UPM Plywood’s Post

European Union-style business tax on plastic packaging could raise almost $1.5bn per year. The Australia Institute has revealed that a tax on plastic packaging, similar to the one implemented by the European Union, could generate nearly $1.5bn annually. Research conducted by the Institute indicates that the federal government could generate $1300 per tonne of unrecycled plastic by imposing a levy on businesses that import or produce plastic packaging. According to Nina Gbor, the Director of the Australia Institute's Circular Economy and Waste Program, Australia is expected to miss all of its recycling targets and is facing an increasing amount of plastic waste, with less than a fifth of the plastic waste produced each year being recovered. Consumption is also predicted to double by 2050, leading to a growing crisis. Despite recycling being considered a solution, it only encourages more waste production and consumption, which is harmful to landfill and oceans. Thus, unless plastic is phased out gradually or reduced drastically, the plastic waste problem will continue to worsen. The EU introduced a levy of €800 per tonne of unrecycled plastic packaging waste in 2021. This translates to $1300 in Australian dollars. Therefore, the federal government could potentially generate $1.46bn with a similar levy, given that 1.179 million tonnes of packaging waste are produced each year. The Australia Institute surveyed 1002 individuals and discovered that 85% of respondents supported waste reduction targets for producers, suppliers, and retailers. Similarly, an almost equal number of people backed laws requiring plastic products to contain recycled material, while 78% endorsed a ban on plastics that could not be recycled at home. Ms. Gbor asserted that Australians support stricter actions to curb plastic waste, and taxes and producer-funded collection and recycling schemes have been successful in other countries. As Australia's plastic consumption is increasing, the government needs to follow the EU's example and take action immediately. #blueisgreen #sustainability #circulareconomy #environment

Boosting Recycled: UK Government Raises Plastic Packaging Tax Radhika Sikaria. (2024). UK government announces Plastic Packaging Tax increase to incentivize recycled content. Packaging Insights The UK Government has announced a decisive step to tackle this issue in an era facing a severe plastic pollution crisis. By increasing the plastic packaging tax from April 1st, 2024, with the price increased in line with the Consumer Price Index, reaching £217.85 (273.38 USD) per ton., the Government aims to incentivize the use of recycled materials in plastic packaging production and reduce plastic waste. Although the plastic packaging tax has been in place since 2022, there has been no significant growth in using recycled plastic. The main reason is that businesses have absorbed the cost and passed it on to their customers instead of transitioning to using recycled materials. The scarcity of secondary recycled feedstock and the higher cost of recycled plastic compared to virgin plastic have also contributed to this limitation. While the tax increase is a crucial step, additional measures are needed for real success. The Government needs to invest in recycling infrastructure and create more favorable conditions for using recycled plastic. Furthermore, complementary policies such as simplified reuse and extended producer responsibility are essential to create a more efficient plastic recycling system. Only when these measures are combined with the tax increase can we hope for a future with less plastic waste and a cleaner environment. #PlasticPollution #RecycledContent #EnvironmentalAction #Sustainability #CircularEconomy #UKGovernment #PlasticPackagingTax

I have noticed this - plastic bags were banned in California, but grocery stores responded by selling thicker plastic bags that make the plastic problem worse. Selected text from the article: "157,385 tons of plastic bag waste was discarded in California the year the law was passed. By 2022, however, the tonnage of discarded plastic bags had skyrocketed to 231,072 — a 47% jump. The problem was a section of the law that allowed stores to provide thicker, heavier-weight plastic bags to customers for the price of a dime. Plastic has been found from the deepest oceanic trenches to the highest alpine peaks. Petroleum-based plastics do not biodegrade. Over time, they break down into smaller and smaller pieces (e.g., microplastics) that have been found in household dust, drinking water and human tissue and blood. The average use time per bag is 12 minutes."

Why the £270 Million from Plastic Packaging Tax Could Solve Long-Term Industry Challenges   By Paul Empson, General Manager, Bakers Basco Limited     The UK Government's collection of £270 million from the Plastic Packaging Tax (PPT) in its first year signals a strong commitment to addressing plastic waste. However, beneath the surface, challenges in sourcing recycled plastic must be tackled for long-term success.   Introduced in April 2022, the PPT imposes a £200 per tonne charge on plastic packaging with less than 30% recycled content, aiming to promote recycling and collection. But the complexity emerges when assessing its impact on industries reliant on plastic packaging.   A key issue, highlighted by Plastic Recyclers Europe, is the shortage of sorted plastic waste in Europe, affecting the £7.7 billion plastic recycling sector. With only 52% of recycled material coming from the UK, questions arise about the remaining 48% and associated carbon emissions.   This situation forces companies, even smaller ones like Bakers Basco, into using 30% recycled content in their products. However, this presents its own problems due to supply chain struggles.   The long-term consequences for the plastics industry are significant, with production delays affecting various sectors. Bakers Basco, known for its reusable Omega bread basket, faces challenges in securing the required recycled plastic, impacting not only their operations but also the baking industry.   To address these issues, the £270 million from the PPT can be strategically invested in domestic plastic recycling infrastructure, reducing reliance on external sources. Supporting research and innovation in plastic recycling technologies through collaborations between the government, private sector, and research institutions can also alleviate material scarcity.   In conclusion, the PPT revenue highlights the UK's commitment to combat plastic waste, but addressing business challenges and imported recycled material accountability is crucial. Allocating funds to enhance domestic recycling infrastructure and innovation paves the way for a sustainable future, emphasizing that legislation alone is insufficient; strategic actions are vital for a resilient and circular plastics industry. https://bakersbasco.com/

