Page 45 - Plastics News February 2024

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Utah: Virgina: Washington’s existing solid waste
HB 107 would amend the recycling HB 228 would set recycling labeling management system.
facility transparency law to add new requirements. HB 2049 would create an EPR pro-
reporting requirements for haulers Washington: gram for paper and packaging.
and materials recycling facility (MRF) HB 2144 would create a container
operators. HB 1900 would require strategies to deposit system.
achieve higher recycling rates within

Study: Easy sign-up, strong design key for reuse systems

surveyed said that it is “extremely “With a steady drumbeat of coher-
important” that brands offer reus- ent messaging and visibility, using and
able products and packaging and 47% returning reusable packaging can be-
used the reusable product or service come intuitive to customers,” the re-
in question weekly. port stated.
Roughly 85% of customers surveyed Challenges
planned to return the reusable pack- The report noted that “customer un-
aging, while the remaining 15% said derstanding of every step in a reuse
they would opt to keep it for personal system – from collection to cleaning
study of 300 people who regular- use, the report found. An “over- to redistribution – remains murky.”
A ly use reusable packaging showed whelming majority of customers sur- “Customers strongly favored a
that reuse systems need minimal and veyed understood that the product/ streamlined, straightforward enroll-
streamlined technology, reminders to solution they are using is reusable,” ment flow, with minimal technological
return packaging and more options to but about 3% were unaware that it hurdles to cross,” the report added.
be successful. was reusable. “Introducing more than two extra

The report comes from Closed Loop When asked about cost, 45% of cus- steps into the sign up process quickly
Partners’ Center for the Circular tomers said the price of the reusable becomes burdensome for custom-
Economy and the U.S. Plastics Pact. item in question was “about the same ers.”
The study surveyed 300 people along as a single-use alternative.” Education, communication and inten-
with 16 reusable packaging innovators Of the 300 surveyed early adopters tional design choices “that balance
in the Reuse Catalyst program. That of reuse systems, 55% considered utility, sustainability and appeal” are
program includes nine business-to- themselves “extremely concerned other keys for successful reuse sys-
business companies, five business-to- about climate change.” Most cited tems, the report added.
consumer companies and two brick less waste as the main benefit of us-
and mortar stores. It was launched in ing reusable packaging. The 16 busi- “It’s important to note that overly
February 2023 by Closed Loop Part- nesses also largely said the same. desirable aesthetics may hinder re-
ners, the U.S. Plastics Pact, the Reus- The main disadvantage cited by cus- use participation,” the report found.
able Packaging Association and World tomers was the lack of convenience. “If reusable packaging is too appeal-
Wildlife Fund. Business owners noted that the in- ing, customers may opt to keep them,
defeating the purpose. Some packag-
“If we seamlessly integrate reusable creased expense compared to single- ing is iconic, implying a certain value
packaging into peoples’ daily lives and use alternatives was their biggest chal- that customers want to retain. Reuse
routines, removing friction or barri- lenge, but over half of the businesses innovators must walk this line in their
ers, we can transform reuse from a surveyed also noted that customer design process.”
lofty ideal into an everyday habit,” the engagement is the largest opportunity
report stated. for the growth of reusables at their
More than half (56%) of customers company.

PLASTICS NEWS 47
February 2024