Drink Wrap
WHY PLASTIC PACKAGING NEEDS
RETHINKING AND HOW A CIRCULAR
ECONOMY CAN HELP
By : ERICH LAWSON - Online Marketing Manager at Compactor Management Company
E
ven with the
increasing awareness
surrounding the
importance of recycling
plastic waste, the amount
of plastic waste that actually
gets recycled is shockingly
minimal. This article gives
an overview of the herculean
problem of packaging waste
that the world is facing today
and how a mindset which is
pro circular economy can
be created to help battle
the problem of plastic waste.
Plastic Packaging
Waste: A Burning
Problem
Plastic packaging waste has
become a burning problem
today. Statistics show that
every minute plastic waste
equivalent to one truck is
leaking into marine bodies
and destroying the marine
flora and fauna. Around
millions of marine animals
die due to the plastic waste
in the ocean. Besides, a
huge chunk of plastic waste
also ends up in landfills
and contributes towards
producing greenhouse gases
gradually.
The linear model of
consumption i.e. take-
make-dispose model of
consumption is the culprit.
The products are bought,
used once and thrown away.
Also, most of the packaging
rarely gets a second use.
Reason to Adopt a
Circular Economy
The beauty of a circular
economy is that the materials
constantly flow in a circular
or a closed loop system
rather than being discarded
after a single usage. This
helps retain the value of the
materials like plastic which
would otherwise have been
lost if thrown away after
single use.
Hence, a more circular
approach is needed, wherein
not only less packaging is
used, but it is redesigned in a
The beauty
of a circular
economy is that
the materials
constantly fl ow
in a circular or
a closed loop
system rather
than being
discarded after a
single usage
Drink Asia
38
March-April 2019
way so that it can be reused,
recycled or composted. The
business and environment
both benefit from the
circular economy approach.
The materials are used
effectively, which means
less waste and reduced
costs. This also means that
new sources of value are
created for consumers, the
risk management of raw
materials is improved and
the approaches to the supply
chain are optimised.
The Ways to Cultivate
a Mindset Which is Pro
Circular Economy
• Re t h i n k i n g d e s i g n o f
packaging products can