GLOBAL – The “go green revolution” has got a new boost following a decision by the World Design Organization (WDO) and the World Packaging Organisation (WPO) to partner in exploring opportunities for sustainable design in the packaging industry.

According to a report by FoodBev, the aim of the partnership is to drive advancements in the materials that package and protect everyday products such as food so as to foster safety and useability while at the same time reducing impact on environment.

To achieve this objective, the two organisations have signed a memorandum of understanding to “leverage their shared commitment for sustainability and education” to organise a range of collaborative projects.

The partnership will focus particularly on training initiatives for designers working in the field of packaging design and technology.

“Now, more than ever, as we work to decrease our global waste streams and protect our environment, it is imperative that we invest and support innovation in the packaging sector and ensure that all designers understand both its potential impact and benefits,” said WDO president, Srini Srinivasan.

“With this new partnership, WDO looks forward to working alongside the World Packaging Organisation to further our parallel missions of bettering global quality of life.”

“Now, more than ever, as we work to decrease our global waste streams and protect our environment, it is imperative that we invest and support innovation in the packaging sector and ensure that all designers understand both its potential impact and benefits.”

WDO president – Srini Srinivasan.

WPO president, Pierre Pienaar, on his part noted that design is one of the key pillars in the development of successful, sustainable and acceptable packaging.

“Designs of the future must be in accordance with the circular economy of packaging and always striving to reduce the demand on our global natural resources,” Pierre Pienaar said.

Packaging of food and other products is considered one of the biggest polluters of the environment.

Plastic packaging has been particularly blamed for the pollution of oceans and other water bodies which become the final destination of plastics after use by humans.

According to a report by the World Counts, about 5 trillion plastics are produced every year, with only 9% being recycled and a huge chunk of others ending up in the ocean and seas where they affect marine life.

The World Counts notes that if this trend continues unchecked, By 2050, the world’s oceans could contain more plastic than fish measure by weight.

It is this impact that has caught the attention of consumers and now food manufacturers want to engage in responsible packaging by producing environment friendly packages.

The partnership between WDO and WPO is an important boost to this iniatives as it will provide the necessary technical know how required to help food manufactures sustainably package their foods.

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