New Zealand Packaging Accord 2004: Paper Sector Action Plan
1. Introduction
The New Zealand Paperboard Packaging Association (NZPPA) has prepared this plan on behalf of the entire paper sector. NZPPA members produce approximately 85 percent by volume or weight of this type of packaging produced in New Zealand.
The industry has a long-time commitment to environmental issues, particularly the recovery and recycling of paper, which is an integral part of the business of its major members.
2. About this sector
Paper packaging represents the greatest volume of any material within the New Zealand packaging stream and also includes a significant volume from indirect imports. As a consequence, the success of overall objectives for recovery of packaging is acutely affected by this sector’s success. The high volume of paper packaging used for the export of New Zealand goods allows for the inclusion of sizeable volumes of recovered paper packaging within the constraints of material specifications.
3. This sector action plan
This sector action plan identifies how the sector will contribute to the objectives of the New Zealand Packaging Accord 2004 and how the sector will meet the 70 percent recovered-paper target by Year 5.
Initial activity will focus on the Closing the Loop programme. NZPPA is committed to this programme as its first-year activity, and depending on its success, we expect to continue with it in the future. The project will establish and promote industry and community best practice standards for paper-based packaging. It will focus on education, waste reduction, packaging design, cleaner production, waste recovery (paper) recycling and “green” purchasing. It will target manufacturers of paper-based packaging and other goods, brand owners, retailers and consumers.
The outcome of the project will be enhanced environmental awareness, more informed packaging decisions, reduced waste and improved waste recovery.
As part of the process, all parties to the Accord have prepared sector action plans. Sectors represented in the Accord are:
- Aluminium
- Brand Owners and Retailers
- Central Government
- Glass
- Local Government New Zealand
- Paper
- Plastics
- Recycling Operators of New Zealand
- Steel
This sector action plan identifies the contribution that the sector and the organisations it represents will make to the achievement of New Zealand Packaging Accord 2004 objective and, in so doing, related aspects of the New Zealand Waste Strategy.
It reflects the collaborative approach of the Accord process, which encourages all parties to work towards achieving a common objective and, of necessity, acknowledges that there are different ways of doing this.
Each party to this plan has agreed to the implementation of the activities/outcomes it lists as a minimum commitment to the Accord. The actions agreed to within the sector are detailed in the tables that follow, along with the timeframe the sector has to plan, implement and, where stated, achieve each of its commitments.
4. Parties to this plan
This plan has been prepared by the New Zealand Paperboard Packaging Association. The formally recognised Accord parties are:
- Amcor Kiwi Packaging Ltd
- Boise New Zealand Ltd
- Boxkraft (NZ) Ltd
- Carter Holt Harvey Ltd
- Carter Holt Harvey Ltd - Fullcircle
- Charta Packaging Ltd
- Creation House Ltd
- EC Attwood Ltd
- Flint Ink (NZ) Ltd
- Forbes Packaging Ltd
- HandiTags Ltd
- Heidelberg New Zealand
- High Impact Marketing Ltd
- Huhtamaki Henderson Ltd
- Interpac Packaging Ltd
- ITW Hi-Cone
- Jenkins Group
- Lamprint Packaging Ltd
- Nova Inks & Chemicals Ltd
- NZ Paperboard Packaging Ass (Inc)
- Packaging House
- Paper Coaters Ltd
- Saito Labels Ltd
- Scholle New Zealand Ltd
- Snell Packaging & Stationery Ltd
- Sonoco New Zealand Ltd
- Spicers Paper (NZ) Ltd
- Tetra Pak (New Zealand) Ltd
- Unibag Packaging Ltd
- Visy Board (NZ) Ltd
5. What this sector action plan contains
The sector has agreed to address seven of the eight Accord measures of progress as listed below, except packaging waste to landfill. It was agreed that not every measure will be equally applicable to individuals within the sector. However, as the areas are interconnected they should be read and interpreted in a synergistic manner. The measures for action are:
- Mass balance data
- Trends of annual estimated packaging waste to landfill (or other disposal methods) per person
- Packaging design and procurement
- Development of sustainable markets for reused and recycled packaging materials
- Programmes to achieve national targets (including plastic shopping bag reduction target)
- Consumer information and involvement
- Accord promotion
- In-house waste reduction and resource recovery.
In general, during the first two years of the Accord (Years 1 and 2) the sector will work towards benchmarking its activities and progress. In the last three years (Years 3-5) there is an expectation of improvements being made. The sector will work with all other sectors to reduce the consumption of packaging and improve its recovery. It will report annually on the activities listed in this sector action plan.
