Improving packaging sustainability

The Sustainable Packaging Alliance has received two significant Commonwealth government grants to support the development of its prototype rapid packaging environmental impact assessment tool, PIQET.

The Department of Environment and Heritage has provided funding of $100,000 to contribute to the development of PIQET's algorithms in a prototype tool. These algorithms will convert complex life cycle assessments (LCA), environmental data and packaging waste management and recycling data into business decision-making information. The algorithms are being developed based on case studies provided by five major food and beverage company sponsors (Cadbury Schweppes, Lion Nathan, Masterfoods Australia New Zealand, Nestle Australia and Simplot Australia) and with SME consultation through Stoney Creek Oil.

By using PIQET, companies will be able to model each component and different packaging formats and demonstrate to company stakeholders such as customers, suppliers, shareholders and government, a continuous improvement approach to packaging sustainability. The tool will report against a range of environmental indicators including depletion of non-renewable resources, generation of greenhouse gases, energy use, landfill and litter, the National Packaging Covenant (NPC) Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) (eg, KPI 3, 22 and 29) and the Environmental Code of Practice for Packaging (ECoPP).

20/10/2006