Dulux Australia was a finalist in the Household Goods Packaging Action category of the Packaging Evolution Awards for implementing successful waste management initiatives, including product stewardship policies and practices, and innovative recycling programs.
To ensure adequate disposal advice and/or recycling information is given to end users, Dulux conducts annual audits of its labels and lithographed cans.
A recent audit of 181 labels and cans revealed that 172 (95%) displayed the correct disposal information while 181 (100%) displayed the recycling logo.
Detailed lifecycle assessments have been completed to determine the relative environmental impacts of plastic packaging versus Dulux’s current tinplate packaging.
Plastic options that will significantly reduce the weight of the packaging and contribute to transportation weight reductions are currently being assessed.
Detailed transportation studies on tinplate packaging found it was not possible to down-gauge packaging without compromising product integrity.
However, lifecycle assessments indicated that the environmental impact of manufacturing the packaging was significantly lower than the environmental impact of manufacturing the quantity of product (paint) contained within the packaging.
At the Dulux manufacturing plant in Rocklea, the environmental impact of packaging has been significantly reduced.
Materials including cardboard, plastic stretch wrap, paper bags, uncontaminated cans, 200L drums, layer pads, damaged can handles and schultz boxes are recyclable, diverting 600 tonnes of packaging from landfill annually.
Dulux is a signatory to the Australian Greenhouse Office (AGO) Greenhouse Friendly program.
As certification for this program Dulux calculated the carbon emissions associated with the packaging (and product) of its Aquanamel and EnvirO2 product ranges based on sales during the 2006 calendar year.
The carbon emissions have been abated via the purchase of AGO-approved carbon credits that ensure the packaging is 100% carbon neutral.
In April 2006, Dulux in collaboration with Bunnings, Chemsal, Sustainability Victoria and Bluescope Steel, implemented a pilot recycling paint scheme at Bunnings Warehouse, Vermont South, known as the Paintback scheme.
The program aims to discover the most cost effective model for recycling unwanted paint and paint cans, and has already collected and recycled more than three tonnes of tinplate cans.
Dulux does not manufacture its own packaging but has begun collecting information from key suppliers in relation to energy and water consumed in producing its packaging.
This information will then be used to benchmark suppliers’ commitment to packaging sustainability, as well as to understand further the impact of Dulux’s packaging on the environment.
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