In Victoria, a pilot scheme titled Victoria Unboxed has been initiated to address the issue of "invisible" cardboard waste by introducing reusable plastic crates. This project, a collaboration between the food charity Sustain and Sustainable Victoria, has distributed 1,000 reusable crates for the transportation of produce from farms to various destinations within Melbourne. The primary goal is to diminish the reliance on single-use packaging materials, including cardboard, thereby mitigating waste.
Nick Rose, the executive director of Sustain, highlighted the trial's effectiveness, noting a significant adoption of the reusable crates by some farms for nearly their entire produce transportation needs. Rose emphasized the overlooked problem of packaging waste within the food supply chain, which he considers substantial. The initiative aims not only to alleviate waste but also to offer financial relief to farmers by reducing the need for continuous packaging purchases.
Source: theguardian.com