Publications & White Papers

Publications / White Papers

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• INCPEN: One Size Doesn’t Fit All – Packaging for the Internet Age

  To coincide with Climate Week 2012, INCPEN (the Industry Council for Packaging and the Environment) is publishing a guide:

  Packaging and the Internet: A guide to packaging goods for multi-channel delivery systems

  This guide provides advice on designing packaging that will make these new delivery systems as resource-efficient as possible.

• EU Updates

  Valpak will produce quarterly summaries regarding relevant events in Europe:

  EU Update - Q4 2011

• The Compelling Facts About Plastics 2009

  An analysis of European plastics production, demand and recovery for 2008

  
  Download The Compelling Facts About Plastics 2009 document

• Packaging in Perspective report

  This publication has been produced to provide facts about the much discussed subject of packaging recovery and recycling. It aims to provide the public and others with an outline of what the UK has achieved and what is being done.

  Download the Packaging in Perspective report here.

• PackFlow 2012 Summary Report and Recommendations

  This revised version of PackFlow has primarily been undertaken in order to update material flow forecasts and projected recycling levels in the UK between 2006 and 2012.

  
  

  PackFlow is a major project carried out by a working partnership between Valpak, material organisations, Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), The Industry Council for Packaging and the Environment (INCPEN) and The Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) and others, including the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS). It provides a comprehensive review of Local Authority and commercial packaging recycling and performance over the last number of years in the UK, as well as projections for the future.

  
  

  It also provides a number of recommendations relevant to industry, Local Authorities, the Government and enforcement agencies which are designed to help the UK to continue to improve its packaging recycling performance in the future.

  
  

  Topics include waste management, packaging and packaging waste recovery, re-used packaging, imported packaging, leased/hired packaging, and the role of a material levy.

  
  

  Download the PackFlow 2012 Summary Report and Recommendations here

• PackFlow 2008 Summary Report and Recommendations

  The Packflow 2008 report aims to give a comprehensive view of current packaging recycling performance and highlights areas both of best practice and concern as the country prepares for the 2008 Packaging targets.

  
  

  Download the PackFlow 2008 Summary Report and Recommendations here

• Valpak WEEE White Paper

  This document, published by Valpak Limited, chronicles the history of the WEEE Regulations from the beginning of 2003, when serious discussions first began, through the consultative process, up to the time they were laid before parliament in December 2006. It also brings the story up-to-date for 2008, reporting on the considerable benefits already being experienced from the first year of producer compliance schemes, as well as a few teething problems.

  
  

  Download the Valpak WEEE White Paper here

• China market sentiment survey

  The principal destination for UK exports of recovered paper and plastics for recycling is China. Knowledge about the Chinese market is therefore important to help understand trade flows and their impact on UK stakeholders.

  
  

  To support a wider understanding of the current state of the Chinese paper and plastic recycling markets, WRAP commissioned Valpak Consulting to undertake a repeat survey of market sentiment in the Chinese paper and plastics reprocessing industries, to build on the results of the previous year’s survey.

  
  

  Download the China market sentiment survey here

• Glasgow Recycles

  The Glasgow Recycles project operated in Glasgow between the 1st of January and the 31st of December 2008. It was developed as a practical model of sustainable development, which would enable Danone Waters (UK and Ireland) to reach beyond its packaging obligations into the arena of extended producer responsibility.

  
  

  To this effect, the project was designed to tackle not only Glasgow’s away from home waste problems, but to provide training and green job opportunities for some of Glasgow’s most disadvantaged residents.

  
  

  Download the Glasgow Recycles executive summary here

  
  

  Download the Glasgow Recycles report here

• Green Alliance A Pathway to Greener Products

  Recommendations from Green Alliance’s Designing Out Waste consortium:

  
  

  Download the Green Alliance A Pathway to Greener Products here

   

• A Generic Guide to Green Claims

  Green Claims – Practical Guidance How To Make A Good Environmental Claim Supported:

  
  

  Download the guide here

• Valpak Export White Paper

  Using examples from Valpak's experience as illustrations, the report shows how export and recycling can be done properly to help control the risks and maximise the environmental benefits. It also looks at future issues that should be taken into consideration.

  
  

  Download the Valpak Export White Paper here

• INCPEN Table for One: The Energy Cost to Feed One Person

  This publication provides the background data from an extensive piece of research carried out by Dr Jan Kooijman, a leading Dutch expert on food supply systems in 1995. It was commissioned by INCPEN to understand the material and energy requirements along the food supply chain; in particular, how those needs vary across the supply chain

   

  Download the INCPEN report here

• Valpak 2010 Yearbook

  Since 1997, Valpak has supported businesses by delivering cost effective and reliable producer responsibility compliance services for packaging, waste electrical and electronic equipment and batteries. In parallel to these core Valpak services, we have expanded our support offerings to enable us to deliver the same trusted and knowledgeable branded products for recycling services, consulting, data services and reporting data. Over the years, Valpak has evolved to become a brand associated with an enviable ability to help businesses understand the challenges that they may face in the future from producer responsibility legislation, waste management and recycling law, as well as understanding the impact their business activity may have on the environment. Valpak will seek to always deliver a clear picture of the challenge faced in factual and succinct terms and in a commercial package which offers both value for money and reliable results.

   

  Download a copy of the Valpak 2010 Yearbook

• INCPEN: Why Products are Packaged the Way They Are

  By protecting the product, packaging also prevents waste of the energy, fertiliser, raw materials and water that went into growing or making goods and the energy used to transport the goods from the producer to the retailer.

  This publication explains the reasons why 12 frequently bought grocery products are packaged in the way that they are. It explains the considerations that a product manufacturer has to take into account to find a balance between:

  • providing adequate protection for the product
  • minimising the overall environmental impact of the product and its packaging throughout its life
  • delivering the product in a way that helps consumers use it responsibly

  Download incpen's study into Why Products are Packaged the Way They Are