Responsibility | Voices solutions to plastic waste. Their focus is on elimination, reuse and material circulation. According to the foundation, the demand for plastic packaging is expected to double over the next 20 years. They argue that only a circular economy approach will help us solve the plastic pollution problem. According to the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, to create a circular economy for plastic, three actions are required: • Eliminate all problematic and unnecessary plastic items. • Innovate to ensure the plastics we do need are reusable, recyclable and ultimately compostable. • Circulate all the plastic items we use to keep them in the economy and out of the environment. I don’t want the recipients of promotional products to have the same experience I had with my Amazon delivery. We must begin to systemically apply upstream thinking to reduce waste while protecting the integrity of the product, the imprint and the end-user experience. When evaluating packaging, the first question you should ask yourself is, Is it necessary? So often, I see products encased in both a polybag and a cardboard box. Do you really need both? Certainly, there are some items for which packaging could be eliminated entirely. If the packaging is not necessary but simply expected or customary, what would happen if you got rid of it? Would it still meet customer expectations, or would you need to invest time in changing those expectations? If the packaging is necessary, can you identify recyclable packaging solutions to replace the plastic packaging? Or is it possible to create packaging that can be reused by the recipient and potentially even extend the branding opportunity of the product itself? And after that reuse, can we design the packaging to ensure it can be recycled in an infinite loop? We can do all of those things, as some thoughtful companies are already proving. I’m not going to pretend this is easy, but I am confident that our industry can apply its inherent creativity and ingenuity to the problem and stop the lunatic from continuing to throw children in the river. Stone is the director of member engagement at PPAI. PPAI: 111248 | ASI: 35375 | SAGE: 50327 | UPIC: ACCENTS | DC: 101273 Made & Printed in the USA Quick Turn Arounds Low Minimums www.americanaccents.com | 888.287.7883 Scan for pricing! •Made from B-flute (1/8”) corrugated board •No die cut fees! •Interior print optional •Perfect for sample kits & product packaging •Self-locking & easy to assemble •Digitally printed with 4-Color process 5 piece minimums! MAILING BOXES AVAILABLE IN 63 DIFFERENT SIZES! Matching tissue paper available! PPAI • JULY 2023 • 35
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NzU4OQ==