Plastic Packaging Reduction Summit: A Focus for Grocers, Quick Service Restaurants & Large Retailers

The event facilitated a dialogue about current opportunities and challenges related to plastic packaging. The goal was to identify potential steps to divert plastic waste from landfills and reduce our reliance on plastic packaging.

On March 5, Divert NS hosted the Plastic Packaging Reduction Summit: A Focus for Grocers, Quick Service Restaurants & Retailers in Dartmouth. The goals of the event included: to facilitate a dialogue about current opportunities and challenges related to plastic packaging; and to identify potential steps to divert plastic waste from landfills and reduce our reliance on plastic packaging. (Read the summit story in the Innovation Series section.)

Attendees heard presentations on Provincial and Federal plastic reduction initiatives and policies, and received updates on reduction initiatives and pilot projects within in grocery stores, restaurants and retail stores. Presentations from representatives of the plastic packaging manufacturers and distributors highlighted innovative developments in packaging design and efforts from that industry to reduce environmental impact.

Almost 80 key stakeholders attended the event, including industry representatives from the grocery, retail, and restaurant sectors; federal and provincial government staff; municipal waste management representatives; plastic packaging manufacturers and processors; university stakeholders; and environmental organizations. The event’s built-in networking opportunities proved to facilitate many meaningful connections between attendees.

The following presentations were delivered at the Summit:

• Provincial Update on Plastic Reduction, Ashley David, Nova Scotia Environment
• Federal Plastic Reduction Initiatives, Angela Ebsworth, Environment & Climate Change Canada
• Reducing the Negative Impact of Plastics on the Environment, Alain Brandon, Loblaw Companies Limited
• Walmart Sustainable Packaging, Jennifer Barbazza, Walmart Canada
• Plastic Packaging Reduction, Vittoria Varalli, Sobeys
• Nova Scotia’s Food Service Industry and Sustainability, Luc Erjavec, Restaurants Canada
• Using our Scale for Good, Julie May, McDonald’s Restaurants of Canada Limited
• IKEA Plastic Reduction, Jason Lehman, IKEA Halifax
• Perspectives from Manufacturers/Distributors of Plastic Packaging:
  • Joel Rudolph, Farnell Packaging
  • Andrew Sherlock, Vale Packaging
  • Jason During, Veritiv Canada

During the event, attendees had the opportunity to brainstorm key challenges, opportunities and next steps to decrease the amount of plastic packaging used within Nova Scotia.