6. Sector action plan activities
1. MASS BALANCE DATA (CLAUSE 20)
PAC.NZ will report aggregates annually on behalf of brand owners, retailers and packaging manufacturer groups. Weights of packaging materials consumed and recycled will be collected and presented in formats used since 1994, thus allowing year-by-year comparisons. Reporting methodology will be improved and data will be independently reviewed.
COMMITMENT
|
ACTIVITIES |
YEAR |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| COMPANY/ ORGANISATION | Contribute to packaging consumption (including imports) and collection data. | Accurately report the recovery volume of paperboard (by weight) expressed as a percentage of consumption. Ensure the established procedures are followed and there is genuine comparability year on year. Provide data to all interested and involved Accord parties to assist preparation and implementation of action plans, and measuring and monitoring outcomes. To achieve calendar-year data submitted to PAC.NZ by 31 March each year. ie. January — December including 2004 data to PAC.NZ by 31 March 2005. |
Years 1-5 |
| SECTOR | Collate data by packaging types by sector. | Years 1-5 | |
| JOINT | Improve/revise format for mass balance data to achieve transparency. PAC.NZ reports annually. Independent review of PAC.NZ findings . |
Cooperate with other sectors and participate in review as required. | Years 1-5 |
NZPPA has accepted the responsibility for independently and confidentially collecting, analysing and reporting mass balance data for the paper sector, including import, each calendar year. NZPPA has undertaken this task for many years and consequently there is an established procedure and considerable historical information available.
2. TRENDS OF ANNUAL ESTIMATED PACKAGING WASTE TO LANDFILL PER PERSON (CLAUSE 21)
Annual estimates of packaging waste to landfill (or other disposal method) per person by material (paper, plastic, glass, steel, aluminium, composites) and in aggregate, by weight. An eventual reduction in these rates will be one of the important indicators of the Accord’s success.
COMMITMENT
|
ACTIVITIES |
YEAR |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| COMPANY/ ORGANISATION | Collect data and report findings to all sectors on packaging types. | N/A | |
| SECTOR | Improve packaging format for Solid Waste Analysis Protocol (SWAP). | N/A | |
| JOINT | Decrease in per capita rates of packaging waste to landfill. | N/A | |
3. PACKAGING DESIGN AND PROCUREMENT (CLAUSE 22)
Annual sector action plan reports will document:
- Packaging design: a drive for sustainability in packaging design by creating and participating in better design industry training programmes, reviewing new and existing packaging against codes of practice, cooperating with the resource recovery sector during packaging design, and dealing with non-compliance with the PAC.NZ Code of Practice
- Packaging procurement: improving policies and practices by adhering to codes of practice for sustainable packaging procurement and through supply chain initiatives.
COMMITMENT
|
ACTIVITIES |
YEAR |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| COMPANY/ ORGANISATION | Ongoing review process for new and existing packaging using PAC.NZ Code of Practice. | Ensure all paperboard packaging producers and manufacturers make available to all brand owners, buyers and consumers information to enable a fully-informed decision on design to be made — report progress annually. Each NZPPA member company to ensure all appropriate staff are fully aware of the PAC.NZ Code of Practice and Accord objective. Encourage participant/member companies to adopt, develop and report back on achievements in making changes in line with code of practice principles. Actively educate the workforce in understanding Accord objective and the industry code of practice. Assist users and packers in their education programmes and their adoption of "green" purchasing policies where this specifically applies to paperboard packaging. Annual reporting by association members on significant actions taken to improve environmental management and “green” purchasing. Develop a standard code of practice for environmental management and "green" purchasing specifically for the paperboard packaging industry. |
Years 1-5 |
| SECTOR | Report the number/percentage of companies/organisations that have implemented a review process for new and existing packaging. Industry training programmes. Rectify non-compliance complaints. |
Prepare a code of practice specifically for the paperboard industry, focused on environmental management and improvement programmes, "green" purchasing etc. | Years 2-3 |
| Reduce the volume of packaging through creative design. |
Years 1-5 |
||
| Undertake research with consumers and brand owners/buyers to establish their understanding of paperboard packaging and the Accord. | Years 2-3 | ||
| Benchmark New Zealand Paperboard Design Achievement with international standards. NZPPA to provide international information resources through membership of European industry association and ProCarton, FEFCO and other international bodies. |
Years 1-5 |
||
| Undertake research in New Zealand into consumer knowledge of paperboard packaging and develop a programme of understanding in respect of environmental advantage and design aspects. | Years 2-3 | ||
Develop and promote the participation of manufacturers, producers and designers in appropriate excellence recognition programmes, such as awards etc. Develop a specific code of practice for all paperboard packaging products and undertake a marketing/information dissemination program for all supply chain participants ie. consumers, brand owners, designers, manufacturers, recyclers. Report annually on initiatives to promote the code. |
Years 1-5 | ||
| JOINT | Design a checklist for packaging audits and identify and address design issues. | ||
The paperboard packaging industry is committed to achieving maximum efficiency, effectiveness and responsible environmental practice for the design of packaging products produced.
