Issue No.10
THE PACKAGING COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA
"The Packaging Council of Australia is a national Association of raw material suppliers, packaging manufacturers, packaging users, retailers and packaging designers/consultants.

The Packaging Council of Australia, on behalf of its members, will provide effective leadership and representation on major issues which impact the packaging industry to all interested parties including the government and the media.

The issues will predominantly be those which affect more than one member or industry group and which demand strong industry representation.

The Packaging Council of Australia will actively promote the benefits of packaging, particularly to schools, government and other groups interested in packaging."
Mission Statement
KEY POINTS:
  • The Packaging Council of Australia is the peak industry association for the Australian packaging industry.
  • The Council's Objectives, Code of Ethics and Environmental Code of Practice are indicative of the commitment of member companies to responsible and effective management of the way they produce their products.
  • Environmental activities will remain the dominant focus of the Council's activities in the years ahead. The packaging industry has a strong and positive environmental record and one that it will build on.
  • The Packaging Council invests considerable resources in producing a range of educational and other material for schools, tertiary institutions and the general community.
  • The promotion of uniform packaging and labelling legislation across Australia is another aim of the Council.
The Packaging Council of Australia, which was formed in 1978, is the national industry association and the voice of the Australian packaging industry. The Council's National Office is based in Melbourne. Funding for the Council is substantially derived from membership subscriptions.

The Council is a member and on the governing body of a number of related organisations including the Asian Packaging Federation. It also acts to co-ordinate other organisations, as appropriate, when responding to government inquiries and broad industry issues.


OBJECTIVES

The objectives of the Packaging Council of Australia are as follows:
  1. To actively promote the benefits of packaging including the financial and employment significance of the packaging industry to governments, educationalists, retailers, the media and the overall community.
  2. To make submissions to appropriate government inquiries which may impact on the future opportunities of the packaging industry.
  3. To effectively lead and participate in the environmental debate concerning the packaging industry, particularly in the areas of resource conservation, litter reduction, solid waste management, waste minimisation and recycling.
  4. To co-ordinate the combined interests of the packaging industry, its suppliers and customers in any activities where collective representation is desirable.
  5. To conduct education and training programs to improve the technical skills of individuals and companies engaged in the packaging industry and to conduct technical meetings, conferences and exhibitions aimed at promoting excellence in packaging and improving the awareness and understanding of packaging and its role in our modern and developing society.
  6. To ensure that PCA members, governments and relevant groups interested in packaging are well informed on all major issues, achievements and actions.
  7. To establish and maintain relationships with other packaging related bodies in Australia and overseas, and bring together organisations with common interests to exchange technical and other relevant information.
Packaging Industry Code of Ethics
  1. Packaging must comply with all legal requirements.
  2. Packaging should conform to relevant standards issued by Standards Australia.
  3. The package should protect the contents under normal conditions of climate, handling, distribution, retailing and subsequent use.
  4. The packaging must be designed to use materials as economically as practicable, while at the same time having due regard to protection, preservation, and finally the presentation of the product.
  5. The package must be constructed of materials which have no adverse effect on the contents if stored, handled and consumed in a manner, and within a period of time, considered reasonable for both package and contents.
  6. The package should be designed with regard to its possible effect on the environ-ment, its ultimate disposal and recycling and reuse where appropriate.
  7. The package shall not contain unnecessary void volume, or mislead as to the amount, character or nature of the product it contains.
  8. The package should be convenient for the consumer to handle and use. The method of opening (and reclosing, where required) should either be obvious, or indicated and should be convenient and appropriate for the particular product and its use.
  9. All appropriate information about the product and package should be presented concisely and clearly on the package.
  10. Environmental and marketing claims for a package shall be based on scientific data and be capable of substantiation, and make no reference to any other package type or material.


 Environmental Code of Practice for Packaging

The Packaging Council of Australia, in conjunction with the Plastics and Chemicals Industry Association, the Litter and Recycling Research Association and the Australian Chamber of Manufactures, has developed an Environmental Code of Practice for Packaging.

The Code provides companies with guidelines to help evaluate the environmental impact of new packaging materials and products. It is administered by a Management Committee consisting of representatives of the organisations listed above and other relevant associations.

The Council's Activities

As an industry association representing a wide range of companies with diverse interests, the Packaging Council of Australia is involved in numerous issues and activities. The major areas of interest are:

• The Environment

Environmental activities have been a major focus for the packaging industry for a number of years, and will remain so. Packaging has been under attack as "unnecessary" and "wasteful" and criticised as a visible part of the litter stream.

Yet packaging is not a major contributor to Australia's environmental problems. It comprises only about 10% of the urban solid waste stream. The industry has a long history of environmental responsibility, being involved in recycling long before the environment became a popular issue. In addition to recycling, the packaging industry has made a major environmental contribution in the form of light weighting or source reduction, where significant weight reductions have been common over the last decade.

Overall, the Australian packaging industry has strong credentials as a net waste reducer. Packaging actually reduces waste. For example, by allowing centralised food processing it permits large-scale recycling of food residues. Without packaging, materials handling would be a messy, inefficient and costly exercise.

• International Competitiveness

The issue of international competitiveness of Australian packaging has come to the forefront in recent years as the processed food, horticulture and other sectors seek to expand their exports, particularly into the Asia Pacific region.

The Australian packaging industry is outward looking and export-oriented to an unprecedented degree. It is winning an increasing amount of business in the global packaging market. This focus on winning international business will continue, requiring the Australian packaging industry to constantly monitor its performance against international competitors.

The future of the Australian packaging and processed food and horticultural industries are closely linked. For both industries, the high growth opportunities are to be found overseas.

• Education

The Council involves itself extensively in educational and community programs. It produces a range of educational material for schools and tertiary institutions.

It also sponsors and organises annual awards including: the Australian Packaging Awards for commercial packages; the Southern Cross Package Design Awards for innovation and excellence in student graphic and industrial design; and the Packaging Achiever Award which is awarded to an individual or group for an outstanding contribution in the field of packaging.

• Industry Standards

The Packaging Council promotes uniformity of packaging and labelling legislation across Australia. It does this through the continuing development and review of industry standards and the application of consistent environmental standards in all States and Territories.
CONCLUSION
Competition between packaging companies and different types of packaging is intense. Yet under the umbrella of the Packaging Council, member companies co-operate to promote a wider understanding of the issues surrounding packaging.

Drawing on the knowledge of members operating at every stage in the distribution chain, the Packaging Council of Australia is uniquely placed to promote and explain the functions, benefits and effects of packaging to the entire community.
Read other Issues Papers:

No.01 - "Combustion with Energy Recovery"
No.02 - "Life Cycle Analysis"
No.03 - "Managing Packaging Waste in Europe - Lessons for Australia"
No.04 - "Waste Management "
No.05 - "Litter"
No.06 - "Mandatory Deposits"
No.07 - "Excessive Packaging"
No.08 - "Recycling"
No.09 - "Australian Packaging - How Competitive?"
No.11 - "Mandatory Minimum Recycled Content"
No.12 - "Eco-Labelling"
No.13 - "Packaging - Ten Trends for The Next Ten Years"
No.14 - "Packaging - It's Essential Role"
No.15 - "The Internet - What it Means for Australian Packaging"
No.16 - "Single, Active, Post-Materialistic, and Grey?"
No.17 - "Digitisation in Printing - Implications for Packaging"
No.18 - "Australian Packaging: Issues and Trends"