应对在高泄露市场塑料软包装污染的潜在作用

The role it couldplay in tacklingsmall-format ABOUT THIS REPORT WHY THIS REPORT HOW THIS REPORT AIMS TO CONTRIBUTE This report provides a vision and guardrails for the rolepaper-based packaging could play in tackling small-format flexible plastic pollution in markets with high Tackling flexible plastic packaging waste and pollution isessential to solving plastic pollution.The Ellen MacArthurFoundation’s decade of work on this challenge, culminatingin the2030 Plastics Agenda for Business, identifies it as It also lays out what is needed to realise the vision andguardrails in practice,including pathways to accelerateinnovation in responsible design, production and sourcing, As interest in paper-based flexible packaging as asolution pathway is increasing, important questionsare also emergingabout its benefits, risks, and limitations, The findings draw on extensive input and expertise froma wide range of stakeholders.More than 60 experts fromacross NGOs, brands, manufacturers of paper and plasticpackaging, and academics contributed insights. Researchfrom the Consumer Goods Forum’s Plastic Waste Coalitionof Action informed this work, supported by a dedicatedtechnical review of compostability and biodegradability THE SCOPE OF THIS REPORT This report focuses on small-format flexible packagingin markets with high leakage rates, where the impactsof flexible plastic packaging are most acute and theopportunity most significant.By paper-based flexiblepackaging, we mean flexible packaging mainly made from The report does not prescribe any individual business, product, consumer segment, or country-level choices.Instead, it offers guiding principles to support case-by-casedecision-making that should be made with considerablelocal stakeholder engagement, recognising that outcomes Flexible plastic waste is a global problem, but the natureof the challenge — and the solutions required — varieswidely by context.In some countries, flexible packagingis largely collected, but typically ends up incinerated,landfilled, or exported;1in others, low collection rates andwidespread waste mismanagement lead to high levels ofleakage into the environment. In markets with high leakage All packaging materials should be subject to anequivalent level of scrutiny and high standards.Whilethis report is focused on paper-based flexibles, any other Markets with formal collection systems and lower leakagerates are not part of the scope of this report.Any use of The analysis centres on small-format flexible packagingsized A5 or smaller, such as sachets, wrappers, pouches,and small pillow bags.It examines primary, business-to-consumer (B2C) packaging,3which makes up a large share EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Paper-based flexible packaging has thepotential to help tackle one of the mostchallenging sources of plastic packaging More progress is urgently needed to tackle Lightweight, functional, convenient, and cost effective,flexible plastic packaging has become ubiquitous and is thefastest growing category of plastic packaging5— yet it isalso the hardest to manage after use. Because of its smallsize and low value, small-format flexible packaging is rarely Tackling this challenge requires multipletools. Paper can be an important oneof these — but only if it is ‘responsibly Tackling this challenge requires multiple tools, withno single solution.Since their size is the main barrierto collection, opportunities to reduce reliance on small-format flexibles should be prioritised wherever feasible.Where flexible formats continue to be used, any material Promising innovations are emerging,but paper packaging that meets theserequirements does not yet exist at thescale, cost, and performance needed.This report therefore calls for urgent, Responsibly designed paper-based flexible packaginghas the potential to offer a valuable additional tool. Its fundamental advantage over plastic-based flexiblepackaging is that it could be more easily designedto be recyclable and biodegradable across differentenvironments.7In geographies with high leakage rates, thiscould reduce persistent plastic pollution in the undesired PAPER-BASEDFLEXIBLES It is crucial for paper-based flexible packaging to beresponsibly designed and sourced to avoid introducingsubstantial new environmental and social risks.A shiftto paper can carry its own risks, including contributing toforest degradation and biodiversity loss,8high water use,and methane emissions when landfilled in unmanaged sites. Six critical criteria define responsibly designed small-format paper-based flexible packaging.Together, theyprovide clear guardrails and guidance for innovators,businesses, and investors, showing how paper can play a •does not contribute to forest degradation•minimises environmental impacts during production•meets technical, economic, and consumer needs•is compatible with recycling in local systemswhen collected Action will be required across four key areasto accelerate the development ofrespo