Why does the packaging that surrounds a product become waste? An answer to this is that there are failings in the system regarding recycling, collection and sorting of post-consumer use packaging. In many countries, those systems are outdated or may not exist yet.
Huhtamaki’s position is very clear – we believe packaging should be circular. To make this true across the world, incentivization, innovation, partnerships and changes in consumer behavior all play a role in making this happen. That does not mean a one-size-fits-all approach. To us, innovation across the value chain is key in ensuring packaging materials are not wasted, and the resource they contain is used again.
A wide range of developments regarding both packaging eco-design and recycling technology have emerged in recent years. However, vital recycling, collection and sorting infrastructures are less than adequate in many countries.
We are convinced that packaging waste can be significantly reduced through systemic change. Next, let us dive into some ways to make sure the materials present in post-consumer packaging are reused instead of wasted.
Making use of EPR systems can help build a material-positive system for fit-for-purpose food packaging and will incentivize companies to do better
The first is incentivization. This calls for a more effective use of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) systems to build a material-positive system for fit-for-purpose food packaging. EPR extends the producer’s financial and/or operational responsibility for a product to include the management of the post-consumer stage, in order to help reach national or EU recycling and recovery targets[i].
For instance, one potentially good hybrid way of incentivizing recycling and collecting of packaging materials could be to ensure that a certain share of packaging extended producer responsibility fees is invested in developing recycling systems that support circularity.
Governments play a key role in fostering private sector innovation
The second is innovation encouraged by government support. A report from Finland’s Technical Research Center (VTT) highlights those technology solutions expected to become commercially available in the next five years and says partnerships are essential to deliver the necessary technological innovations in food packaging recycling[ii]. For us, systemic change in food packaging recycling is only possible through public-private partnerships to drive innovation.
At Huhtamaki, we are committed to increasing the recyclability of our products. We integrate circularity principles into our product development and innovation process from start to finish. We guide our design process with principles that must be considered as we develop smart and recyclable and/or compostable products.
Our principles related to material selection focus on the requirements of the post-consumer stage. Other areas of importance are the materials’ compatibility with existing local collection, sorting and recycling infrastructures, the availability of collection and sorting information for consumers and sufficient testing to guarantee the recyclability or compostability of the products.
Collaborating on recycling initiatives across value chains is essential
The third is collaboration. Alliances between brand owners, recycling and sorting technology developers, and waste management companies are fundamental to the development of recycling solutions. Such partnerships are essential for future investment in new recycling technology as, for instance, they provide accessibility to used material on the one hand and a potential user for the recyclates on the other.
For example, we have together with pulp company Stora Enso initiated The Cup Collective – a European paper cup recycling initiative on industrial scale. The goal of this initiative is to see the recycling of paper cups surpass a minimum of 5,000 tonnes in the coming years, while making it easier for consumers and businesses to contribute. Another example is the partnership between Huhtamaki and Sporting Kansas City, a US Major League Soccer club. Together we are committed to reducing the stadium’s environmental footprint with the goal of zero waste by 2027. This will be achieved by integrating Huhtamaki’s innovative products, moving towards compostable and recyclable products as well as educating fans to ensure that foodservice products are disposed of in the proper waste streams. In addition, Sporting Kansas City will aim to introduce composting depositories at other facilities operated by the club, while also establishing strategic messaging campaigns to increase awareness of compostable practices.
In our view, this kind of collaboration can make a real difference. It is important that solutions are appropriate to local conditions and scalable. We aim to find the best possible value chain partners to work with to create tangible impact.
Changes in consumer behavior must become a reality
The fourth involves changes in consumer behavior to ensure recycling is not just a responsible solution but an easy one for us all. We at Huhtamaki acknowledge that the actual level of recycling, composting, and reuse depends not just on local recycling infrastructure. Its overall improvement also hinges on the willingness of consumers to participate in recycling schemes.
Boosting recycling rates, therefore, requires more than just the technical development of waste management systems. Implementing strategies to promote the role of citizens in driving recycling is also key. The best way for recyclers to improve collection is for consumers to separate their used plastic packaging from other forms of waste and to separate within types of plastics. Efforts to educate and empower the consumer to reduce contamination and mixing is a worthwhile investment.
A recent survey of Finnish consumers commissioned by Huhtamaki [iii] revealed that respondents are likely to recycle the packaging used for both takeouts and home deliveries. However, more transparency, information, and clear instructions are still required regarding recycling messaging when eating out. For example, consumers want to know how recycling works in restaurants and are interested in understanding more about the environmental impact of different types of food service packaging. The survey shows that everyone in our sector must continue working together to create functional recycling systems that are as comprehensive as possible and provide easy-to-understand guidelines and messaging for consumers.
Preventing packaging materials from becoming waste requires not only preparing them for recycling but also having appropriate systems in place to support this. We believe that packaging materials should be better recognized as valuable secondary resources, which, in a resource-strapped world, can play an important role in supporting raw material supply.
References:
[i] Extended Producer Responsibility, EUROPEN
Extended Producer Responsibility - EUROPEN (europen-packaging.eu)
[ii] Recycling food packaging, VTT and Huhtamaki, 2022. vtt-discussion-paper-recycling-food-packaging-march-2022.pdf (huhtamaki.com)
[iii] Survey shows that most Finns are satisfied with their own recycling habits, Huhtamaki, 2024. Survey shows that most Finns are satisfied with their own recycling habits - people aged over 65 have a more positive attitude towards recycling than young people (huhtamaki.com)