Reusable Packaging System Design Standard: Container Design Standard

Single-use packaging is a critical threat to human health and the environment. Research shows that reuse has the greatest potential to dramatically reduce plastic production and greenhouse gas emissions compared to other packaging waste interventions. As reusable packaging systems have emerged and expanded in recent years, they have been designed independently and are mostly small-scale, disconnected, and proprietary. They mostly operate within their own systems for collection and reverse logistics. The Container Design Standard represents one component of the Reusable Packaging System Design Standard. The goal of the Reusable Packaging System Design standard is to transform disconnected reuse systems into an interoperable system that is more efficient, convenient, and affordable and has the ability to truly scale. The key benefits of standardized reuse systems include: • The potential for reusable packaging from multiple companies and retailers to share the same core infrastructure and services (e.g., collection points, transportation, and washing); • Per-use packaging comparable to single-use packaging; and • Dramatically decreased climate and environmental impact compared to single-use packaging. The Container Design Standard provides instructions for aligning container design across brands and companies in a way that enables sharing of container collection points, washing facilities, and logistics. This proposed New Standard is being developed at the request of Environment & Climate Change Canada as it aligns with the Government of Canada’s circular economy priorities . The standards will be developed with US Standards Development Organization, Resolve, and will provide the industry with harmonized, binational standards between Canada and the US on Container Design to support reuse systems. As economies transition to reuse, these system standards have the potential to impact communities, consumers, workers, businesses, governments, and other stakeholders. This will meet the strategic needs of the following key interests: a) Industries, retailers, brand owners and packaging designers that intend to operate containers in a reuse system b) Ensuring consumers and communities are provided with the appropriate knowledge to participate in and engage with reuse systems c) Addressing Canadian and US federal government circular economy/waste reduction priorities and needs by providing suitable requirements for reuse systems; and aligning Canadian and US federal government reuse systems