funding will allow workshops, training and development of resources. The first of the workshops is due in August. More information will be included in the next issue of ACCORDing to Packaging .

There has been progress in three of the plastics sub-groups.

Fully cross-sectoral Environmental Beverage Action Group (EBAG) is working steadily towards a trial roll-out of public recycling bins. More information on this exciting development next issue.

The Flexible Packaging group is due to hold their second meeting in July that will be focussed on strategy development. They are planning to broaden this group once the plans are in place on future direction.

A new Rigid Packaging group is about to kick off with a meeting of manufacturers. They anticipate that this will also be broadened once they have the group's parameters set.

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Glass

Voluntary process is working

After lengthy negotiations to address difficulties with the National Glass Reclamation System a voluntary agreement under which the Glass Sector will finance a programme for a six month period (May - October 2005) to ensure consistency of price for the collection of all colours of glass.

All parties to the Accord accept that for the long term viability of container glass collection, markets other than O-I New Zealand (ACI) must be established and a sustainable diverse programme introduced. To ensure continuity while these issues are addressed, imported glass will be subjected to a voluntary levy which will be utilised to support the payments of flint glass which can no longer be used in New Zealand manufacture.

The levy will also have a financial component available for research into the development of alternative markets and/or new processes which can use cullet not required in glass container manufacture.

Those manufacturers, importers and brand owners involved in the levy process have given themselves until October to identify at least some of the processes noted above and a focused working group is pursuing a number of alternatives, recognising that local manufacturing will, for the foreseeable future, still use a major portion of the glass that is likely to be collected.

An important aspect of the way forward is the recognition that it is neither financially or environmentally sound to deliver glass to O-I New Zealand ( Auckland ) from out of Auckland when in fact O-I cannot use it and a strong emphasis is being placed on finding local alternatives.

For further information contact John Webber - j.webber@packaging.org.nz

Packaging Accord helps keep glass recycling going

26 MAY PRESS RELEASE

Environment Minister Marian Hobbs says she is delighted that key players in the glass packaging industry have reached an agreement to help keep glass recycling going.

The Packaging Accord Governing Board Chair, Tony Nowell, has announced that many of the brand owners and producers using glass packaging will pay a six month voluntary levy on imported glass. The levy will also contribute to funding work on a longer term solution. About 90 percent of brand owners and producers using glass packaging are accord members more

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The Food and Grocery sector has formed a group of packaging technologists to work on the technical aspects of food packaging recyclability under the Accord. The first priority for the new group is mass balance data however they will look at improving recyclability and packaging trends. They will act as a technical resource for the Food and Grocery sector to whom they will report

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LGNZ reports that the local government reference group met in June to discuss the implications for councils and their communities of the glass industry's proposed short-term solution. They are looking forward to being involved in the ongoing discussions and work on the glass issue.

Local authorities have also been busy on waste and packaging issues. For example Waitakere and North Shore City Councils and Rodney District Council have been working on a joint waste bylaw. One of the issues being considered through the bylaw, in order to reduce the amount of street litter, was a prohibition on the delivery of unaddressed mailbox advertising to households that displayed a "no circulars" sign. In response to the councils' concerns, the Marketing Association, which distributes around 90 percent of unsolicited advertising mail, has offered to work closely with the councils to bring in a national code of practice. All parties agree that, if successfully implemented, voluntary means of addressing this issue would be preferable to regulation.

Solid Waste Analysis Protocol operations get underway in Wellington .

The Council is arming SWAP teams for a special three-week surveillance operation at the city's landfills, starting on Monday 20 June more

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Ministry for the Environment

MFE is awaiting final results from a desktop survey of packaging waste to landfill. This survey will help inform ongoing initiatives to monitor Accord progress through direct measurement at landfill (ie. SWAP - see story in LGNZ above), and industry mass balance data. The Ministry expects to make results available to the Governing Board and Accord parties in the coming six weeks.

