PKN Packaging News: The Podcast

In this episode, Lindy Hughson, Managing Editor & Publisher of PKN Packaging News, talks with Alan Adams, Sustainability Director at APAC Sealed Air and Nerida Kelton, Executive Director of the Australian Institute of Packaging (AIP). Both Sealed Air and the AIP are consortium members for the Save Food Packaging Project for the Fight Food Waste CRC.

The key topic of this episode is the launch of the first Industry Insights report from the CRC that reveals the extent of the problem when it comes to food manufacturers taking responsibility for preventing food waste.

We start the discussion by asking Alan to provide a brief outline of the extent of the food waste and loss problem the people of Australia, and the world, are facing along with an explanation of what the Save Food Packaging Project is. Nerida then talks about the reasons for the report, its scope and the stakeholders involved.

The discussion then moves on to the key findings of the report and some of the perceived barriers to the adoption of packaging that will save food waste. We wrap up the episode by covering some of the important recommendations going forward and the next steps for the Save Food Packaging Project following this research work.

The Save Food Packaging Consortium is made up of the Australian Institute of Packaging (AIP) as project lead, and RMIT as the research partner; project contributors are ZipForm Packaging, Sealed Air, Multivac and APCO; project partners are Plantic Technologies, Result Group and Ulma Packaging; and the extension network consists of Australian Food Cold Chain Council (AFCCC), Australian Food and Grocery Council (AFGC) and the Australian Institute of Food Science and Technology (AIFST).

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The PKN Podcast is produced by Southern Skies Media on behalf of PKN Packaging News, owned and published by Yaffa Media.

The views of the people featured on this podcast do not necessarily represent the views of PKN Packaging News, Yaffa Media, or the guest’s employer. The contents are copyright by Yaffa Media.

If you wish to use any of this podcast’s audio, please contact PKN Packaging News via their website www.packagingnews.com.au or send an email to [email protected].

MC: Grant McHerron

Host: Lindy Hughson

Editor: Chris Visscher

Producer: Steve Visscher

PKN Packaging News - © 2021

In this episode, our first for 2021, Lindy Hughson, Managing Editor & Publisher of PKN Packaging News, talks about consumer education and brand awareness of sustainability with Sally Williams, aka Sustainable Sally, and Austen Ramage, Product Manager at Martogg Group.

Lindy talks with Austen and Sally about the reasons why Sally has joined forces with Martogg LCM to promote sustainability and recycled plastics. She also learns about Sally's decision to leave Brand Power in order to focus on sustainability and the circular economy.

The discussion includes the efforts and costs associated with using Recycled PET (rPET) containers and the importance of recycling to aid the circular economy. These efforts make use of Sally's "street cred" with consumers and acknowledges the increasingly savvy consumer who is willing to spend more to save the planet.

Lindy then examines the benefits of rPET and how the roadblocks to rPET's adoption are being addressed. Austen describes Martogg's investment in recycling technology with Sally discussing how consumers can be engaged and educated on the benefits of plastics and recycling.

Throughout the discussion the future for both Martogg's recycling and Sally's engagement are discussed and we wrap up with the expectation of more coverage in future episodes. Clearly there are plenty of developments and opportunities in this space and we look forward to bringing them to you.

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The PKN Podcast is produced by Southern Skies Media on behalf of PKN Packaging News, owned and published by Yaffa Media.

The views of the people featured on this podcast do not necessarily represent the views of PKN Packaging News, Yaffa Media, or the guest’s employer. The contents are copyright by Yaffa Media.

If you wish to use any of this podcast’s audio, please contact PKN Packaging News via their website www.packagingnews.com.au or send an email to [email protected].

MC: Grant McHerron

Host: Lindy Hughson

Editor: Chris Visscher

Producer: Steve Visscher

PKN Packaging News - © 2021

In this episode, Lindy Hughson, Managing Editor & Publisher of PKN Packaging News, talks with Aleks Lajovic, MD of Impact International, about the company’s carbon-offset initiatives, including a forest, a solar farm and alternative materials for tube production.

We start by talking about the forest that Impact International has purchased to provide a carbon-offset capacity for its production of tube packaging. The discussion includes the location of the forest, support for native wildlife as well as carbon absorption and the ten Australian brands that have signed on to the project at the time of its launch.

From trees, rivers and wildlife, we move on to Impact International's solar farm that helps to supply a large part of the company's production energy needs. By supplementing the solar farm with carbon-offset energy from the grid, all energy used by the company is carbon neutral.

