Kicking off in these days, "La plastica è cambiata, cambia idea sulla plastica (Plastic has changed, change your mind on plastic)" is an information campaign aimed to get insight into the issues concerning the world of plastic in general. The initiative, supported by Alpla, one of the world's leading producers of plastic packaging, intends to increase the level of consumer knowledge about plastic materials, to make them aware of how and how much they have evolved in recent years. In fact, there are many efforts and continuous research projects put in place by plastics and packaging producers, with the introduction of innovative polymers with low environmental impact, policies based on circularity, increasingly "green" technologies and production processes.
At the base of everything there is the consumer, who influences the choices and developments on which both the producers of materials and the manufacturers of plastic processing machines are focusing in order to offer concrete answers in line with a life cycle concept for packaging based on sustainability and circularity. It fact, alongside the production lines, today it is increasingly common to see machines and systems for the recovery and recycling of materials. The consumers will therefore be the focus of the first phase of the campaign through a survey involving a representative group, with the aim of getting insight into the level of knowledge of the issues related to the world of plastic, the main habits of consumers and the attention paid to recycling, sustainability and circular economy. The results of the survey will offer a snapshot of the current situation in the light of the growing awareness of sustainability, ethical production and social and governmental commitment.
In this regard, the research "The pandemic is heightening environmental awareness", carried out by Boston Consulting Group in July 2020, has highlighted how the Covid-19 pandemic has also brought some positive aspects with it, such as a general reflection on the fate of our planet and on how urgent it is to find a solution to the increasingly critical issue of the climate change. This challenges not only our behaviours, but also some prejudices regarding the production and use of plastics, making the information campaign supported by Alpla more relevant than ever.
In recent decades, the process of social and economic development has undoubtedly benefited from plastics, that is to say from materials, technologies and production processes that have evolved alongside features such as usability, practicality, hygiene and sustainability that the market has gradually learned to demand. To find ways to continue with the most appropriate developments and adopt the right solutions, we must know the issues and recognize that the impact of packaging materials is not limited only to the sphere of our daily consumption habits, but also affects a substantial share of our economy.
Italy is in fact a world leading manufacturer of machines and technologies for the production of plastic packaging and packing products, with an industrial system among the most important ever in both economic and technological terms, a real excellence recognized worldwide. Understanding how this sector has developed over the years in order to be able to offer more practical and performing solutions - which at the same time are also sustainable and recyclable - represents a fundamental step forward to understand the role that plastic has played and will continue to play.
The information campaign "La plastica è cambiata, cambia idea sulla plastica" is aimed at stimulating discussion on issues related to plastic and its environmental sustainability, with the support of sector’s experts and technicians.