Paperboard packaging producers and manufacturers have the ability to influence purchasing decisions of brand owners and buyers to meet the objectives of the Accord and the PAC.NZ Code of Practice by ensuring a full range of options and information is available. Information on the applicability of each option in meeting the Accord, the code of practice and international criteria and objectives will also be available.
The paperboard packaging industry commitment to meeting the objectives of the Accord includes not only outputs, in terms of paperboard packaging products, the use of recovered raw material in manufacture, the provision and support of extended producer responsibility and the understanding and education of consumers in their purchasing and disposal of paperboard packaging, but also encouraging participant/member companies to adopt actions and policies in their own business specifically in relation to procurement and supply chain activities that meet the Accord objective.
4. DEVELOPING SUSTAINABLE MARKETS FOR REUSED AND RECYCLED PACKAGING MATERIALS (CLAUSE 23)
Closing the loop on waste by developing and fostering sustainable markets for reused and recycled packaging materials. Annual sector action plan reports will document cooperative ventures between industry sectors, identify any barriers to, and any frameworks supporting, sustainable resource efficiency industries in New Zealand, and any results from joint initiatives.
COMMITMENT
|
ACTIVITIES |
YEAR |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| COMPANY/ ORGANISATION | Develop purchasing policies that encourage the use of recovered materials. | Meet/exceed the five-year Accord commitment of 70 percent recovered material. | Years 1-5 |
| Measure (where possible) the volume of reused paperboard packaging in New Zealand. | Years 2-3 | ||
Develop education and information for consumers on disposal options for paperboard packaging to encourage increased use of proper disposal. Develop education and information to ensure consumers can make informed decisions at point of purchase as to the environmental advantage/disadvantage of the packaging used, specifically highlighting recycled content and recyclability/disposal options for the discarded product. |
Years 1-5 | ||
| SECTOR | Report the number/percentage of companies/organisations with purchasing policies that encourage the use of recovered materials. | Encourage the companies involved in the recovery/reuse sector to participate in NZPPA and commit to the Accord and the industry code of practice. | Years 1-2 |
| Survey all reuse/recovery paperboard industry participants and seek commitment to Accord and NZPPA. | Years 1-5 | ||
| JOINT | Work with other sectors to develop and support sustainable markets for recovered packaging materials. | Work with Accord parties to identify barriers to, and opportunities for (eg. transport and glass issues in the South Island) developing mechanisms and support businesses and projects that improve collection and recovery of used packaging materials and sustainable markets for these materials. | Years 1-5 |
The New Zealand paperboard packaging industry has, since paper was first manufactured here in the late 1800s, always provided a resource to recycle paper.
Currently the volume and percentage of consumption that is recycled/recovered exceeds 60 percent. In addition, a very significant volume of other paper types (newsprint, magazines, periodicals etc.) are also recycled through a process that produces paperboard for packaging. Large volumes of paperboard waste are exported. In addition, there is a significant volume of reused paperboard packaging in New Zealand where good quality product (overruns, mistakes etc) are on sale for effective use.
5. PROGRAMMES TO ACHIEVE NATIONAL TARGETS (CLAUSE 24)
The following are 2008 national recycling targets for recovery of packaging materials (by weight as a percentage of consumption):
- Aluminium 65%
- Glass 55%
- Paper 70%
- Steel 43%
- Plastic 23%
All sectors will review these targets and materials within two years of signing the Accord. A plastic shopping bag reduction target, by quantity, will be identified in the Brand Owners and Retailers Sector Action Plan.
COMMITMENT
|
ACTIVITIES |
YEAR |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| COMPANY/ ORGANISATION | Contribute to recovery and recycling systems. | Exceed the 70 percent target. Increase the volume of paperboard packaging produced in New Zealand through consumer awareness of the environmental advantage. Establish commitment and participation of sector product manufacturers and importers not currently involved with NZPPA. Fully understand consumer perceptions of paperboard packaging and its environmental advantage through research. Promote “green” purchasing and paperboard industry responsibility for the recovery and recycling of packaging (produced in New Zealand). Using consumer research, develop an information programme to ensure that each purchasing and disposal decision is based on accurate information. Develop programmes for importers of packaging product to ensure the technical aspects of that packaging meet PAC.NZ and NZPPA code of practice and Accord criteria. |
Years 1-5 |
| SECTOR | Use mass balance (and SWAP) data to track and report progress against targets. | Maintain dialogue with other sectors to assess and review methodology and information flows for determination of recycling rate. | Years 1-5 |
| JOINT | Identify and address recovery issues. Meet agreed national recycling targets. |
Work with all sectors to identify issues and develop programmes to address them. Establish communication channels to notify recyclers of significant changes in packaging material. |
Years 1-5 |
The paperboard packaging sector has a target of 70 percent recovery by 2009. NZPPA represents approximately 85 percent by volume/weight of packaging produced in New Zealand. However, there are sector product types that are not represented by NZPPA, namely paper cups, paper tubes, milk/liquid cartons. In addition, a significant volume of paperboard packaging is imported into New Zealand, conveying mainly consumer products.
