BPF Press Release: BPF Lashes out at attacks on Packaging

The Plastics industry has reacted angrily to the recent accusations that it produces excessive packaging, voiced last week in newspaper campaigns.

Peter Davis, Director General, British Plastics Federation (BPF) said ‘the debate about packaging is incomplete and therefore ill informed. There are very good reasons why plastics packaging is used in the first place and these benefits have simply not been explored by the critics. More balance is required with a recognition of the role of packaging in preventing the wastage of food stuffs and the damage or deterioration of other goods. It is likely that a reduction in packaging used would actually increase waste. On top of this much of the credit for the markedly higher hygiene standards we see today in comparison with fifty years ago is due to plastics packaging.’ He added that ‘who amongst the critics has the authority to say whether packaging is excessive or not, and indeed has all the information available to know the packaging  needs of a given product in its journey from its point of origin to the consumer. Such a judgement needs to take into account the how readily it could deteriorate or be damaged, how it is processed or manufactured, the logistical systems required to bring it to the marketplace and how it is presented to the customer. Additionally opportunities to maximise the potential for recovering the residual value of packaging through for example recycling or energy from waste schemes must also be taken into account.’ 

Plastic Packaging an Asset

The plastics packaging industry manufactures and develops packaging systems in good faith and in response to consumer needs. The UK plastics packaging industry is a world leader in innovation. It should be considered a national asset. Furthermore, UK packaging manufacturers represent an important part of the UK economy creating some 85,000 jobs. The UK’s supermarket retail system which is one of the most advanced in the world was in great measure made possible through the innovative use of plastics packaging.

Making do with less

The resource efficiency of plastics packaging is one of its major strengths, that is the ability to pack a product with the  absolute minimum mass of material consistent with its protection. This represents good business sense for manufacturers. This is why innovation in the industry has  led to a continuing trend of light weighting packing. For example in 1970 the average plastics yoghurt pot weighed 11.8g, but 1990 only 5g was need to package the same amount of yoghurt. Similarly, a plastics detergent bottle weighted 300g, and by 1985 this had been reduced to just 100g.

Used Plastics a valuable resource

Problems associated with the management of Britain waste should not be placed at the door of the plastics packaging industry. The industry is fully compliant with the Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive. The Plastics industry pays almost £18 million a year towards packaging recovery and recycling.  21.8% of plastics packaging place on the market in 2005 was recycled. It is also compliant with the Packaging Essential Requirements Regulation 2004 which addresses over packaging. The real reasons behind the UK’s problems with waste lies with the local authority structure which prevents the development of  economies of scale for waste management and the huge urban conurbations which are unusual in a European context, for example Greater London, which generate so much waste that it cannot be dealt with locally. Not only should recycling continue to be increased where it makes environmental sense, but also energy form waste needs to be adopted with great vigour in order to recover value from waste fractions which cannot be viably recycled.

Facts about Packaging

- We throw away more food (one third of what we buy) than packaging.

- All packaging accounts for 18% of household waste and only 3% of landfilled waste by weight and volume.