THE PACKAGING FORUM CEO, CRAIG MILLER WITH RECYCLE BINS IN SUPERMARKERT.
CEO Craig Miller and The Packaging Forum are currently tackling an industry challenge head-on: ‘Are we really recycling if we’re not buying products made from recycled material?’
With members across New Zealand, Miller says the organisation helps brands make confident, evidence-based sustainable packaging choices today, and grow the demand that keeps recycled materials in use tomorrow. He adds that the ultimate drive towards circular solutions is for all packaging.
“A true circular economy doesn’t stop at collection. We need well-supported recovery networks from collection through to recycling that sort and process material efficiently,” says Miller. “Just as importantly, we need industry, government and consumers to buy products made from recycled material.”
For more than 20 years, the Forum has collaborated with members and stakeholders to design and deliver practical product stewardship across multiple packaging materials. Today, Forum-led schemes support recovery pathways for glass, soft plastics, caps and lids, and food and beverage cartons – diverting waste from landfill and keeping valuable materials circulating in New Zealand.
Members work with the Forum to map each packaging format to workable recovery options, improve recycling instructions with clear on-pack labelling, and connect collected material with viable end-market partners. The result says Miller is clearer guidance for customers, fewer compliance surprises, and better material outcomes – whether that’s glass bottles recycled back into new bottles, soft plastic packaging turned into durable products like fence posts, or beverage cartons transformed into fibre-based building materials.
“The Packaging Forum is a member-led organisation. To find out whether you should become a member and to learn more about our schemes and the products being made from recovered materials visit our website.”
Sponsored content: For more information visit www.packagingforum.org.nz.
