KIDV releases The State of Sustainable Packaging

“One hundred percent circularity is a utopia,” says KIDV director Chris Bruijnes. “We should therefore be working on packaging methods that do not harm people or the environment.”

The State of Sustainable Packaging offers a strategic perspective on the necessary collaboration and innovations with regard to sustainable packaging. The publication identifies the social and economic bottlenecks that stand in the way of sustainable packaging. The causes are diverse; consequently, there is no easy solution to be found.

Three innovation tracks

To tackle these bottlenecks, the KIDV has developed a strategy with three innovation tracks that offer short-, medium- and long-term effects. These range from more and better recycling - which has already been achieved in some countries - to increased circularity and ultimately to intrinsic sustainability. Chris Bruijnes: “The entire chain has to get involved. Parties should not be afraid to completely overhaul their production, logistics and consumption. This method of innovation is incompatible with the going concern in business operations; instead, it requires a focus on the future. We advocate the development of new chains with entrepreneurs, researchers, policy makers and citizens/consumers to substantiate and realise the transition towards an intrinsically sustainable society.”

This autumn, the KIDV will begin executing the strategy outlined in The State of Sustainable Packaging. An online event with various European organisations will be held on 17 September (16.00-18.00 hrs). Following this event, activities with and for these international partners will be organised in order to further concretise the road towards intrinsically sustainable packaging. You can register in advance here. 

Below you can download The State of Sustainable Packaging as pdf. Also watch our video. Click here for an interview with Chris Bruijnes. Would you prefer to read the publication hard-copy? Then request the book version here. 

KIDV-Director Chris Bruijnes calls The State of Sustainable Packaging an assignment for the parties in the packaging chain to find a sustainable alternative that critically meets our packaging needs and completely eliminates the negative consequences of packaging. "The path of recycling and circularity we are now on as a society will partly solve the packaging dilemma. One hundred percent circularity is a utopia."

Read the interview here.