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WRAPR
(Waste Reduction Accreditation Program for Retailers)
Clean Up Australia has
launched the
Waste Reduction Accreditation Program for Retailers.
WRAPR is a voluntary accreditation program that aims to reduce the
millions of tonnes of waste dumped to landfill every year. Customers
and suppliers are playing an integral role in WRAPR.
Coles Supermarkets
has invested $300,000 to support this campaign and is the first
retailer nationally to implement the program in all stores.
- To be accredited as
an Official WRAPR partner, each Coles store must:
- Reduce the amount of
plastic bags used by their store;
- Reduce the amount of
waste produced by their store;
- Increase recycling
and promote plastic bag recycling by customers;
- Promote awareness among
staff and customers about sound environmental practices.
The first Waste Reduction
Accreditation Program (WRAP) was released in Coles stores in April
1999, with over 100 waste reduction initiatives implemented in Coles
stores across the country.
Some initiatives
undertaken by Coles stores include:
- Liaising with organisations
such as councils, schools, environmental groups and chambers of
commerce to get the entire community focused on implementing environmentally
friendly practices;
- Asking customers if
they require a bag;
- Promoting the plastic
bag alternatives such as calico, paper bags and boxes;
- Reuse of fruit and
vegetable waste by local farmers and/or schools and customers;
- Reuse of out of date
stock by donations to charities such as The Salvation Army, local
soup kitchens or Food Bank;
- Returning boxes (foam
or waxed) to suppliers for reuse;
- Sweeping loading dock
floor prior to washing with water to greatly reduce the amount
of rubbish entering the stormwater/drainage system;
- Team meetings and training
of new and existing staff;
- Bag-free day in conjunction
with local council
National Packaging Covenant
Coles Group Limited, Coles
Supermarkets parent company, was the first Australian retailer to
sign the National Packaging Covenant in July 2000.
The National Packaging
Covenant is a policy framework for corporate environmental responsibility
aiming to provide more effective management of packaging.
It is a self-regulatory
agreement between industries in the packaging chain and all spheres
of government, based on the principles of shared responsibility.
The goals of the Covenant
are to minimise the environmental impacts of consumer packaging
waste throughout the entire life cycle of the packaging product,
close the recycling loop, develop economically viable and sustainable
recycling collection systems and ensure that the voluntary process
continues.
Coles already conduct a
number of projects aimed at minimising waste and promoting recycling.
As a signatory to the Covenant we are committed to specific objectives
for further developing these programs.
Coles Group Limited's Action Plan
was approved by the Covenant Council in August 2001.
For further information
on the National Packaging Covenant visit www.environment.gov.au/epg/covenant/index.html
Code of Practice for Plastic Supermarket Carry
Bags
Coles were involved
in the development of the voluntary Code of Practice for Plastic
Supermarket Carry Bags, in conjunction with Eco Recycle Australia
and the Australian Retailers Association.
Launched in Victoria
in December 1997, the Code ensures participating companies will:
- Encourage staff to
ask customers purchasing a small number of items whether they
need a bag.
- Train staff to load
bags efficiently so that the number of bags can be minimised without
excessive weight causing a bag to break.
- Wherever possible,
stores will stock durable carry bags or baskets compatible with
checkout design and make them available for purchase by customers.
- Where a reprocessing
plant is available within a reasonable distance of a store, clearly
marked drop-off bins will be provided in stores for the collection
and recycling of customers' unwanted, used plastic carry bags.
- Ensure that wherever
feasible, used plastic carry bags returned by customers are returned
to a reprocessor for conversion to other plastic products.
- Provide information
on the reprocessing of the bags that are returned.
- Wherever feasible,
products made from recycled carry bags may be stocked and promoted
in stores.
- Monitor the number
of plastic bags used and aim to reduce overall use on a "bags
to volume of sales" ratio.
The program is to be launched
nationally in October 2001.
Sponsorships
Click here to
view further information and more about other Coles sponsorships.
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