This European Week for Waste Reduction, Winfried Mühling, Marketing and Communications Director, Pro Carton, calls for packaging to be seen as a resource, not waste.
He says, “Packaging is often viewed as a single-use item, but in reality, it is an extremely valuable resource. At Pro Carton, we believe that no packaging should end up as waste; rather, it should be a continuous asset within the recycling system. When packaging is designed to be circular from the outset, it can transform into a secondary raw material, enabling the creation of new, high-quality packaging and advancing our shared environmental goals.”
He continues, “A robust collection and recycling process lies at the heart of our strategy to reduce packaging waste in Europe. Recycling not only limits waste, but supports the drive towards a more circular economy. This approach resonates with consumers, who overwhelmingly trust and participate in Europe’s collection and recycling systems, particularly for cartonboard. This consumer trust is reflected in the latest data: in 2022, cartonboard recycling rates in Europe further increased to levels of 83.2%, as noted by Eurostat.”
He concludes, “To build on this progress, we urge all stakeholders during European Week for Waste Reduction – an event of growing significance for our sector, especially in light of COP29’s renewed commitments – to support the separate collection of fibre-based materials. This step is essential to secure high-quality input for recycling, which enables the production of stronger, more sustainable packaging solutions. European Week for Waste Reduction is a timely reminder of the power of circularity, so together, with responsible design, effective recycling, and consumer participation, we can ensure that packaging remains a valuable, reusable resource, driving Europe toward a more sustainable, low-carbon future.”