NZ Budget gives boost to sustainable business practice

In May Environment Minister Marian Hobbs announced new spending of $12.4 million over the next four years has been committed in this year's budget to promote sustainable business practices more

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INTERNATIONAL NEWS

• Brazilian recycling plant a world first, claims Alcoa 16/05/2005
  A new recycling plant in Brazil is the first in the world that can separate the aluminium and plastic components used in packaging cartons, according to Alcoa, a joint partner in the project more
• Europen: German deposit system has damaged industry24/05/2004
  The German system of mandatory deposits on certain non-refillable beverage containers has had a devastating impact on some sectors of the packaging industry, according to a recent assessment more
• Plastic food container market forecast to grow 5% 20/05/2005
  The plastic container market for beverages in the US will grow 4.8% annually to 71 billion units in 2008. The market for plastic food bottles will grow 4.9% annually to 11.1 billion units in 2008, according to a study by the Freedonia Group, a market research firm more
• Aluminium foil exports rise as down gauging continues 09/06/2005
  While exports of aluminium foil from Europe rose 11 per cent at the start of this year, internal demand decreased by 1.9 per cent, according to statistics released yesterday by an industry association. The growth figures disguise an even better picture for the industry when the ongoing trend by packagers to down gauge the thickness of the aluminium foil they use is considered. Over the last 30 years the thickness of aluminium foil required for packaging applications has fallen by about 30 per cent, said Guido Winsel, an EAFA spokesperson more
• Portion sizes of prepared foods to fight obesity? 14/06/2005
  Good news for prepared meal manufacturers with a recent study concluding consumption of convenient, nutritious frozen dinners could help dieters control portion size, reports Lindsey Partos.
  NOTE: This story neatly illustrates the tension between the drive to decrease amounts of packaging and demographic / health trends dictating an increase more
• England "on course" to meet 25% household recycling target 20/06/2005
  England is on course to meet its target of recycling 25% of household waste by the end of this financial year, Defra has said in its latest annual report more

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NEW ZEALAND NEWS

Did you lift your packaging game?

The Environmentally Acceptable Packaging Awards entries have closed. There is an exciting and diverse range of wonderful environmental stories that will pose some hard decisions for the judges this year. Many of the initiatives entered will be featured in upcoming issues of ACCORDing to Packaging as well as in other publications. The Awards presentation evening is planned for the 26 August - invitations to entrants and members out soon.

Envirowaste increases recycling facilities in Manukau

Envirowaste services is the second largest integrated waste company in New Zealand . Over 600,000 tonnes of refuse is handled annually via EnviroWaste collection, processing and disposal facilities throughout New Zealand.

Decked out in cutting edge technology, the station's computerised data processing equipment will enable efficient billing, data analysis and management reporting. The new transfer station also features recycling drop-off facilities for paper, cardboard, glass, plastic, aluminium cans and ferrous and non-ferrous metals, which can be sorted on-site for recycling or reuse.

Separate recycling drop-off facilities are provided at the site. Envirowaste say they are working with Manukau City Council to explore opportunities for a more extensive recycling/reuse facility adjacent to the station.

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CASE STUDY - FONTERRA/MIL-TEK

Baling recyclable materials for ease and economy of shipment is an attractive choice for more New Zealand organisations as they work on meeting their commitments under the Accord. Auckland-based Mil-Tek NZ suppliers of Danish-made pneumatic waste presses are reporting a dramatic increase in demand for this purpose. Mil-Tek Managing Director Rod Enoka reports that the majority of the waste presses are being used to bale plastic, paper and cardboard for recycling.

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UPCOMING EVENTS

Wasteminz Conference
1-3 November, Rotorua. For Information and program click here.

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Interesting Links

Keep your eyes out on the Ministry for the Environment website (www.mfe.govt.nz ) for the next edition of Signals - the Ministry's sustainable industry e-newsletter. To subscribe, simply email signals@ m fe.govt.nz .

Lets Recycle.com is a UK based site with up to date news from the recycling world www.letsrecycle.com

Beverage Industry Environment Council - Australia (BIEC) www.biec.com.au This site has information on how the beverage industry in Australia is coming together to minimise beverage waste to landfill. There is information on event and public recycling initiatives and container deposit legislation.

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