UK government unveils sustainable packaging fund, bolstered by US$185m business investment

23 Jul 2019 --- UK business is expected to invest £149 million (US$185 million) into fighting the “global battle against single-use plastics,” adding to the government’s previous cash injection of £60 million (US$75 million) into sustainable packaging solutions. Funding could be used to find ways to cut waste in the supply chain, develop new business models and create new sustainable, recyclable materials. As a result, new forms of packaging and plastic made from plants, wood chippings and food waste could be a step closer. The government has also published a call for evidence on standards for bio-based and biodegradable plastics.

The announcement is part of the Smart Sustainable Plastic Packaging challenge. This forms part of the government’s Clean Growth Challenge – a key part of the modern Industrial Strategy – and follows the UK becoming the first major economy to legislate to end its contribution to global warming by 2050. It further builds on the UK Bioeconomy Strategy and the Resources and Waste Strategy, which set out plans to overhaul the waste system, cut plastic pollution and move towards a more circular economy.

Speaking to PackagingInsights, Peter Maddox, Director at WRAP, highlights the substantial strides the UK government has taken against plastic pollution. “The UK Plastics Pact – a unique pact between governments, businesses, local authorities, NGOs and citizens – was the first of its kind in the world. Also, the Resources and Waste Strategy includes strong policies to address plastic packaging. Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) and consistency, in particular, should make a big difference to the problem of plastic pollution,” Maddox notes.The government has also published a call for evidence on standards for bio-based and biodegradable plastics.

UK Research and Innovation Chief Executive, Professor Sir Mark Walport, posits that the new investment through will establish the UK as a leading innovator in smart and sustainable plastic packaging solutions. He further predicts that it will help deliver cleaner growth across the supply chain, with a dramatic reduction in plastic waste entering the environment by 2025.

“We have put a record level of research and development investment at the heart of our Industrial Strategy – investing to support our best minds and businesses in developing the solutions and industries of tomorrow,” says Business Secretary Greg Clark.

Investment through the government’s modern Industrial Strategy is already backing the development of plastics made from plants, and products that degrade easily in an open environment.

Companies behind these innovations include London-based start-up Skipping Rocks Lab, who have created new packaging made from Notpla, a material made from seaweed and plants that only lasts as long as it needs to. This material was used in a trial by Just Eat for its condiments and used as an alternative to plastic bottles at the London Marathon 2019.

Bio-based boost
As part of the wider sustainability focus, the government has also published a call for evidence on standards for bio-based and biodegradable plastics. It seeks evidence from scientists, manufacturers and the research community on the sustainability and wider impacts of biodegradable, compostable, and bio-based plastics and asks whether new and improved standards and labeling for these materials would be valuable.

The government’s open consultation announcement notes that they particularly seek responses from:

• Environmental scientists interested in the movement of plastics and their interaction with natural ecosystems, working on biodegradable polymers, marine bio-degradative processes, and freshwater, marine, and terrestrial biologists.
• Bioscience or biotechnology practitioners working on the development or application of bio-based or biodegradable plastics.
• Standards authorities and those with standards committee experience.
• Manufacturers, waste processors, and other stakeholders in industry.
• Consumers and producers of biodegradable, compostable, and bio-based plastic products.
• Certification authority experts, social scientists, NGOs, retailers and plastics reprocessors.

Maddox confirmsthat the UK Plastics Pact will be working with the government on this topic.

By Laxmi Haigh