Opened to all, the CNE’s General Meeting took place in mid-March 2017. Could you please sum up the different documents published by the CNE in 2016?
The transition we went through last year was truly one of a kind, since we celebrated the 20th anniversary of our association. On this occasion, we published a best of the CNE’s most important documents regarding circular economy, eco-design, logistics, information or even consumer use.
As it usually does every year, the CNE has driven 2-3 Working Groups in 2016, and has published the results of their work. In 2016, 53 persons from the packaging sector have taken part in the CNE’s collective intelligence experience, and I would like to take this occasion to thank them.
Our first publication this year was “Packaging and deposit systems: Overview of reuse systems”, which has broken the record of downloads on our website. Since then, the CNE has been solicited to co-host a workshop, entitled “Reuse of industrial and commercial packaging”. Organised by the French General Direction for risk prevention (DGPR), the workshop took place at the French Ministry of Ecology, Sustainable Development and Energy (MEEM).
The second publication was “Packaging for all ages”: the aim is to carry a strong message to stakeholders, reminding them it is crucial to integrate consumer use as a priority when designing packaging. As a matter of fact, importance of consumer use is the 2nd key-element in the CNE’s Eco-design Packaging practical guide.
We also published the results of a long study dedicated to recycling household packaging, that we conducted with Eco-Emballages and Ademe. This study’s topic was the evolution of the household packaging’s deposit between 1997 and 2012 within 10 consumer markets. It analyses the evolution gone through by 25% of household packaging’s tonnages launched in France.
Besides, the CNE has taken a stand regarding the “edible packaging” expression – which semantics were originally wrong – as something that is eaten is not a packaging, but a product.
Could you tell us more about the CNE’s 2016 activities?
As part of All4Pack 2016, the CNE has hosted the 3rd European round table on circular economy.
From now on, the association has got a twitter account (@CNE_Emballage) and a linkedIn one.
The Board has met 5 times throughout the year, and thus has drawn up a roadmap to be followed by the association and has identified its priority projects.
Our “environmental claims” Committee – exclusively consisting of experts – has gathered 3 times and analysed numerous assertions regarding packaging. Among them, 6 of which have been addressed because they were false:
- Three false assertions on “recyclable” or “100% recyclable” concerning packages not included – by that time – in the French sorting instructions.
- A “recyclable” assertion with no valid justification.
- A misleading assertion on “saved trees”
- A wrong assertion of “overwrap”.
4 of these assertions have been removed to date.
Could you tell us a bit more about the current and upcoming projects in 2017?
Until now, there are two current Working Groups:
- “Container/Content Compatibility” aiming to remind stakeholders of the rules, best practices & responsibilities which are theirs. Publication expected for April/May 2017.
- “Packaging & evolution of consumption patterns and new distribution channels” aiming to show the importance of packaging in the supply chain – especially in distance selling – as well as the new requirements a package need to fulfil, and the existing best practices. Publication expected for May 2017.
The “Emballé 3.0” Contest’s Ceremony, in this updated 2017 version, has been very successful and shown impressive prizewinners. Without any hesitation, the Contest will be renewed next year.
The CNE also wants to recall it carries out – on demand – presentations and interventions in different trade shows, schools, companies, and federations; always in order to promote the Right Packaging.
Other Working Groups will be created in the 2nd semester and are currently being thought of – especially to update some of the CNE’s documents. To know more, you will have to follow us on Twitter, or read it all up in the agenda available on the CNE’s website!
