LONDON (News release) -- Leading sustainable packaging provider, DS Smith, announces the rollout of a service for businesses to evaluate the recyclability levels of their packaging, becoming the first integrated paper, packaging, and recycling company to do so. The service is designed to meet the growing sustainability demands of consumers and organisations while, crucially, addressing the ongoing changes in packaging legislation.
Regulations are constantly evolving to provide increased focus on establishing more sustainable packaging solutions. With so many demands on packaging, from recyclability through to performance and aesthetics, meeting all these demands does not come without its challenges.
To help businesses solve these challenges, DS Smith's Recyclability Evaluation Service (RES) performs specific tests to determine the recyclability of fibre-based packaging in standard paper mills across Europe. Tests will be undertaken in a state-of-the-art Fibre Development Laboratory at their Kemsley Paper Mill with each test performed in line with industry standards from both CEPI and 4evergreen. Customers will receive detailed data, and a report summarising the findings, along with a recyclability score from -100 to +100 and conclusion on suitability for recycling in standard paper mills.
Beyond the testing service, RES will offer businesses the opportunity to consult with DS Smith's Design and Innovation Team overall recyclability of their packaging. It was the work of this team that played a significant role in DS Smith recently hitting their target of replacing more than one billion pieces of plastic over a year ahead of schedule.[1]
Each one of DS Smith's designers have been trained in the company's Circular Design Principles and Circular Design Metrics, created in partnership with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation. These help to assess performance against areas such as recycled content and recyclability, indicative estimated CO2 emissions, levels of excess waste and supply chain parameters in partnership with customers. Since their launch, over 100,000 packaging design decisions have been influenced by the company's Circular Design Metrics.
Jonathan Edmunds, Head of Recyclability, Sustainability and Government Affairs at DS Smith Recycling, commented: "I'm thrilled to announce the rollout of RES to packaging producers of all sizes. We have ensured that 100% of our own packaging is recyclable but now we are shifting our focus beyond the packaging we produce. With a constantly evolving landscape, RES allows us to examine and improve the recyclability our customer's fibre-based packaging, ensuring they remain one step ahead.
Understanding the makeup of packaging is becoming increasingly valuable and, as the first integrated paper, packaging, and recycling business to offer this service to businesses, we are in the prime position to offer them advice. We don't just point out the problems, we can solve for them as well. For everyone interested in this service, simply follow this link to our website."
The launch of RES to all businesses follows a £750,000 investment made in the Fibre Development Laboratory in 2022 to research technologies that enhance the performance and sustainability qualities of fibre-based packaging, supporting DS Smith's companywide purpose of Redefining Packaging for a Changing World.DS Smith's Group Chief Executive has called for the new UK government to help make the UK a more attractive place to invest, and to align with EU regulation to support trade.
Miles Roberts, Group Chief Executive of DS Smith, shared industry insights on trade, investment and what is needed to support UK manufacturing. Speaking on the Wake Up to Money and Today Programmes, Miles Roberts noted:
Regulatory Alignment
It is an excellent moment for the new government to reset the relationship with the EU to support trade.
The EU is developing new legislation, but the UK is not keeping pace with the new standards which creates automatic divergence with our biggest trading partner, and generates avoidable costs to business.
We need regulatory alignment - unless something is demonstrably not in the UK's own interest, then we should be considering aligning with EU rules, so that we have less friction.
Supporting UK manufacturing and making the UK a more attractive place to invest
A vibrant, growing, UK manufacturing base could have a very significant and positive effect on the economy.
Alongside regulatory alignment with the EU, it is crucial that the government set out a long-term plan for infrastructure and energy solutions.
The UK will be a more attractive option for investment into manufacturing if a clear energy plan is set out.
Understanding the energy sources and connections, and how the grid's capacity will be enhanced to accommodate this, is critically important.
Miles Roberts, Group Chief Executive at DS Smith, commented: "Support for a vibrant, growing, UK manufacturing base will in turn support economic growth, and right now there is an excellent opportunity to reset and realign with the EU to help make that a reality. A failure to maintain the standards of our biggest trading bloc presents a cost, but if we can make sure that standards are common, it will reduce cost to British business, and in turn, the consumer. Unless something is demonstrably not in the UK's own interest, then we should be asking why we aren't aligning with EU rules.
"Aside from the need for regulatory alignment, British businesses need a long-term national industrial strategy that will support higher levels of investment and growth. For manufacturers, energy sources are critical - we need to understand the source and cost of energy, how we connect to it, if the power supply is sufficient, and how the grid will support it, before any planning to invest in new technologies or factories can happen. For our part, DS Smith has already invested into lower-carbon facilities in Italy and Poland, and into greener technologies in Germany, France and Spain, because we have ambitious decarbonisation targets and the industrial and energy policy frameworks in those countries are made clear. With a clear plan, the UK can underscore why it is an attractive place to invest, and growth can follow."
