Global standards to mark new era for packaging and environment

| Standards push reuse, recycling, energy recovery and composting
| Final texts approved in May; to be published in October

New ISO world standards to be published in October this year will mark the beginning of a new era in global manufacturing and distribution, according to Dutch packaging association NVC.
 
NVC has a network of 14.000 individuals and more than 550 member companies. The NVC membership, education program and information services offer support in sustainable packaging innovation.
 
It said the new ISO world standards on packaging and the environment were unanimously approved in the plenary meeting of ISO Committee TC122/SC4 Packaging and Environment (pictured, top), which took place at the COEX Conference Centre in the South Korean capital Seoul.
 

Optimization of the packaging system

The standards address optimization of the packaging system, and cover reuse, material recycling, energy recovery and composting, as well as the way these aspects of each package are related to each other before and after its use.
 
Every responsible retailer, manufacturer and packaging supplier can implement the standards in their management system and thereby take responsibility for their specific part in the sustainable innovation of packages, packaged products, retail and recycling, NVC said.
 
The final texts of the ISO world standards on packaging and the environment have been released for translation and publication in October.
 
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