Since 1998, the CNE has been following up its partners’ efforts to take preventive actions by performing a critical prior review of the cases that it had received, and by using a referential to evaluate prevention efforts in terms of mass and/or volume (equivalent in trucks) in accordance with the EN13428 standard. Consequently, it has given credibility to packaging waste prevention plans through concrete and exemplary actions. It has also allowed for an objective debate on preventive actions between all actors from the packaging chain, thus encouraging prevention efforts.

The CNE updated its referential to include new key prevention indicators that arose from the study “Prevention indicators”, while maintaining the same principles and action levers.

The referential now enables everyone to measure their actions for a constant improvement of their environmental impact prevention with the help of four key indicators, depending on the relevant area (product, brand, factory, subsidiary…).

To participate and submit your initiatives as regards packaging waste prevention and eco design, please see the application file.

Upon request (filed by letter/fax/e-mail), you will also be sent a paper version. However, you will need to send us the paper version of the completed application file in order to make it easier for us to analyse. This also guarantees contractual compliance and equal treatment.

An analysis is performed on the basis of the referential and the following principles, so as to measure the impact:

• Product/packaging combination,
• Identical practical value for consumers,
• Consideration of the whole packaging system (primary, secondary, tertiary),
• Mass impact against real sales,
• Assessment of reductions by pallet sale unit,
• Volume indicators (ratio contents/container and palleting system ratio),
• Proportion of recycled material.

Eight action levers be used to reduce packaging waste at source:

• Bring about changes within product design,
• Modify packaging process,
• Modify packaging design,
• Simplify packaging system,
• Optimise packaging dimensions,
• Take advantage of the technical evolutions of materials,
• Improve application of materials,
• Optimise product paletting system.

The CNE recalls the lessons from packaging waste prevention:

• Economic interest and environmental benefits often go hand in hand,
• Preventive actions arise from the work of all partners from the packaging chain,
• Optimisation of packaging dimensions is the most frequent solution,
• Packaging simplification should be a priority,
• Packaging reduction involves transport and energy savings,
• The evolution of materials and application techniques provides opportunities,
• Changing a product design triggers chain modifications,
• Source reduction and marketing can go hand in hand,
• Prevention is a permanent quest.