Tasmanian-based Cadbury Australia is trialling a recycled packaging breakthrough to wrap 50 million family-sized chocolate blocks, demonstrating how industry led innovation can accelerate national packaging targets.
The trial, born from the Morrison Government’s first National Plastics Summit, was seen by Sussan Ley, Minister for the Environment, when she visited Cadbury Australia in Hobart in December last year.
“Cadbury has committed to purchasing enough recycled plastic packaging to wrap 50 million family blocks of chocolate," she said, adding that the latest prototypes demonstrated that change is possible and that markets are there for recycled product.
“This exciting development in recycling soft plastics can be traced back to collaboration between companies at the first national waste summit in 2020 and collaboration with industry is at the heart of our transformation of Australia’s recycling industry.
“Australia has set National Packaging Targets for 2025 including a 20 per cent average of recycled content in plastic packaging and the key to achieving those will be driving innovation rather than regulation.
“As we continue to work with consumers and industry in expanding local recycling capability, the goal will be to process more and more recycled plastic in Australia.”
President of Mondelez International (Aust, NZ, Japan), the owners of Cadbury Australia, Darren O’Brien said that while Cadbury was currently accessing the very latest technology from overseas to source recycled material, it was focused on creating demand for recycled product.
“We know that demand for circular packaging will continue to grow and we’d love to see recycling technology built in Australia,” O’Brien said.
“Our significant investment gives local industry the confidence it needs to invest in advanced recycling technology that will be vital for Australia to achieve a truly circular economy.”
During her visit to Cadbury Australia, Minister Ley announced that the National Plastics Design Summit will be held in Canberra on 14 February 2022.
“The Summit will focus on designing reusable, recyclable or compostable plastic products in everyday applications and I am challenging companies to come forward armed with ideas and clear commitments,” Minister Ley said, confirming that the summit will explore opportunities to unlock growth for new industries and new markets.
“We simply can’t keep creating virgin plastic on the scale we are today and this Summit will look at keeping plastics in use as long and as often as possible, adding value to the material multiple times.”
This article first appeared in stablemate PKN Packaging News.
