PlasticsEurope announces creation of a new packaging group

PlasticsEurope has announced the creation of a new Plastics Packaging Circular Economy Group at K 2016 to contribute to Europe’s Resource Efficient Circular Economy ambition.

Making the announcement, PlasticsEurope said the group will be working with the value chain to “maximise the fullest potential of plastics in delivering superior resource efficiency gains within the circular economy.”

The aim of the new group is to further develop the use of plastics packaging by strengthening engagement throughout all parts of the supply chain, as well as working in a more holistic way.

This, says PlasticsEurope, will enable the delivery of innovation that further increases the resource efficiency of plastics and ensure their recovery at the end of their useful life. At the same time, it should prevent the leakage of any waste into the environment.

“Life cycle thinking is at the heart of our actions. The circular economy proposals should also aim to bring environmental benefits over the product’s full life cycle; it is only through the lens of resource efficiency that new approaches and holistic packaging solutions will be developed”, said Karl-H. Foerster, Executive Director, PlasticsEurope.   

PlasticsEurope will be engaging with the industry value-chain in realising a vision towards a Resource Efficient European Circular Economy. PlasticsEurope aims to foster an economy where materials are not landfilled and littered, but are recovered for use in tomorrow’s products or as an energy resource.

As a first initiative, PlasticsEurope’s new plastics packaging group will shortly be announcing a new collaboration with the European Plastics Converters and Plastics Recyclers Associations.

“We increased our resources on packaging activities with the creation of a new Plastics Packaging Group to contribute towards a resource efficient circular economy. Our industry is committed to a sustainable future within a low-carbon economy and we will continue to increase our engagement with the plastics value-chain towards this common goal”, Foerster concluded.