Following the launch of the ground-breaking open standard for plastic packaging data, Open 3P, in September 2022, the consortium behind the project has secured additional funding from Innovate UK for Phase 2 work to expand the standard and develop a data-sharing platform.
The Open 3P standard provides a common framework to help all the stakeholders involved in manufacturing, selling and recycling plastic packaging to share data with regulators and government agencies, as well as with each other. With the ultimate aim of lowering the environmental footprint of plastic packaging, its development was a highly collaborative effort between project partners Dsposal, OPRL, Open Data Manchester, RECOUP and Ecosurety.
Extended Producer Responsibility
“With the new packaging Extended Producer Responsibility legislation requiring organisations to collect and share more detailed data on the packaging they put onto the market in place from the 1st January 2023, the need for the data standard was clear,” explains Sophie Walker, CEO of Dsposal and Project Lead for the second phase. “But it is not just about making compliance and reporting easier and more accurate. Being able to share data across the packaging supply chain supports the broader drive to make packaging more sustainable and increase high quality recycling. In developing Open 3P, we’ve had a lot of support and engagement with organisations ranging from chemical manufacturers to retailers, packaging manufacturers and recyclers.
“Berry Global is delighted to have been a major supporter and collaborator in this project,” commented Jamie Riley, Berry’s UK Sustainability Lead. “With increased environmental legislation as well as strong consumer demand for sustainable solutions, the need for transparent and robust reporting has never been greater. Companies from across many sectors will therefore benefit greatly from this platform.
“The project’s aims are also fully aligned with Berry’s own sustainability objectives and the wider need for a more collaborative approach to drive towards a more sustainable and environmentally aware manufacturing industry.”
The next phase of the project will see the Open 3P standard being expanded to cover all packaging materials – including glass, metals, paper and wood – as well as the development of a user-friendly, real-time data-sharing platform for the packaging value chain.
Data-sharing platform
The platform will revolutionise the way most packaging data is collected and shared by going to the source, speeding up the process and improving accuracy. Material and packaging manufacturers will be able to upload and share data about their packaging materials, format and components so that retailers, brands and other stakeholders in the value chain can easily analyse, manage and report on their packaging data. Taken together, Open 3P and the data-sharing platform will go beyond the new Extended Producer Responsibility requirements and will help organisations to understand the makeup of the packaging in their supply chain as well as see wider industry trends and patterns.
Jude Allan Chair IOM3 Packaging Group commented, “This is such a brilliant project; reliable packaging data has never been so important. This second phase extending the project beyond plastic packaging to all materials across all packaging sectors will make a real difference to the understanding of the whole packaging value chain.”
The development of the platform will be extensively informed by user feedback over the coming months to ensure it meets industry needs and will also enable data to be shared with recyclers and reprocessors to help improve identification and sorting of packaging waste and increase recycling rates.
“This project has been a true example of what can happen when a broad group of organisations come together to solve a pressing problem. This project has always been about delivering on the triple bottom line, that’s why we will be establishing a new not-for-profit entity to manage the data sharing platform and support Open 3P so that it can continue to benefit the entire packaging ecosystem and the environment,” adds Sophie.
Get involved
If you’re involved in the packaging value chain in any sector we want to hear from you and make sure the developments in Phase 2 reflect the needs of your industry. We will be running workshops and webinars on the Open 3P data standard as well as inviting organisations to take part in testing the platform and supporting early adopters with data gathering. To find out more and join the more than 100 stakeholders who have already contributed, email Sophie Walker (Project Lead) [email protected].
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About the partners
Dsposal Ltd, founded in 2016, is an award-winning circular economy tech company, who along with its sister social enterprise Your Dsposal, demystifies the world of waste to empower people and organisations to make better decisions with their rubbish, recycling and resources through software, data and research. It’s CEO and Co-Founder, Sophie Walker, was awarded an Innovate UK Women in Innovation award in 2020.
Open Data Manchester CIC is a not-for-profit organisation formed in 2010 that helps public and private sector organisations and communities understand data and how better to use it - nationally and internationally. We develop data standards and promote good data practice through expert advice, strong advocacy, participatory events, state-of-the-art research, technical support and interactive training. Profits from our commercial activities go towards our community work, where we host events and create resources to help people understand the opportunities and challenges of data, and to use data more responsibly and effectively.
OPRL Ltd operates the UK-wide On-Pack Recycling Label scheme used by over 750 member companies and charities. OPRL is an independent not-for-profit company limited by guarantee, established to help retailers and brands engage their customers in recycling. OPRL are the independent experts in packaging recyclability providing recycling and refill labels and advice throughout the packaging value chain. The company’s guarantors span ACE UK, Alupro, British Glass, CPI, INCPEN, LARAC, MPMA and RECOUP.
RECOUP, founded in 1990, is the UK’s leading independent authority and trusted voice on plastics resource efficiency and recycling. As a charitable organisation, our work is supported by our network of over 170 members who share our commitments including a more sustainable use of plastics, increased plastics recycling, improved environmental performance and meeting legislative requirements. We achieve these by leading, advising, challenging, educating and connecting the whole value chain to keep plastics in a circular system that protects the environment, underpinned by evidence and knowledge.
Ecosurety is a B Corp certified market-leading compliance scheme accelerating change towards an environmentally sustainable world. It ensures its members comply with the UK’s packaging environmental regulations, prepare for new EPR measures and enables sustainable product and packaging decisions. www.ecosurety.com
Supported by
Innovate UK drives productivity and economic growth by supporting businesses to develop and realise the potential of new ideas. Innovate UK connect businesses to the partners, customers and investors that can help them turn ideas into commercially successful products and services and business growth. It funds business and research collaborations to accelerate innovation and drive business investment into R&D. Support is available to businesses across all economic sectors, value chains and UK regions. Innovate UK is part of UK Research and Innovation. For more information visit www.innovateuk.ukri.org
