Sustainable packaging solutions provider, DS Smith, is collaborating with product design students at Cardiff Met University to tackle the “crucial recycling issues” affecting households and supply chains across the UK. As e-commerce grows across Europe by nearly 7% each year, according to Statista market research, the UK holds third place worldwide for most parcels delivered each year at 1.9 billion packages. The amount of packaging entering consumer waste streams is set to grow year on year, putting “more pressure” on existing recycling infrastructures, DS Smith says.
DS Smith has partnered with the next generation of product designers at Cardiff Metropolitan University in Wales, to “inspire collaborative and creative thinking” whilst taking into consideration the role of technology, social media, the supply chain, and partnerships. Wales currently recycles more household waste than any other UK country, with an overall recycling rate of over 54% – ahead of the 2020 European 50% recycling target.
The winning team will see their concept put into DS Smith’s Research & Development facility with the potential to become an essential element in the drive towards averting a “recycling crisis”, DS Smith says. Encouraged by the initial feedback and potential from the partnership with Cardiff Met University, a first for DS Smith, it says there is “great scope” to expand a similar programme across Europe linking up with the future’s brightest product designers, engineers, technicians, scientists and environmental champions.
Source: Circular Online
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