Supply Chains should Reduce their Plastic Footprint

It is difficult to imagine a world without plastic. Have a moment to check about you – just how many products would you believe comprise this substance? From apparent items like your cell phone to things which have plastic fibers such as clothing; it is anywhere.

More than 300mn tonnes of vinyl are made annually – but 91 percent of it isn’t recycled – possibly end up in landfill websites, sent to other states for disposal or perhaps littered across our environment.

The plastic outbreak is now in the forefront of international politics, using all the UN recently supporting countries to pledge’significantly reduce’ vinyl by 2030.

Retailers are also urgently trying to enhance their plastic footprint by scrapping vinyl and utilizing alternative packaging. By way of instance, some British supermarkets have introduced newspaper bags, reduced vinyl wrap on manufacture and marketed recycling initiatives to their clients.

Another landmark event in the UK was that the water bottle ban in this year’s Glastonbury festival. Revellers were requested to not attract single-use plastic water bottles into case to reduce plastic contamination. Rather, organisers setup WaterAid kiosks, guaranteed bars have been stocked with canned beverages and installed free water heaters around the website.

It is apparent that the ‘war plastic’ is gaining momentum. As the world becomes much more focused on the environmental consequences of plastic contamination, you need to check your supply chain and find out how you are able to remove it.

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Start by making a pledge

Companies like Coca-Cola, Nestle and Asda has vowed their responsibilities to decreasing their usage of plastics, promising that 100 percent of plastic packaging is going to be reused, recycled or composted in seven decades. However, no assurance is real if it is not followed by actions. You want to take your responsibilities seriously so as to generate real change.

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Create a plastic strategy

Developing a strategy to decrease plastic inside your supply chain is an efficient approach to establish long-term objectives. The Anthesis Group proposes understanding the present political landscape to determine exactly what trends might impact your business design.

It’s also wise to undertake a plastic packing stock to determine possible risks or chances, which will entail assessing the volumes, formats and types of plastic your distribution chain utilizes. Last, you must develop your business’ priorities to help establish goals and determine the important regions of focus.

Consider replacing plastic with alternatives

Vinyl may look like the very attractive substance to use as packaging, however it isn’t the only alternative. Other green replacements contain glass, liquid timber, bio-degradable plastics and materials like cotton or canvas. Items like the newspaper straw or compostable bin liners reveal that regular products could be produced out of eco friendly materials.

Keep in mind, not all choices are great for the environment, therefore find out more about the manufacturing procedures of any replacements you are thinking about.

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Recycling and reuse

Plastics are almost indestructible, taking between 500-1000 years to fully disappear out of our ecosystem. Therefore, the Ellen MacArthur Foundation has generated the Idea of a ‘circular economy’, which will be all about’designing out waste and contamination, maintaining products and substances from use and regenerating natural systems’.

In order for this to work, companies will need to find ways to reuse products that they have, and recycle goods no more fit for purpose. For example, Nike utilizes worn shoes to produce sports surfaces; Amazon, utilizes old Kindles to make parts for different goods; and Calphalon Cookware guarantee appliances are recycled responsibly.

Firms today are working in a climate conscious civilization, so it is both vital and anticipated that steps are required to decrease plastics, beginning with all the distribution chain.

Consumers are prepared to cover for products that do not use plastic packaging. A staggering 96 percent of the UK expects that the authorities will introduce legislation that force companies to generate packaging. What greater way to win the war plastic, and appeal to clients, than being before the game and having strong policies in place.