Consequently there is a volume of paperboard packaging not covered by NZPPA. On the positive side, the paperboard packaging industry in New Zealand recycles large volumes of paper products that are not packaging ie. newspapers, magazines etc, and also provides a recycling resource for importers of products for the paperboard packaging involved.
6. CONSUMER INFORMATION AND INVOLVEMENT (CLAUSE 25)
Ways of informing consumers and involving them in sustainable packaging design and packaging resource recovery programmes must be developed. Consumers must be made more aware of packaging issues and empowered to act on their decisions about packaging purchases, recovery and disposal.
COMMITMENT
|
ACTIVITIES |
YEAR |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| COMPANY/ ORGANISATION | Implement relevant parts of the programme. | Develop education and information for consumers on disposal options for paperboard packaging to encourage increased use of proper disposal. Develop education and information to ensure consumers can make informed decisions at point of purchase as to the environmental advantage/disadvantage of the packaging used, specifically highlighting recycled content and recyclability/disposal options for the discarded product. |
Years 1-5 |
| SECTOR | Assess programme and develop an implementation strategy. | Years 1-5 | |
| JOINT | Develop a communication strategy for consumer information on the Accord. | Establish a representative working group to:
Inform consumers about the need for and the role of packaging eg. health and safety, tampering/pilfering, social and economic issues, its contribution to the total solid waste stream, levels of packaging recovery and recycling, the environmental footprint of packaging types, gains made in packaging performance and recovery to date and the part consumers can play in the Accord. |
Years 1-2 |
| Monitor and review results and improve consumer information and education strategies as required. | Years 3-5 | ||
7. ACCORD PROMOTION (CLAUSE 26)
Ensuring target sector and consumer audiences know about the Accord and that its issues involve them, as well as ensuring they understand the commitments embodied in sector action plans. It is also important to promote and recognise excellence in environmentally acceptable packaging.
COMMITMENT
|
ACTIVITIES |
YEAR |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| COMPANY/ ORGANISATION | Promote the Accord within the company/organisation. | Years 1-5 | |
| SECTOR | Promote Accord within the sector. | Years 1-5 | |
| JOINT | Work with other sectors to promote the Accord. Target audiences:
|
Develop concise and consistent messages for promotion within extended sector groups. Promote and encourage participation in environmental awards programmes such as the Environmentally Acceptable Packaging Awards (PAC.NZ) and the Green Ribbon Awards (MfE). Provide ongoing assessment of the delivery of these messages. |
Years 1-5 |
8. IN-HOUSE WASTE REDUCTION AND RESOURCE RECOVERY (CLAUSE 27)
Promoting in-house waste reduction and resource recovery across sectors and reporting annually on any initiatives.
COMMITMENT
|
ACTIVITIES |
YEAR |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| COMPANY/ ORGANISATION | Initiatives to reduce waste and improve resource recovery. | NZPPA to develop a code of practice defining industry best practice for waste management, recycling and reduction for all items specific to the industry. | Years 2-3 |
| Provide members with information as to international best practice for benchmarking. | Years 1-5 | ||
| Establish an independent waste audit facility and encourage commitment of all industry players to participate. | Years 1-2 | ||
| Encourage importers of products that use paperboard packaging to commit their suppliers to meeting the New Zealand code of practice which will include waste minimisation and audit requirements. | Years 1-5 | ||
| SECTOR | Report the number/percentage of organisations with initiatives. | Years 1-5 | |
| JOINT | (no joint commitment) | ||
Paperboard packaging manufacturers are like any other manufacturer involved in changing raw materials into specific products, in that these processes involve the creation of waste. The paperboard packaging industry has an efficient waste minimisation and recycling system, especially within the larger companies. However, it is recognised that there is always room for improvement, and that there are other specific areas where waste minimisation can be achieved, including office paper, engineers’ consumables, ink, coatings, energy usage etc.
