The problem of plastic waste becomes more and more relevant every year. Over the last 50 years, its global production and consumption have increased almost 20 times, and these figures are far from over. Increasing amounts of waste force us to look for ways to reduce the problem: efficient circular economy processes are developed, plastic recycling is promoted, and more and more environmentally neutral solutions attractive to consumer appear.

The green literacy of residents is also arising in Lithuania, many of them gradually change their consumption habits: refuse unnecessary packaging, instead of using disposable ones, they use reusable ones, choose recyclable materials and sort waste more responsibly. The focus on the environment also forms the more responsible attitude of manufacturers – greener packaging appears on the shelves.

However, although plastic has a negative connotation in today's context, experts are in no hurry to judge – it is not right to call it evil, it is important to ensure proper management of plastic waste.

Sorting still needs to be learned

"Plastic is not a bad material. Many plastic products can be used for many years and, when unfit for use, can be recycled and become new necessities. It is important what kind of plastic packaging is made of and whether it reaches the appropriate waste container when it becomes unnecessary," – Asta Burbaitė, the Marketing and Communication Manager of the packaging waste management organization Žaliasis taškas, says.

According to her, today more than half of the Lithuanian population uses special sorting containers every day, another third does so irregularly. The number of sorters grows, although we still have to learn how properly to dispose of waste – about half of the contents of container waste are filled with completely non-recyclable waste: diapers, disposable masks and gloves, various household items, toys, etc.

Kristina Kavaliauskienė, the Sales Manager of Žalvaris, the largest hazardous and non-hazardous waste management facility in the country, confirms that part of the waste is not sorted properly and cannot be recycled. According to her, very large amounts of waste are still incinerated or landfilled simply because plastic products are made up of different types of plastic alloys and are not suitable for secondary use.

Rising taxes encourage reuse

A more responsible interest in sorting and packaging composition is also encouraged by the stricter system of taxes on environmental pollution by packaging waste. From 2022, pollution tax rates will increase, some by as much as a third.

According to the representative of Žalvaris, the changes will particularly affect industrial companies, which will have to review their production processes. This means that if manufacturers choose environmentally unfriendly materials for packaging their products, which will be disposable and non-recyclable, they will have to pay higher pollution taxes. The envisaged changes will affect everyone, both manufactures and waste managers.

"The requirement to divide all packaging into disposable and non-recyclable, disposable and recyclable, and reusable, regulating their use through pollution tax rates, which will come into force next year, is directly related to the management of packaging waste – requirements for the management of different types of waste will be stricter, and the pollution taxes on individual types of packaging will increase as well. The aim is also to oblige manufactures to choose more carefully the materials used in the production of packaging and to oblige waste managers to ensure the proper management of packaging waste," – Kristina Kavaliauskienė, the Sales Manager of Žalvaris, says.

The biggest changes are envisaged in the field of plastic, PET (polyethylene terephthalate) and combined packaging. According to the tax approved by the Ministry of Environment of the Republic of Lithuania on environmental pollution by packaging waste for 2022, pollution taxes on the above-mentioned types of disposable and non-recyclable packaging should increase by about 30 percent. For example, the tax rate for environmental pollution by glass packaging, if it is not recycled, will increase from the current EUR 225/t to EUR 395/t, by plastic packaging – from EUR 618/t to EUR 875/t, by paper and cardboard packaging – from EUR 125/t to EUR 188/t, etc.

Division of packaging – the pursuit of more sustainable solutions

The division of packaging into disposable and non-recyclable, disposable and recyclable, and reusable will mainly affect the manufacturing sector. Reusable packaging is more resistant to use, easier to maintain and usually weighs more than analogous packaging intended for single use. Reusable packaging includes wooden pallets, large-capacity barrels, various other containers used in commerce. Population is still quite rarely exposed to reusable packaging, although there are already examples of good practice where shopping centres or retailers encourage the use of available reusable containers (e.g. bottled cosmetics, certain foods such as nuts, dried fruit) when purchasing one product or another.

Asta Burbaitė notices that instead of plastic, manufacturers often choose alternative packaging – paper, cardboard, but such a solution is not necessarily more sustainable. "Sometimes packing in plastic recyclable packaging is a more rational way because it can be recycled rather than wasting natural resources," – the specialist says.

According to Kristina Kavaliauskienė, the Sales Manager of Žalvaris, the use of plastic and the management of this waste has been a sensitive topic not only in Lithuania, but also all over the world for some time, namely from the environmental point of view. Plastic pollution is huge, takes decades and more to break down, so finding solutions to promote sustainable consumption is essential.

"When we consider plastic just as a material, however, we have to admit that it is not evil in itself. Plastic, like many other discoveries in the modern world, has helped solve countless production puzzles. However, in the general context, today we are where we have only one choice – to find effective solutions, to implement innovations in the field of industry and waste management in order significantly to reduce the problem of plastic pollution," – Kristina Kavaliauskienė emphasises.