Industry leaders establish recycling alliance
KUALA LUMPUR: Key industry leaders in the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) sector have teamed up to tackle the environmental impact from consumer packaging waste with sustainability-centred solutions.
The Malaysian Recycling Alliance (Marea) has been established to enable a voluntary, industry-led extended producer responsibility (EPR) group of likeminded companies to focus on boosting the value chain and improve collection and recycling of post-consumer packaging.
Marea comprises 10 members made up of Coca-Cola Malaysia, Colgate-Palmolive Malaysia, Dutch Lady Milk Industries, Etika Group, Fraser & Neave Malaysia, Mondelez International Malaysia, Nestle Malaysia, Spritzer, Tetra Pak Malaysia and Unilever Malaysia.
“Marea’s goals will primarily revolve around enhancing collection, promoting the use of recycled and renewable materials as well as minimising post-consumer packaging leakage into the environment” it said in a statement recently.
Among the initial tasks to be undertaken by Marea is to strengthen public-private collaborations as well as drive consumer education and awareness on better packaging waste disposal.
An incentive scheme will also be implemented via a pilot project where consumer packaging waste, including polyethylene terephthalate bottles, used beverage cartons, high-density polyethylene and flexible packaging, will be collected and channelled to recycling providers.
Marea chairman and chief executive officer of Nestle (M) Bhd Juan Aranols said alliance members decided that they must proactively take action by creating the first EPR platform to improve how consumer packaging waste is managed in Malaysia.