Plans for Australia’s first large-scale advanced soft plastics recycling facility are a step closer, after Cleanaway and Viva Energy successfully completed their pre-feasibility study for the project.

Soft Plastic Stewardship Australia, the industry led not-for-profit organisation proposing a national soft plastics recycling scheme, has started the search for members of its Stakeholder Advisory Council.

APCO has opened consultation on a new proposal to support and deliver industry-led Extended Producer Responsibility for packaging, intended to bridge existing gaps in the packaging value chain.

Visy has developed a new fibre-based, thermal insulation solution called Visycell, which could help drive the shift away from expanded polystyrene in the food delivery supply chain.

The imminent US$13bn merger of Amcor and Berry Global will result in a new leadership set-up under CEO Peter Konieczny, for the business which will have 400 packaging plants and 75,000 staff.

Pro-Pac Packaging's trading results for the first three months of this calendar year show it has continued to perform below expectations. The company has now brought in a business turnaround specialist.

The early bird rate for the 2025 Australasian Packaging Conference, to be held on 6-7 May at the Sofitel Sydney Wentworth, NSW, is closing on 4 April.

A packaging symposium held in Melbourne last week brought together some of the industry leading minds to share up-to-the-minute ideas on the most pressing issues for packaging. Lindy Hughson moderated the event and filed this report.

PKN EXCLUSIVE: In a groundbreaking development, Australian-based Zipform Packaging has launched a paper bottle made from over 95 per cent wood-based fibre, containing no plastic liner, and incorporating more than 50 per cent post-consumer recycled content.

PKN’s latest issue for 2025 is hitting desks and includes the latest in Food & Beverage Packaging, Labels & Labelling, Sustainability and Design, as well as our on-the-floor report of Paris Packaging Week.

Visy has set a new benchmark for sustainable beverage packaging in Australia, launching a locally made aluminium can manufactured with an average of 83% recycled content.

The long-awaited next step in solving Australia’s soft plastics crisis is underway, with Soft Plastic Stewardship Australia lodging an application to the ACCC for interim and long-term authorisation to operate a national, industry-led recycling scheme.

Huskee is launching a turnkey reusable cup system for venues and events, ‘Borrow by Huskee’ – a free program allowing patrons to borrow Huskee’s innovative reusable cups and return them via a SmartBin.

Veolia has signed a $109m contract to build, operate and maintain a new materials recovery facility in Hume, ACT, with capacity to process up to 115,000 tonnes of mixed recyclables annually.

Visy has introduced an interactive virtual tour of its recycling facility, timed to coincide with Global Recycling Day (18 March), and aiming to demystify the recycling process for Australians.

In a united call for better management of packaging waste and recycling in Australia, key industry and green groups have stated their join support for a mandatory product stewardship scheme for packaging by 2026.