The Round Table Eco Design and the IK Industrievereinigung Kunststoffverpackungen are driving Eco Design in plastic packaging forward and invite interested parties to the open Forum Eco Design on May 5, 2017, at the interpack trade fair in Düsseldorf.

The response to the question "What constitutes Eco Design?" is often "good recycling capability." For the members of the Round Table Eco Design, this doesn't go far enough. They are working on a set of comprehensive, practical guidelines, aimed at helping to improve the environmental characteristics of plastic packaging further. At the same time, as a hot topic in plastic packaging, Eco Design needs to receive more attention in the sector and in the public perception.

The compact event "Forum Eco Design – More than Recyclability" will highlight and discuss various challenges and trade-offs. First there will be an assessment of the current situation from various perspectives: Sander Defruyt from the Ellen MacArthur Foundation and Michael Scriba, representing recycling companies, will describe their expectations of the recycling capability of packaging. Philippe Blank, Innovation & Sustainability Manager at Henkel and packaging expert Harald Pilz will then be taking a look at the protective functions of packaging and the avoidance of food losses as a further Eco Design parameter. Philip Heldt from NRW's consumer advice centre considers packaging from the consumer's point of view.

Green light for Eco Design guidelines

The Round Table's guideline project will be presented for the first time by IK speaker Dr Isabell Schmidt and Dirk Jepsen from Ökopol. The subsequent open discussion will sum up, among other things, existing trade-offs when improving Eco Design and the question of balancing various interests.

Forum Eco Design at interpack 2017

May 5, 2017, from 9.30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. at the CCD Süd (Exhibition Centre), Düsseldorf, Room 8

The Forum Eco Design is open to all interested parties, free of charge. Advance registration is, however, required by April 20, 2017.