Priority Projects

APCO delivers priority projects to drive progress on Australia’s 2025 National Packaging Targets (2025 Targets). Find out more about current and 2023-24 projects below:

 

CURRENT PROJECTS  

 

APCO strategy development to 2030 – towards a circular economy for packaging  

Following the release of the Review of the 2025 National Packaging Targets report, this program involves development of APCO’s Strategic Plan to 2030 in preparation for the post-2025 packaging framework. The strategy is being developed in consultation with APCO members, industry and governments, and with feedback from two national roadshows in August 2023 and May 2024. 

 

Collective Action Group – a collaborative approach to system transformation  

The Collective Action Group (CAG) plays a convening and advisory role, working across the whole packaging value chain to create the setting that will enable the necessary system. The CAG has developed a shared vision and is working on ways to measure progress, including designing the data system that will evidence the change. The first progress report will be released in the 2024-25 financial year. 

 

Material roadmaps – a long-term strategy for keeping materials in highest and best use  

With the support of APCO’s Material Stewardship Committees (MSCs) and data insights, material specific roadmaps and priority action plans are being developed for flexible plastic, rigid plastic, fibre, glass, metal packaging and labels. These roadmaps will identify critical system interventions that will reduce material flow losses and maximise the economic value of key materials.  

 

Rigid plastic plan – maximising recovery and value  

This plan will target rigid plastics with sub-optimal recovery pathways. For rigid plastics, one of the focus areas is the sorting and recovery processes for PET and PP tubs, trays, and punnets. A focus for HDPE includes improving the waste stream by transitioning out of coloured to clear caps as well as the addition of rHDPE back into milk bottles. APCO is working with the Dairy Australia Sustainable Packaging Working Group to support this initiative.  

 

Soft plastic plan – road to recovery 

APCO is actively engaging with key stakeholders to enable a confident re-establishment of soft plastics collection and to grow processing capability. It is working; with collectors and re-processors to ensure future collections yield high quality material with low contamination; with packaging designers to bring soft plastics specifications up to global standards; and with consumers and businesses to ensure that they have confidence in the system and are motivated to recycle at scale. 

 

Sustainable Packaging Guidelines (SPGs) and Quick Starts – providing best practice guidance   

The globally aligned SPGs are the definitive sustainable packaging design guide. APCO is reviewing the SPGs, in consultation with government and APCO’s MSCs to inform the design of future regulated national sustainable design standards. The work will also develop supporting technical resources and standards. 

 

Maximising recycled content demand – a framework for confident procurement and use 

This project is investigating certification standards for recycled content in packaging to help members to procure with confidence. The project will identify existing and new markets for recycled content; and understand the importance of the traceability of recycled content in an Australian context. 

 

 

ARL Marketplace – helping small businesses to switch to sustainable packaging 

The ARL Marketplace assists small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to improve their packaging sustainability knowledge, find responsible packaging suppliers and generate an Australasian Recycling Label (ARL) for their products. The ARL Marketplace is being delivered through a four-way industry partnership between APCO, the Australian Institute of Packaging (AIP), the National Retail Association (NRA), and the Australian Food and Grocery Council (AFGC). The project received grant funding from the Australian Government. 

 

ARL Program – helping consumers to recycle correctly 

The ARL Program has updated the ARL website, providing place-based information to support recycling where you see the Check Locally logo. The tool covers both at home and drop-off options. ARL Program participants and stakeholders can engage with the forward work program, access technical resources, and make submissions via a new ARL Program governance page.  

 

APCO Data Insights – tracking progress towards packaging materials circularity  

A dedicated market insights webpage will support member, stakeholder and investor decision making by; sharing critical information about material flows and fates; tracking operational reprocessing capacity versus forecast; publishing indicative recycled-commodities trade pricing; and other economic indicators to inform the health of the circular economy for packaging materials to identify where blockages exist, and interventions may be required. 

 

Roadmap for compostable packaging – building consensus to support organics collections 

The roadmap aims to unlock the potential for certified compostable packaging to play a role in the circular economy. Workshops with industry, governments, universities, and peak bodies have identified actions to address barriers to the acceptance of certified compostable packaging in FOGO streams and processing facilities. A roadmap for compostable packaging will be finalised in March 2024. This will supersede the National Compostable Packaging Strategy published in 2021. 

 

Expanded polystyrene (EPS) – packaging stewardship scheme analysis 

This work addresses APCO’s commitment in the Roadmap to implement the National Phase-Out of Business-to-Consumer EPS Packaging to assess stewardship scheme options for EPS. This includes understanding material flows, engaging with associated industries and supply chains, and considering economic factors to model an efficient and effective industry led stewardship response.   

 

Business-to-business (B2B) packaging recovery – catalysing reuse and recycling systems 

Following a commercial, supply chain and business analysis the B2B stewardship program will undertake enabling projects to maximise recycling and transition to reuse initiatives in warehouses, distribution and other back-of-house settings. Initial findings from project collaborations will create collaborative networks, case studies, data, and business modelling inputs to drive further action and inform future program development. 

 

COMPLETED PROJECTS (2022-23) 

 

Tackling problematic and/or unnecessary single-use plastic packaging  

The problematic and/or unnecessary single-use plastic packaging (SUPs) program provided support to brand owners in phasing out SUPs within their business, in support of the 2025 Targets. In 2022-23, APCO updated the definitions and Action Plan to address state and territory based bans that had come into effect since it was first published in 2020, and developed a framework to guide businesses in identifying and addressing SUPs.   

 

Packaging versus product – defining National Packaging Target scope and inclusions  

An analysis of not recyclable materials and formats to eliminate, replace, redesign or develop take-back programs was completed during development of the MSC material roadmaps. The project identified the need for greater clarity in what was considered product or packaging to know what was in scope, and results in the development of a Decision Tree: Packaging or Product. 

 

Phasing out business-to-consumer (B2C) EPS packaging 

The Roadmap to Implement the National Phase Out of Business-to-Consumer EPS Packaging was published in November 2022 and sets out a voluntary, industry-led approach to address the environmental impacts associated with B2C EPS packaging in Australia. The roadmap was developed to meet expectations of governments and other stakeholders.  

 

Annual consumption and recovery data and material flow analysis – insights to inform action 

These projects provide packaging consumption and recovery data and material flows for 2020-21 to inform progress towards the 2025 Targets. Reports can be found here and material flows analysis reports can be found here. In 2023, APCO also developed material specific fact sheets to help guide progress at a material level.   

 

ANZPAC Oil Bottle Program – convening sectors to design alternative recovery systems  

The ANZPAC Oil Bottle Program was a National Product Stewardship Investment Fund PSIF (2020) funded project that sought to design a national collection and recovery program for used oil bottles in the automotive industry. The project summary is available here. 

 

ANZPAC Polypropylene Plant Packaging Program (PoPPr) – convening sectors to design alternative recovery systems 

PoPPr was a National Product Stewardship Investment Fund PSIF (2020) funded project that sought to design a national collection and recovery program for used polypropylene plant packaging (pots, punnets, trays, labels) in the Greenlife industry. The proposed scheme design is available here.