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- Appropriate packaging plays an essential role in the safe delivery of crop protection products to the point of use.
- Packaging protects both the environment and operator from unnecessary exposure.
- The plant science industry recognises the environmental issues associated with used packaging and promotes safe disposal or re-use
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Packaging plays an essential role in ensuring that crop protection products are delivered in appropriate amounts to the intended targets, whilst minimising risks of leakage in the supply chain and protecting operators from exposure. The Plant Science Industry also recognises the need to manage packaging to meet other environmental goals, by reducing the amount, reusing where possible and recycling waste. Considerable research has been undertaken to design appropriate, reliable and easy to use packaging that addresses both environmental and safety requirements.
In light of these issues, and as part of industry's commitment to the life-cycle approach of product stewardship, several major programmes for container recycling are in operation in a number of countries across the world. These are often run in a partnership between industry and government.
In 2005 there were 28 established container management programmes in which CropLife member associations play a major role. These mainly, though not exclusively, deal with recycling of plastic containers. Rates of recycling range from 3% to 92%, with increasing amounts being returned and recycled each year. Assuming that the estimated global amount of plastic containers entering the market is 190,000 tonnes (an estimate based on global sales figures for crop protection products), the % recycled in 2005 was 17.3; this compares favourably with many other recycling schemes. The most successful programmes have been voluntary rather than mandatory. Currently the programmes are located mainly, but not exclusively, in OECD countries and in Latin America. The industry's goal is to actively promote the expansion of current container management programmes and those in new regions and countries, including developing countries, based on the lessons learnt and 'best practices' developed in regions where recycling is now the norm. There are now pilot programmes being established in Africa and Asia.
Recycling of plastic (the focus of most programmes) can be either through ‘energy recovery,’ where the plastic is used as a fuel source for incineration; this is mainly used in Europe. Alternatively, the plastic is recycled as other products, such as electrical conduit, fence posts or void filling in concrete structures. These are the main methods of recycling in the Americas. When recycled as alternative products, the philosophy is that the end product should be one that is handled to a minimum. Other recycling options such as re-use of containers for crop protection products are little used.
A major issue is cost-effectiveness of recycling programmes. With plastic, this is greatly affected by the classification of the waste plastic. Proper rinsing of containers (triple rinsed or pressure rinsed) can remove >99.99% of any residue in the container. In many countries, properly rinsed containers are classified as non-hazardous material. However, some countries classify as hazardous, which increases costs for collection, transport and disposal and jeopardises the sustainability of any container management programme. It is CropLife’s position that scientific evidence shows that properly rinsed plastic containers should be classified as non-hazardous.
In areas where recycling is not yet an option, the industry promotes the appropriate disposal of containers as part of its extensive Safe Use training programmes. This includes simple but effective practices such as triple rinsing to ensure that used packaging is free from significant product residues. CropLife International continues to keep container management as a priority issue for both operator and environmental protection.