Impact International has also been making tubes using carbon neutral materials to further assist with reducing the ecological footprint of the tubes they produce for its customers.

We wrap up the discussion by looking at future initiatives, which include improving efficiencies to reduce water and energy levels used in production, and plans to introduce recyclable materials into tube production.

This episode represents our final production for 2020 and we would like to take this opportunity on behalf of the whole team to wish all our listeners a festive holiday season and a great start to 2021.

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The PKN Podcast is produced by Southern Skies Media on behalf of PKN Packaging News, owned and published by Yaffa Media.

The views of the people featured on this podcast do not necessarily represent the views of PKN Packaging News, Yaffa Media, or the guest’s employer. The contents are copyright by Yaffa Media.

If you wish to use any of this podcast’s audio, please contact PKN Packaging News via their website www.packagingnews.com.au or send an email to [email protected].

MC: Grant McHerron

Host: Lindy Hughson

Producer: Steve Visscher

PKN Packaging News - © 2020

In this episode, Lindy Hughson, Managing Editor & Publisher of PKN Packaging News, talks with Brooke Donnelly, CEO of the Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation (APCO), to look back on a huge year of achievements and also look ahead at our packaging future.

The discussion covers the launch of APCO's Our Packaging Future report, its Priority Projects for fiscal year 2021 and the launch of their 2025 Targets Monitoring Program. Brooke gives an overview of the effectiveness of the Single Use and Problematic Plastic Packaging phase-out plan and gives us a sneak peek at what to expect in December's release of the annual benchmarking report on Australia's progress towards the 2025 National Packaging Targets.

We also cover progress on the ANZPAC Plastics Pact as it develops its targets, initial projects and membership base in advance of the Pact's official launch in 2021. The discussion then moves on to APCO's product stewardship announcements and wraps up with a review of the APCO Awards held earlier in November.

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The PKN Podcast is produced by Southern Skies Media on behalf of PKN Packaging News, owned and published by Yaffa Media.

The views of the people featured on this podcast do not necessarily represent the views of PKN Packaging News, Yaffa Media, or the guest’s employer. The contents are copyright by Yaffa Media.

If you wish to use any of this podcast’s audio, please contact PKN Packaging News via their website www.packagingnews.com.au or send an email to [email protected].

MC: Grant McHerron

Host: Lindy Hughson

Editor: Chris Visscher

Producer: Steve Visscher

PKN Packaging News - © 2020

In this episode, Lindy Hughson, Managing Editor & Publisher of PKN Packaging News, talks with Simon Jones of EVRYTHNG and Michael Dossor of Result Group about smart packaging and the opportunities it will create for Australian brand owners.

The discussion includes how smart packaging supports product transparency and authenticity along with the benefits of new technology and standards that are now converging to make inexpensive intelligent packaging economically feasible. We then look to the future to discuss the opportunities that smart packaging can make available using technologies that are now in common use today, transitioning to concepts that are just around the corner as prices for intelligent packaging decrease even further.

We also review how, in addition to the opportunities for customer engagement, smart packaging can also provide benefits that help prevent food wastage and help brand owners reach sustainability goals, particularly by improving consumer recycling of packaging.

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The PKN Podcast is produced by Southern Skies Media on behalf of PKN Packaging News, owned and published by Yaffa Media.

The views of the people featured on this podcast do not necessarily represent the views of PKN Packaging News, Yaffa Media, or the guest’s employer. The contents are copyright by Yaffa Media.

If you wish to use any of this podcast’s audio, please contact PKN Packaging News via their website www.packagingnews.com.au or send an email to [email protected].

MC: Grant McHerron

Host: Lindy Hughson

Editor: Chris Visscher

Producer: Steve Visscher

PKN Packaging News - © 2020

In this episode, Lindy Hughson, Managing Editor & Publisher of PKN Packaging News, talks with Joe Foster and Jessica Ansell from O F Packaging about the company’s new "Roll 'n' Recycle" initiative developed in partnership with PREP Design.

We start with a discussion about the Roll 'n' Recycle initiative's background and how it came about due to the difficulties associated with recycling soft plastics, the majority of which have a mixed plastic composition. Roll 'n' Recycle has produced monopolymer soft plastic products to meet the physical requirements of packaging while still being recyclable, all while addressing the cost barrier typically associated with these products.

Joe & Jessica explain how Roll 'n' Recycle aligns with the existing recycling industry, pending updates to the Australasian Recycling Label to include Roll 'n' Recycle and the importance of educating the consumers and governments. They also cover the buy-back of Roll 'n' Recycle material from recycling facilities and its return to the market after being recycled.

