Repak  

Prevention means saving.

Repak's Packaging Waste Prevention Programme aims to assist Irish businesses with positive and practical ways to reduce packaging and to promote those achievements to a wider audience.

Though Ireland’s performance in increasing packaging recycling rates in the ten years since Repak was established has been outstanding, there is now an increasing emphasis, both within Ireland and across Europe, to allocate resources to the prevention of packaging and a reduction in its use.

Waste prevention methods help create less waste in the first place. These methods include prevention (removal or avoidance of certain packaging) and minimisation (lightweighting of packaging). This “stop waste before it happens” approach is an integral part of how industry now approaches packaging decisions - avoiding overpackaged, disposable, and nonreusable or nonrecyclable products where possible.

Packaging reflects people’s lifestyles. In Ireland, changing lifestyles and demographic shifts, including a trend towards smaller household size, are having a significant effect on consumer behaviour. Add rapid economic growth and a steadily increasing population to this mix and it can be seen that the quantity of packaging will undoubtedly increase.

Less packaging is not necessarily more environmentally friendly. Products need to be protected at various stages of the production chain, particularly during storage and shipping. The shelf life of perishable products is also highly important. Many products have a limited shelf life. If poor packaging results in a product becoming unusable, the overall impact on the environment can be negative.

The challenge now facing business is to achieve a balance between reducing the volume of packaging used while still serving customers needs.

There are already economic incentives to reduce excess packaging. Businesses are consistently looking to reduce their product costs while Repak’s “pay by weight” fee structure is designed to discourage companies from producing excess packaging.

The Packaging Waste Prevention Programme is part of the National Waste Prevention Programme administered by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and is co-funded by the EPA with the support of the Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government.

Programme measures include publications, seminars, best practice initiatives and the Repak Recycling Awards, which highlight further examples of how Repak members are demonstrating best practice in light-weighting, reducing and eliminating their packaging production.