ACE issues response to the EU’s Farm to Fork Strategy
ACE (The Alliance for Beverage Cartons and the Environment) welcomes the Farm to Fork Strategy, an essential initiative that supports the EU’s transition to a climate neutral economy by relying on sustainable food systems.
“Food systems contribute to roughly 25%-30% of the EU greenhouse emissions. The use of food packaging made from renewable materials, such as beverage cartons, contributes towards reducing greenhouse gas emissions across food supply chains and a circular economy,” said Annick Carpentier, Director General of ACE.
“The role of packaging is essential in protecting food along the value chain as it contributes to ensuring food safety, minimalising food waste as well as spoilage by allowing for a longer shelf-life. Adopting sustainable practices in food distribution amongst food supply chains players is also an enabler to reduce food losses along production. Finally, ACE calls for incentives that support the use of safe, circular and sustainable packaging,” continued Ms. Carpentier.
ACE also calls for further harmonisation of rules on food contact materials, including specific measures for those materials that are not covered yet, such as paper and board, inks, etc. “This will ensure that the same rules apply all over Europe, strengthen the internal market and improve the competitiveness of the European industry that will have to comply with a unified legal framework, instead of a patchwork of national legislations,” concluded Ms. Carpentier.
By continuing to invest in innovation for new recycling projects, and by using recognised science-based targets on reduction of greenhouse gases and sustainably sourced materials based on internationally recognised standards, the members of ACE remain committed to contributing to a low carbon circular economy.
ABOUT ACE
ACE provides a European platform for beverage carton manufacturers and their paperboard suppliers to benchmark and profile cartons as renewable, recyclable and low carbon packaging solutions. Engaging with stakeholders and partners seeking high environmental stewardship, it contributes expertise to EU policy, legislation and standard‐setting.
ACE members include beverage carton producers Tetra Pak, SIG Combibloc and Elopak, who develop, manufacture and market systems for the packaging and distribution of food and produce packaging material at 20 plants in Europe. Most of the paperboard used by ACE members in beverage cartons in Europe is produced by Stora Enso in Skoghall (Sweden), Imatra (Finland), and BillerudKorsnäs in Gävle and Frövi (Sweden), who are also members of ACE.
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For further information or media inquiries please contact: ANDREW GELSTON; MOB +32 (0)4 77830984; EMAIL andrew.gelston@beveragecarton.eu