We wrap up by discussing engagement with government and community groups to reduce the quantity of items going to landfill along with the next steps to progress the uptake of Roll 'n' Recycle products in industry.

For more information about O F Packaging, visit their website at https://ofpack.com.au/

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The PKN Podcast is produced by Southern Skies Media on behalf of PKN Packaging News, owned and published by Yaffa Media.

The views of the people featured on this podcast do not necessarily represent the views of PKN Packaging News, Yaffa Media, or the guest’s employer. The contents are copyright by Yaffa Media.

If you wish to use any of this podcast’s audio, please contact PKN Packaging News via their website www.packagingnews.com.au or send an email to [email protected].

MC: Grant McHerron

Host: Lindy Hughson

Editor: Chris Visscher

Producer: Steve Visscher

PKN Packaging News - © 2020

In this episode, Lindy Hughson, Managing Editor & Publisher of PKN Packaging News, talks with Kate Bezar, the co-founder & director of The Better Packaging Company in New Zealand about producing compostable packaging for e-Commerce deliveries.

Kate tells us about the inspiration for starting Better Packaging and its biodegradable courier satchels which have been certified to stringent Australasian standards. We also discuss their global distribution warehouses, their partnership with SEKO Logistics and the impacts of COVID, which have included pivoting to the production of compostable gloves and other products.

The discussion covers topics including Australia Post's recent survey and associated report on the spike in e-Commerce due to COVID, research showing consumers prefer to buy from local organisations and ecologically friendly companies. We explore the typical product categories Better Packaging's clients occupy, and their response to custom branding of ecommerce satchels. We then move on to discuss other lessons learned from COVID including improvements to supply chains and resilience that have had to be developed.

We wrap up the episode with a discussion of Better Packaging's plans for the future and the importance of accountability.

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The PKN Podcast is produced by Southern Skies Media on behalf of PKN Packaging News, owned and published by Yaffa Media.

The views of the people featured on this podcast do not necessarily represent the views of PKN Packaging News, Yaffa Media, or the guest’s employer. The contents are copyright by Yaffa Media.

If you wish to use any of this podcast’s audio, please contact PKN Packaging News via their website www.packagingnews.com.au or send an email to [email protected].

MC: Grant McHerron

Host: Lindy Hughson

Producer: Steve Visscher

PKN Packaging News - © 2020

Mark Dingley, Chairman of the Australian Packaging and Processing Machinery Association (APPMA), joins PKN Managing Editor & Publisher Lindy Hughson to discuss the impacts of COVID-19 on AUSPACK and other packaging exhibitions.

An important announcement is made regarding the staging of the next AUSPACK show. Factors leading to the announcement included the likelihood of Australia's international borders remaining closed until late 2021 along with other challenges associated with accommodating COVID-19 restrictions including distancing, limited attendee numbers and sanitising. The discussion covers the contingencies and venues the APPMA board were assessing and the importance of maintaining a quality exhibition that is COVID-Safe.

Going beyond AUSPACK, the discussion also covers impacts to large international exhibitions, the future of exhibitions when we have resilience but not immunity to COVID-19 and the difficulties associated with virtual exhibitions as compared to in-person events. Lindy and Mark also talk about the impacts on exhibitors who are scheduling and funding their attendance at exhibitions and the associated difficulties as we adjust to the new normal going into 2021.

We wrap up the episode with Mark talking about the APPMA's plans for 2021 including the use of online platforms for webinars, training and education while also working with AUSPACK exhibitors and attendees as they transition to the next staging of AUSPACK.

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The PKN Podcast is produced by Southern Skies Media on behalf of PKN Packaging News, owned and published by Yaffa Media.

The views of the people featured on this podcast do not necessarily represent the views of PKN Packaging News, Yaffa Media, or the guest’s employer. The contents are copyright by Yaffa Media.

If you wish to use any of this podcast’s audio, please contact PKN Packaging News via their website www.packagingnews.com.au or send an email to [email protected].

MC: Grant McHerron

Host: Lindy Hughson

Producer: Steve Visscher

Editor: Chris Visscher

PKN Packaging News - © 2020

PKN Managing Editor & Publisher Lindy Hughson is joined by Karli Verghese and Nerida Kelton. Karli is the Associate Professor and Principal Research Fellow in Industrial Design at RMIT and the Reduce Program Leader at the Fight Food Waste Cooperative Research Centre (CRC). Nerida is the Executive Director of the Australian Institute of Packaging (AIP), and project lead for the Save Food Packaging project in the Fight Food Waste CRC.