Should we tax companies that produce and use plastic? "Given the effectiveness of this tax in Europe, there is every reason to believe a similar policy would help reduce plastic waste in Australia,” says Nina Gbor, director for Circular Economy and Waste at the Australia Institute.“If Australia applied a tax on plastic packaging at the same rate as the EU, and charged it to plastic producers and importers like Spain does, we calculate that it could raise $1.5 billion in revenue.” We know that households are eager to recycle, but with the surge in plastic consumption, it's time to rethink. Plastic is everywhere, and a shift towards taxing companies could not only deter consumption but also fund impactful plastic reduction initiatives. Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/gUxA3Q3k #plasticpollution #plastictax #recycling #australia

🌍 Exciting News from the UK! 🔄 🚀 UK Supercharges Plastic Recycling: Starting April 1, 2024, the Plastic Packaging Tax jumps to £217.85/ton! 💥 🌱 Aim: Drive businesses towards sustainable packaging with recycled plastic. 💡 Current impact? Limited. But brace yourself, it's a potential game-changer! 🤝 Partnerships with recycling champions like Simpler Recycling and policy updates are our secret weapons for success. 📈 Govt. plans a year-end assessment for fine-tuning. Ready for positive changes? 🎯 #PlasticRevolution #SustainabilityUK #RecycleWithPurpose Let's create a clear economic incentive for recycled plastic, ignite demand, and boost those recycling rates! 🔥🔄💼

Some interesting insights here. Notably that while consumers prefer compostable over recycled packaging, more were aware of recycled packaging as an alternative to conventional plastics. Since the late 1980s, the plastics industry has spent tens of millions of dollars marketing recycling through ads and public relations. Only 9% of global plastic is recycled. Today, these same companies are pushing their agenda to keep plastics in circulation, lobbying against taxation, legislative change (plastic product bans) and producer responsibility schemes. The study highlights the need for greater consumer awareness of compostable and reusable packaging as alternatives and solutions to our waste issues. Interested to hear your thoughts. https://lnkd.in/gUD3wdQv #plasticpollution #plastics #compostablepackaging

Swedish government announced on Wednesday that it is strongly considering to abolish the tax on plastic bags... ""The (single use plastic bag) tax is considered to have certain negative effects, such as administrative costs, and may also lead to an increase in the consumption of alternatives," the Swedish executive said in a statement." === I am surprised that there are not more studies on the environmental impacts of single use plastic bag ban or taxes that focus on consumption of alternatives. So I decided to do a bit of number crunching to put things into perspective... Because of the collapse of REDcycle (in store collection of plastics in Australia) and Target/Walmart being dropped from the national recycling registry... I have been more conscious about using single use plastic bags and so I kept track of how many bags I used... I used 27 single used plastic bags last 6 months... BUT... I also went thru and had to toss away 4 reusable bags (cotton, nonwoven pp) and countless paper bags, cardboard boxes. When I used plastic bags ...when I am on vacation ...when on business trips longer than a week ...when buying things for others (company, friends) Studies have shown... - the manufacturing of a single paper bag is 43 times more harmful to the environment (carbon, water, resource consumption) than plastic bag - paper is ~20x more likely to be recycled and ~15x recycling rate when compared to plastics - you need to use a nonwoven reusable bag a dozen times before it is more environmental friendly than a single use plastic bag - you need to use a cotton reusable bag a few thousand times before it is more environmental friendly than a single use plastic bag (when not considering disposal) So what are your thoughts? will eliminating plastic bag taxes create more problems? will store owners stop charging for plastic bags? will other countries follow? #plastic #plasticbags #plasticconsumption https://lnkd.in/gYy3P2st

I can confidently predict that shoppers will not have the foggiest about what "mass balance" means when it comes to packaging. At the rate things are going, all the packaging on the shelves will be paper, metals and glass anyway. From the consultation "Maintaining consumer confidence in recycled plastic" It is vital that the public has confidence in claims made about the recycled plastic in packaging. A mass balance approach can be challenging in this respect, as an individual item may not physically include the recycled content which it claims to have, although may contain traces of recycled plastic. The benefits of a mass balance approach as set out previously in chapter 2 would need to be balanced alongside the controls needed to maintain consumer confidence. Communication is key, and the mass balance approach can be difficult to explain in simple and brief terms. It will be important to be able to explain how packaging which is claimed to include 30% recycled plastic may not actually do so because of the way that the mass balance approach works. Explaining this clearly and transparently will be important to avoid consumers questioning other claims about recycling and environmental credentials. https://lnkd.in/eF8eXhYX