UnPacked22, the second sustainable packaging event for the pet industry wrapped up on February 24th, 2022. The three day event presented extensive content from speakers, including packaging experts, recycling professionals and circular economy experts. There were also two informative workshops, three networking sessions, as well as panels composed of pet companies discussing real sustainable action they’ve taken over the last 12 months.
Throughout the event, many ideas were shared on ways to change how the pet industry uses packaging. Change can only happen by taking first steps, and there are many straightforward actions each pet industry business can take. If you were unable to attend UnPacked22 this year, don’t stress – we’ve made it simple to take action with a top 7 list below.
Here is a list of the top 7 actions identified during UnPacked22:
- Take the Pet Sustainability Coalition’s Packaging Pledge. Commit to 100% recyclable, refillable, and/or compostable packaging by 2025. You can book time with the PSC packaging team to learn more about the program, or donate towards this important initiative for the pet industry.
- Measure your current packaging footprint. No reduction or packaging strategy is complete without first understanding your baseline. Utilize tools like the Plastics IQ tool from PSC partner, the Recycling Partnership to build personalized, data-based action plans to address plastic waste and realize circularity and corporate sustainability goals.
- Offset what you can’t reduce. Consider adding plastic offsets to your current sustainable packaging strategy. Reach out to PSC to learn more about our current packaging offsetting partners and programs.
- Keep an eye on expensive legislative changes in your area and leverage these to afford packaging improvements instead of paying fees. Ensure you have a method to track packaging-related legislation in the geographies where you operate + sell.
- Implement standardizing labeling on all products, regardless of current end of life options.
- Make data-driven packaging changes. Consider partnering with PSC to perform a life cycle assessment to truly understand the social and environmental impacts of packaging changes before you make them!
- Donate to the Pet Sustainability Coalition’s Sustainable Packaging Fund to ensure programs like Flex Forward (the pet industry’s only all inclusive return-to-retail collection program for flexible packaging) and the PSC Packaging Pledge continue to provide transformational solutions for the entire industry to address our 3 million lb. packaging footprint.
Not every action will be the right fit for your company at this time. That’s okay. Pick one, two, maybe three that are the easiest to act on now. And remember, you are not alone. The Pet Sustainability Coalition offers four membership levels to help your company measure, improve, and celebrate your company as it advances its environmental and social practices. Contact Us Now.
