Glass Packaging Product Steward On Govt Board

Glass Packaging Product Stewardship Champion On Govt’s Waste Advisory Board

The Glass Packaging Forum says the appointment of its Chairperson David Carter (Director of Environmental Strategy and Sustainability for Lion Nathan Australasia) to the Waste Advisory Board confirms that the voluntary levy paying product stewardship approach which Mr Carter has championed is recognized as an outstanding success.

John Webber, General Manager of the Glass Packaging Forum says they nominated their Chair for the position because he has shown real leadership to the packaged goods industry in terms of industry’s responsibility with regard to implementation of the Waste Minimisation Act.

“David has played a principal role in industry’s support for the Waste Act and is one of the leading proponents in the Food & Grocery sector of the need for business to drive producer responsibility and to recognise its own responsibility in mitigating the creation of waste and finding end of life solutions for the packaging which it produces.

“He has a clear understanding of the product stewardship role expected of business and an appreciation of the community and local government’s expectations of industry related to waste minimisation gained through his stewardship of the glass sector and the problems which beset it when the price for glass cullet fell in 2004. To address this issue he galvanised industry to support a voluntary levy paid per tonne of glass used on companies which make or import glass containers, fill glass containers or sell glass containers in New Zealand. ”

“Under David’s leadership glass recycling in New Zealand has increased to 64% which can be attributed in part to understanding how important it is that industry works in partnership with local government, waste management and recycling operators and the community at large and providing the necessary catalyst for change.”

“David has been instrumental in ensuring that the Glass Packaging Forum submitted its voluntary glass packaging scheme which addresses the whole of life impacts of glass packaging to the Ministry for the Environment in July 2009. This was contrary to the preference of the wider packaged goods industry but David took the decision that if one part of the business community leads, others will follow.”

The Glass Packaging Product Stewardship scheme is the first to be assessed for accreditation under the Government’s new guidelines. The scheme builds on the existing work of the Forum which has raised over $1.6 million since its inception and covers:-

The design and specification of glass packaging to minimize use of resources
Funding to increase the recovery of glass containers and improve the glass recycling rate
Consumer awareness and education programmes
Work to reduce the carbon footprint of glass packaging.

ENDS

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