Förpackning och förpackningsavfall : Vem bär ansvar i en tänkt försörjningskedja för en plastförpackning för livsmedel

Sammanfattning: An increased use of packaging has contributed to an increase of packaging waste. The purpose of this study is to identify how different organizations and consumer in a conceived supply chain affect waste disposal of packaging, how organizations and consumer can act and what obstacles and opportunities they encounter to contribute to a more environmentally friendly food packaging. The aesthetic ability of plastics, low weight and that the material is relatively inexpensive contributes to increase the use of plastic for packaging every year, as well as plastic packaging waste. Plastics can cause damage to animals and nature when the waste goes to landfill, and the raw material extraction of fossil raw materials continues if the packaging material is not minimized, reused or recycled. A certain packaging design and choice of material can contribute to increased profitability for the company, e.g. through resource minimization, marketing advantages and easier handling of packaging in the logistics flow. The design can also attract consumers to purchases as well as contribute to reuse, recycling, energy recovery or landfill waste of packaging. The increase in packaging has contributed to policy guidelines on waste management and statutory producer responsibility has develop. Food manufacturers are therefore responsible for the packaging they sell on the market even after consumers have used the product, which means they are responsible for establish collection- and recycling stations as well as waste minimization for packaging. The empirical research consists of ten interviewed companies and an anonymous consumer survey, which is divided into six different positions that may exist in a supply chain. All interviews and consumer research have touched upon subjects such as materials, recycling and environmental work that are associated with packaging. Due to the position of the different organizations and consumer in the supply chain and their views, actions and knowledge in different areas of the report, there is a variation in the collected data. Despite the organizations different viewpoints of packaging, packaging design and its environmental impact is influenced and influence all the organizations and consumer in the supply chain. To reduce the environmental impact of packaging the organization and consumer should consider packaging design, choice of materials and contribute to more sustainable actions for organizations and consumer. For example, through collaborations, reduced raw material extraction through material minimization, reuse and/or recycling, marketing, sorting waste and recycling processes.