SIRANE’S Earth Packaging range could be one solution for manufacturers in Canada wondering how potential new packaging laws will affect them.
Canadian PM Justin Trudeau has promised a ban on single-use plastics by 2021- and is considering additional packaging laws “extending producer responsibility”.
This could see Canada follow a path that Germany started along this year, and the UK is also committed to – with producers footing the bill for waste disposal. Such a system is already in place in British Columbia, with Ontario tipped to follow.
Simon Balderson, Sirane MD, said: “Sirane’s Earth Packaging range is consistent with exactly what the Federal Government’s considering here. The packaging in this range is all either compostable or easily recyclable – any plastic is mono-layer.
“For example, our plastic-free Earthpouch is easily recyclable, it can go in with the paper. We have a range of absorbent pads which are either paper-based or are compostable, and our thermally-insulated bags contain a single plastic.
“Our aim with Earth Packaging was to offer a sustainable packaging source that fits with what the market actually needs. In many cases, particularly with food, the packaging is there for a very good reason… there’s no point reducing food packaging waste if it significantly increases the amount of food wasted.
“For any company looking to pre-empt what might be coming and move towards plastic-free and/or sustainable packaging now, before their arms are forced, then getting in touch with Sirane could be one the best decisions you make.”
Trudea’s government hasn’t yet announced which items will fall under the single-use plastic ban – but likely targets include plastic bags, straws, cutlery and plates. Businesses and other levels of government are going to be consulted on the issue.
More than 60 nations have now taken steps to reduce single-use plastics by imposing bans or taxes – the EU voted to ban the top-10 single-use items by 2021, and India’s PM Narendra Modi has declared to eliminate all single-use plastics by 2022.
Currently, less than 10% of all plastic used in Canada gets recycled.
Announcing the ban, Justin Trudeau said: “You’ve all heard the stories and seen the photos. To be honest, as a dad it is tough trying to explain this to my kids. How do you explain dead whales washing up on beaches across the world, their stomachs jam packed with plastic bags? How do I tell them that against all odds, you will find plastic at the very deepest point in the Pacific Ocean?”
Sirane’s Earth Packaging range – recyclable, compostable and sustainable packaging solutions – includes the multi award-winning plastic-free Earthpouch.
The Earthpouch is a plastic-free stand-up pouch. It is also available as Earthbag (not -free standing) and Earthfilm (film on reel for flow-wrapping applications).
Now available in standard, barrier and high barrier, the material is ideal for anyone looking to remove unnecessary plastics from their packaging. Although it is often used for food, the material can also be used for many non-food applications.
In November the pouch earnt a Green Apple Environment Award in the international campaign supporting eco-friendly practices. Finalists were presented with trophies and certificates at the UK House of Parliament on November 12 – having already battled against 500 nominations.
It was the second award in a matter of weeks – with the Earthpouch having taken first place in the Resource Efficient Pack of the Year category at the UK Packaging Awards, held at the Grosvenor House Hotel, London in October.
We’ve had endorsement from the UK Recycling Association – and recently gained the seal of approval from A Plastic Plant (APP) who certified it as plastic-free – allowing customers to apply to use the official plastic-free trust mark.
For just £50 per SKU, companies using the Earthpouch or Earthfilm can let their customers buy the product confident that it is 100% free of any plastic, by placing the trust mark in a prominent place on the front, visible on shelf.
Simon Balderson, Sirane MD, added: “We’re now working with a number of companies, in many different sectors, and I think it’s fair to say Earthpouch will be on a shelf near you very soon… the awards gained us some great exposure.
“One of the great things about the Earthpouch is it is also cost-effective, often environmentally-friendly packaging comes at a cost, with Earthpouch that’s not the case, there really are no negatives. We’ve been in the packaging industry long enough to know that companies just can’t absorb higher costs.
“We have customers packaging a variety of things, from cereals and nuts to protein powders and confectionary, and that list is growing by the month.”
The Earthpouch is just one of a range of compostable/recyclable products and packaging solutions Sirane has developed over the years – and it has been placed in our Earth Packaging range: compostable; recyclable and sustainable.
Simon Balderson, Sirane MD, added: “Our Earth Packaging range also includes compostable absorbent pads, paper-based pads which can be recycled, and bio-polymers which are compostable and can extend shelf-life in fresh produce.
“For anyone wanting to remove unnecessary plastics solutions are out there, and there’s companies like us working constantly on improving those solutions. If you’re serious about going plastic free, then why not give us a call today?”
Sirane is an innovative food packaging development-to-manufacture company, with expertise in absorbency and material science. Specialisms include bags and pouches, absorbent products, shelf-life extension and dual-ovenable products.
MD Simon Balderson will be among the guest speakers later this month at the Plastic-Free World Conference & Expo in Frankfurt, Germany. Simon will be talking on Day 2: June 28, as part of the food packaging stream, where the morning session will be ‘bio-based and non-plastic alternatives to traditional plastic packaging’.
The expo runs from June 27-28 – Sirane is also exhibiting, find us on Stand 11. A Plastic Planet will also be represented at Plastic-Free World Conference & Expo.
For more information, contact Jeremy Haydn-Davies on 01952 230055, email jeremy@sirane.com or visit our website which is www.sirane.com
