Grant funding for packaging environmental assessment tool

The Sustainable Packaging Alliance has received two Commonwealth government grants to support the development of its prototype rapid packaging environmental impact assessment tool, PIQET.

The Department of Environment and Heritage has provided funding of $100,000 to contribute to the development of PIQET's algorithms in a prototype tool.

These algorithms will convert complex life cycle assessments (LCA), environmental data and packaging waste management and recycling data into business decision-making information.

The algorithms are being developed based on case studies provided by five food and beverage company sponsors (Cadbury Schweppes, Lion Nathan, Masterfoods Australia New Zealand, Nestle Australia and Simplot Australia) and with SME consultation through Stoney Creek Oil.

The Department of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts, as part of its Information Technology Online program (ITOL), has provided funding of $130,750 to enable a web-based platform of the tool to be developed from the algorithms.

The web-based platform will provide the operating framework for further developing the tool and providing access to integrate environmental decision making into packaging design for Australian businesses.

By using PIQET, companies will be able to model each component and different packaging formats and demonstrate to company stakeholders such as customers, suppliers, shareholders and government, a continuous improvement approach to packaging sustainability.

The tool will report against a range of environmental indicators including depletion of non-renewable resources, generation of greenhouse gases, energy use, landfill and litter, the National Packaging Covenant (NPC) key performance indicators (KPIs) and the Environmental Code of Practice for Packaging (ECoPP).

Further information on the Sustainable Packaging Alliance is available at www.sustainablepack.org.