The Australian, New Zealand and Pacific Islands Plastics Pact (ANZPAC) has released its Circular Principles for Packaging Design, aimed at addressing the distinctive needs of the ANZPAC region to achieve plastic circularity.
The document outlines three key principles for circular design in the ANZPAC region: eliminate and reduce, design to circulate, and collaborate for impact. These principles are part of ANZPAC's broader strategy to align member and country capacities across borders.
The first principle, "eliminate and reduce," focuses on minimising the use of unnecessary and problematic plastic in packaging. The second, "design to circulate," emphasises creating packaging that can be effectively reused, recycled, or composted. The third principle, "collaborate for impact," highlights the importance of cooperation across the entire supply chain to progress towards a plastic-pollution-free region.
The document marks the first instalment in a series exploring ANZPAC’s strategies for plastic circularity. It draws on local cultural practices and encourages deliberate design for circularity, aiming to keep necessary plastic packaging within the economy and out of the environment.
According to the report, plastic packaging waste poses a significant environmental threat, and the chemicals within plastic can potentially harm human health. The Circular Principles for Packaging Design provide key considerations for designing packaging that aligns with these principles.
By engaging key players across the region, ANZPAC aims to find solutions to reduce plastic waste and develop circular pathways for plastic packaging. This resource is intended for use across the entire value chain, from packaging design to end-of-life processes.
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