Second wind

Throw? Pay!

in Soviet times, the citizens passed the glass bottles and trash in appropriate collection points. Now, such points also exist, but they are not so popular. With the industrial packaging business is better: it is used manufacturing, logistics companies, trade networks, etc. Wooden packaging is sent back to the manufacturer or to the warehouse, after processing or repair, it is used again. Normal packing most people just throw in the trash, although theoretically they can be reused.

But not so simple. To help change the situation could develop regulations that oblige suppliers to accept and direct the repair and re-use any wooden container or package in which the product comes. In some European countries, for example, to return such packages to the most and get bonuses from the manufacturer, the other for Tara arrive special trucks, but all are system of imposing penalties for thrown away wooden packaging.

Metal packaging again in a normal household is rarely used, because it before it needs recycling. However, a separate receiving metal cans, aerosol cans, packaging foil exists in most EU countries.

Beneficial to the environment, it is not feasible for a manufacturer

the Right approach to reuse of packaging can significantly improve the environmental situation in the country. But here we are faced with a difficult task. For example – re-use glass. In Russia there is no uniform standard bottles, therefore, to introduce reusable packaging, of course, environmentally beneficial, but are not profitable, because the manufacturer lies with the installation of its own collection points and logistics. And build collection points for glass bottles in the places of food by modern standards SanPiN at all impossible.

However, to develop and promote new ways of mnoSocrates recycling containers will, sooner or later, because this is an important and effective way to care for the environment. The first and important step is to separate waste collection, which is actively implemented in Moscow from the beginning of 2024.

the Development and implementation of the program of separate waste accumulation will help to increase the amount of recycled waste, recyclable, save natural resources, reduce landfill, and therefore to reduce the negative impact on the environment.

the new scheme: mixed waste citizens throw in the grey container, and clean materials suitable for recycling (glass, paper, plastic, cardboard, metals) – in blue. Further, trucks carry recyclables on the line, where they are sorted and sent to further use. Capacities already available in the capital of the lines enough to sort the contents of the blue container.

Randomity can help us

Now another acute problem – how effectively to work with Tara. At the moment the best way-a joint project with the commercial networks for installation in stores pandoratv — devices for receiving the containers. photos: AGN “Moscow”

In some countries this solution has been successfully applied in the context of two schemes: the machines or give compensation money, or accept containers in exchange for a rebate cheque that you can apply in the store. Randomity the first scheme employs, for example, in the United States and Turkey, the second in Finland.

Russia already has pilot projects with the implementation of pandoratv. The buyer rents the container and receives rebate checks on certain products.

Value secondary packaging

According to the report of Ellen MacArthur Foundation Reuse Rethingking Packaging on various ways to re – to apply packing, the reusable containers have many advantages.

In the modern world secondary packaging can create added value for customers and for business. Among the reasons to switch to reusable packaging – reduction of logistics costs (items in this package take up less space in warehouses and supermarket shelves and reduce the cost of shipping), and operations optimization (the use of the same interchangeable containers for products of different brands and retailers allows you to make business operations more effective and cheaper).

Many companies are already actively developing and introducing ways of reusing packaging. For example, one manufacturer has designed a durable reusable water bottle with a sprayer that attaches to the capsules with the liquid concentrates for cleaning and personal hygiene. Thus, the user only buys the liquid concentrate and the water bottle is used many times, which greatly saves on packaging and reduces transportation costs. Another company optimizes the return of the package from the user: he simply collects all containers in the same packaging in which the order came, and handed to the courier and he picks up a box free of charge.

Two years ago, the brand Coca-Cola Brazil has invested $ 25 million to the universality of the design of their reusable PET bottles and 400 million in the expansion of infrastructure re-use (the equipment for cleaning and re-filling bottles). photos: AGN “Moscow”

For the Russians as the most important problem in the reuse of packaging remains responsible approach to waste management. Separate collection, sorting and subsequent recycling returns useful materials and containers back recycling, and that means less trash will go on polluting the environment of the landfill.