Visy says it has achieved an average of 63% recycled glass in its packaging across the ANZ region (this FY to date). The achievement represents a 5% increase compared to the 2023 financial year.

The inaugural Circular Economy Market Report by the Victorian government is, it says, a critical step towards the state’s transition to a more circular economy.

New research from CSIRO and the University of Toronto in Canada, estimates up to 11 million tonnes of plastic pollution is sitting on the ocean floor.

The AIP and sustainability software company Empauer have joined forces to offer what it says is a cost effective LCA Decision Package for small to medium enterprises in Australia, New Zealand and Asia.

Dow and P&G have entered a JDA to create a new recycling technology, aimed at the efficient conversion of hard-to-recycle plastic packaging into recycled PE with near-virgin quality.

TerraCycle is celebrating a decade of recycling hard-to-recycle waste streams in ANZ since starting locally in 2014, and keeping nearly 100 million items out of landfills and incinerators in the region.

Saveboard has recently taken used Tetra Pak and Sig Group cartons from Escape Coffee Roasters in New Zealand, and turned them into part of the building interior.

Non-compostable coffee cups will be banned throughout Western Australia in the state’s latest step away from single-use plastics and lids.

Pilot Pen Australia has released the preliminary results of its national refilling survey and trial of an Eco Pack of recycled pens, each in a paper pouch with three easy-to-grab refills.

A six-week trial for soft plastic recycling collections is currently underway in 12 Melbourne supermarkets, initiated by The Soft Plastics Taskforce. Close the Loop is one of the supporting recycling partners.

Secos Group, producer of MyEcoBag, has been successful in a joint industry-university bid to secure $40m in funds from the federal government to establish the CRC aimed at solving plastic waste.

Return and Earn has reached a major new milestone, celebrating 11 billion bottles, cans and cartons returned through the return point network for recycling in NSW since the scheme began in 2017.

Territory Pharmacy has launched the first free, territory-wide blister packs recycling program in the Northern Territory, in partnership with recycling company TerraCycle.

Amcor has been included in the S&P Global Sustainability Yearbook 2024, placing the global leader in packaging solutions among the top eight per cent of S&P-assessed companies in 2023.

Containers for Change has launched its new pick-up on-demand collection service for WA, which will allow the state to return their 10c containers easily and conveniently.

Sustainability was a strong theme at the annual Active & Intelligent Packaging Association congress in Amsterdam. Andrew Manly, who will be speaking at APPEX on Day One during the IPPO Forum, filed this report.