Welcome to the Solutions Database,
a guide to technologies, strategies, and best practices for reducing plastic waste

Elimination is often a hidden innovation opportunity to achieve packaging sustainability targets, particularly for formats that are challenging to fit into the circular economy (e.g., non-recyclables and small or high-leakage packaging formats) and/or are used in locations where collection is difficult (e.g., outdoor events) (3). Key benefits include:

• Cost reduction: By eliminating unnecessary packaging, cost savings can be achieved on packaging materials themselves. Redesigning products to eliminate packaging can also reduce any expenses and carbon emissions associated with transport or storage space. For example, replacing liquid products with more concentrated or solid alternatives, or switching to locally produced products, can reduce touchpoints and logistics (3).
• Increased brand reputation and sales: Unpackaged, less intensively packaged, and innovatively packaged products may all lead to increased sales due to changing consumer consumption patterns, expectations, and perceptions. A new and improved user experience may be created when, for example, the need to unwrap and dispose of packaging is eliminated, freshness is enhanced by locally grown unpackaged products, or lighter shampoo bars are carried home instead of heavy bottles (3).
• Reduced environmental impacts: Eliminating plastic packaging avoids energy used for transportation; cuts emissions from packaging production, waste transport, and landfill; reduces natural resource use; and decreases land use associated with disposal (7).

• Prioritize products applicable to elimination: For maximum impact, prioritize packaging that is avoidable, hard to recycle, or most likely to pollute the environment (9). Packaging examples include household items, clothing, fruit and vegetables, multi-packs and small attachments (see “Guidance on different packaging formats”). Where possible, aim to eliminate the entire packaging instead of just a component (3).
• Engage the innovation team from a “first principles” perspective: Begin by defining the service or experience that a product-packaging combination is offering consumers. Based on that, test which packaging is really needed or how any essential functions could be offered in a different way. For example, could herbs be sourced locally instead of packaged for transport to ensure freshness? Innovatively packaged or unpackaged products will have the best uptake if sold at a similar price as existing ranges (3).
• Find opportunities for rapid prototyping and design thinking: Deploy a learn-by-doing approach to avoid early-stage failures and identify successful elimination solutions in practice. For instance, trial new innovative elimination solutions in low-risk markets or for low-risk product lines first.
• Test for unintended consequences: Make sure the elimination strategy can be implemented without creating unintended consequences, such as significantly higher levels of product waste or an adverse rise in product damage rates (3). For example, while food sold without packaging can prevent the generation of plastic waste and related negative externalities, unless alternative solutions – such as edible coatings – are rolled out in parallel this can also decrease shelf life and increase food waste (8).

• Mindset shift in packaging designers: Companies are shifting their views about what constitutes “necessary” packaging. Many are questioning the need for packaging in various applications and the number of packaging items broadly considered “unnecessary” is growing (3). It is imperative that packaging designers also adopt this lens when designing products and packaging.
• Industry alignment and collaboration: Brands, retailers, and policy makers are continually refining the list of unnecessary packaging items. Creating a common understanding and alignment on these avoidable items is an important way for industry to rapidly and collectively reduce the use of unnecessary plastic (3). National Plastics Pacts, for instance, are increasingly defining lists of “problematic and unnecessary plastics”. Industry players can collaborate with each other to innovate and scale elimination solutions.
• Solutions that engage consumers: Creating solutions which consumers will accept and engage with is a necessary condition for achieving successful elimination at scale. Eliminating plastic is in line with this mindset shift away from packaging waste, but it is still important for businesses to introduce solutions which their consumers can and will participate in and welcome.

Kecipir from Enviu, localised fresh food delivery: Online platform for fresh fruit and vegetables in Indonesia, connecting farmers directly with urban consumers through a fully reusable, circular delivery system. Since 2016, Kecipir operations have eliminated 6 tonnes of low quality, single-use plastics (like plastic bags and styrofoam trays).