We start the episode by noting that food waste is a major environmental problem that was recently highlighted by the UN's Food & Agriculture Organisation which held the first International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste on the 29th of September. Here in Australia, over 7.3 million tonnes of food is wasted annually across the supply and consumption chain with 34% of that waste being in the home.

Karli provides an overview of the Fight Food Waste CRC and her role there along with a summary of the insights being gained from the various projects currently underway within the CRC. After this, Nerida describes how the AIP is involved with CRC, establishing guidelines to help packaging technologists minimise food waste across the chain, including in the home. This leads to a discussion about awareness of packaging's ability to reduce food waste and how there can be no solution to food waste without collaboration between all parties involved in the chain.

The discussion then moves on to the importance of design and the use of active and intelligent packaging to prevent damage and spoilage, extend shelf life and preserve and enhance product appeal while still providing convenience and also communicating to consumers how to handle, store, prepare and reuse food products. We also discuss the changes in packaging to accommodate the shift in home sizes, where many people now are cooking for only one or two people, not a whole family. Examples of innovative designs include Woolworths’ new recyclable meat packaging and Hazeldene Chicken's recyclable, freezer-ready packaging that extends shelf life and which won the WorldStar Packaging that Saves Food Award this year.

The concern is raised that accommodating smaller portion sizes can lead to more packaging but this can be balanced through innovative design that better accommodates recycling and a reduction in food wastage. This highlights the importance of taking a holistic view of the entire chain to determine the trade-offs between packaging and reduction of waste.

We wrap up the episode with a view of the current status projects within the CRC and AIP along with the plans they have for the short to medium term, including activities associated with next year's International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste.

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The PKN Podcast is produced by Southern Skies Media on behalf of PKN Packaging News, owned and published by Yaffa Media.

The views of the people featured on this podcast do not necessarily represent the views of PKN Packaging News, Yaffa Media, or the guest’s employer. The contents are copyright by Yaffa Media.

If you wish to use any of this podcast’s audio, please contact PKN Packaging News via their website www.packagingnews.com.au or send an email to [email protected].

MC: Grant McHerron

Host: Lindy Hughson

Producer: Steve Visscher

PKN Packaging News - © 2020

PKN Managing Editor & Publisher Lindy Hughson is joined by Joanne Howarth, the Founder & CEO of Planet Protector Packaging.

Joanne is an entrepreneur with big passion determined to make a big impact.

Joanne explains how she was driven to find a planet-friendly form of packaging through her extensive use of polystyrene packaging for cold chain distribution in her previous role. This led her to research the use of sheep’s wool as a natural thermal insulator, allowing her to convert otherwise discarded belly wool into Woolpack, a lining material for boxes that can be recycled or composted.

Woolpack delivers superior performance to polystyrene for thermal packaging and is currently being used by clients shipping dairy products, meat, seafood and pharmaceuticals. It was recently featured as a case study with the World Wildlife Fund Australia's "Plastic: Revolution to Reality" report while the Lobster Protector variant won the gold medal award in the Food Design of the Year category at the 2020 Australasian Packaging and Innovation Design (PIDA) Awards,

Joanne was recently named one of the seven winning laureates of the 2020 Cartier Women’s Initiative, the French jeweller’s international business program aimed at uncovering, recognising and supporting women entrepreneurs worldwide. This has provided her with new business connections and led to working with the UN's Industrial Development Organisation to support their sustainability development goals.

Planet Protector is currently working with the Tasmanian government to replace polystyrene as part of the state's sustainable packaging initiative and is in the process of establishing a production site in Tasmania to reduce the cost of transporting packaging from the mainland. They are also seeking capital to move into the South East Asian market with a particular interest in Mongolia due to the volume of wool the country produces.

We wrap up by discussing the importance of government support to help incentivise organisations to use sustainable packaging. Momentum is slowly gathering with Australian companies, but we are lagging behind New Zealand where the supermarkets have mandated the removal of polystyrene packaging for all products supplied to them.

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The PKN Podcast is produced by Southern Skies Media on behalf of PKN Packaging News, owned and published by Yaffa Media.

The views of the people featured on this podcast do not necessarily represent the views of PKN Packaging News, Yaffa Media, or the guest’s employer. The contents are copyright by Yaffa Media.

If you wish to use any of this podcast’s audio, please contact PKN Packaging News via their website www.packagingnews.com.au or send an email to [email protected].

MC: Grant McHerron

Host: Lindy Hughson

Editor: Chris Visscher

Producer: Steve Visscher

PKN Packaging News - (c) 2020