Environmentally Acceptable Packaging Awards

Environmentally Acceptable Packaging Awards Entries close Tuesday 31st May

The Packaging Council of NZ

The connection between 60 litre plastic oil drums, Coca-Cola bottles and containers for chilling fish in transit is not immediately obvious until you know that all three have won supreme honours in the biennial Environmentally Acceptable Packaging Awards run by the Packaging Council of New Zealand.

The awards are being run again this year and the hunt is on across the spectrum of packaging manufacturers, designers and users to find excellence in environmental performance. Deb Statham, marketing manager of the New Zealand Packaging Council said “since the signing of the second Packaging Accord in 2004 the packaged goods industry has been working to lift further its environmental game. There are wonderful examples of how companies are achieving huge gains in reducing the amount of packaging material ending up in landfills around the country.”

The Honourable Marion Hobbs, Minister for the Environment has presented the Supreme Award for the last two Awards rounds, reflecting the importance of recognising the industry’s excellent examples of organisations leading the drive to minimise waste. The Minister said, “The entries in these biennial awards show that the multitude of players involved in packaging are achieving environmental gains with their packages, systems or education programmes.”

Ten categories cover the materials commonly used in packaging such as paper, plastics and metals as well as innovation, resource recovery, systems and improved environmental impact. Brand owners are included, as are tertiary students with a category dedicated to their conceptual designs.

The responsibility the packaging industry has assumed under the Packaging Accord 2004 to educate consumers and their own staff about reducing and recovering waste is recognised by a special educational or promotional programme category.

Awards entries close at the end of May. Statham says the entries being received reflect the success of the Packaging Accord 2004 in focusing the packaging industry on waste reduction. Entries for the Environmentally Acceptable Packaging Awards are open to all in the packaging industry whether or not they are members of the Packaging Council.

Organisations from throughout the packaging and associated packaging design industries are invited to submit entries either on their own or in partnership with their clients. Information on the 2005 Packaging Awards can be found on www.packaging.org.nz. For entry forms phone Deb Statham 09 271 4044.

ENDS

© Scoop Media