As a waste management consultant, rarely do I come across another consultant’s report that not only delights and excites, but compels me to promote, disseminate, and speak-out about its findings. Such was the case several months ago when Dr. Jeffery Morris of Sound Resource Management, based in the State of Washington, responded to my request […]
Packaging
White Paper – Understanding the issues associated with beverage container recovery (2008)
Summary of findings While program funding options exist to pass the cost to consumers (CRF, Half-back), direct brandowner responsibility ensures cost scrutiny, and provides incentives for environmentally friendly packaging choices. Deposit return programs generate the bulk of program revenues from polluters and recovered material revenue Increasing the deposit level from 5-cents to 10-cents on existing […]
Packaging: The Redesign Revolution (2001)
A look at the impacts of extended producer responsibility The past decade has experienced an explosion of environmental “extended producer responsibility” (EPR) policy initiatives around the globe. EPR policy extends a producer’s responsibility for a product or its packaging to the postconsumer stage. The two key features of environmental EPR are: the shifting of responsibility […]
Ontario’s WDO: what will it mean for municipalities? (2001)
On September l, 2000 the Ontario Waste Diversion Organization — an industry driven policy advisory group, submittedit s final reportto the Honourable Dan Newman, Ontario’s Minister of the Environment. The final report proposes to exchange 50% industry funding of municipal recycling costs for a “backdrop regulation.” Such regulation will effectively entrench industry’s view that municipalities […]
What the National Packaging Protocol Really Reduced (1999)
Caught NaPPing A look at the National Packaging Protocol’s data shows the program failed to reduce post consumer packaging waste. “Celebration is called for!” declared a Canadian packaging newsletter in reference to the National Packaging Protocol’s (NaPP) early success in diverting 51 per cent of packaging waste from disposal by 1996 — four years ahead […]
Pied Piper: Where is Plastic Packaging Leading Us? (2000)
The Canadian plastics industry grew by 45 per cent between 1986 and 1997 — a growth rate three times that of other manufacturing industries and second only to electronics. With a total capacity of about 3.5-million tonnes of resin per annum, this economic behemoth accounted for $35.9-billion of economic activity last year. Plastic is truly […]
