Before we can even think about what zero waste looks like, effective processes must be identified and understood.
For decades, the packaging industry has worked to balance performance, safety, and sustainability- but achieving true circularity remains one of its toughest challenges. Recycling too often means downcycling, where materials lose integrity and value with each use. Complex components like films and lids are frequently excluded from recycling streams altogether. Despite technological advances and growing awareness, progress towards circularity has been slow.
Much of the conversation around circular packaging has focused on material innovation- how do we breakdown complex polymers, source “clean” feedstocks or engineer recyclability? These are vital efforts, but by looking at each separately, we miss the deeper structural issues holding back circularity. The real shift must happen in how we design and connect our supply chains- not just what materials we use, but how we collect, process, and redistribute them. In other words, smarter systems.
Traditional supply chains are often opaque, offering limited visibility beyond immediate partners. This lack of transparency can lead to inefficiencies, mistrust, and missed opportunities. But when actors are connected from end to end we can create a shared sense of ownership and accountability. The end result is stronger, more resilient systems. Yet this kind of alignment is rare in packaging, where relationships are often closely guarded and commercial interests siloed.
Devising such systems requires almost unprecedented industry collaboration – from local collectors, technicians and technology innovators to global packaging manufacturers and first-mover brands. To do this we must unite around a shared mission and vision for what is required, both from an environmental and commercial standpoint.
rPP: a case study for supply chain innovation
Prevented Ocean Plastic saw the power of this approach in its recent world first breakthrough to deliver food-safe recycled polypropylene (rPP) at the European standard. This milestone means the collection of discarded PP can be properly incentivised, and the material can finally be recycled at scale and turned into high-quality food-safe packaging for consumer use.
The achievement was only possible by uniting a diverse coalition of stakeholders from every corner of the industry – working together to tackle a challenge that affects us all yet cannot be solved by any one player. Prevented Ocean Plastic recognised the need to build a better system for this form of plastic and together we were able to create an impact-driven system that incentivises collection, ensures traceability, and delivers profitable, food-safe recycled content at scale.
What made this partnership so unique wasn’t just the breadth of stakeholders involved, but the depth of engagement. While each partner offered a vital part of the puzzle – collection, new technology to recycle rPP, the ability to prove it was food safe- they also walked the supply chain, both literally and figuratively, to understand the impact at each stage. From the first individuals processing discarded cups to the final products on shelves, the entire chain was connected. Everyone visible in the process and with a stake in its success. This transparency helped to build trust, drive innovation, and guarantee quality.
Lessons beyond packaging
This initiative offers valuable lessons for other industries grappling with complex global challenges. Whether in textiles, electronics, agriculture, or construction, the principles behind this model can be adapted to unlock circularity and resilience.
Whatever the challenge, organisations can consider how business models can be restructured so the right thing to do it also the smart thing to do. Can incentives be shared across the value chain? Can impact be monetised in ways that drive reinvestment?
Within complex supply chains, like recycled plastic, building these systems could also mean rethinking how value is distributed. Can suppliers and buyers co-invest in sustainability? Can data be shared in ways that build trust rather than competition?
Designing modular, scalable models
For us, this looked like designing a scalable franchise model not as a charitable venture, but as dignified, income-generating infrastructure. Recyclers were paid fairly, and traceability was embedded throughout. The model allows for infrastructure to be replicated in regions most at risk from plastic pollution, while understanding that everywhere has its own local nuance.
This modular, scalable approach can be applied across sectors. In agriculture, for example, franchise models could support regenerative farming practices. In electronics, they could enable community-based e-waste collection. The key is to design systems that are locally grounded but globally connected.
A blueprint for circularity
As global challenges grow more complex, the need for smarter, more connected systems becomes more urgent. By reimagining supply chains, aligning incentives, and designing scalable models, we can move beyond incremental change and unlock solutions that were previously out of reach.
For Prevented Ocean Plastic, the journey to food-safe rPP isn’t just a technical achievement, it’s a demonstration of what’s possible when industries embrace collaboration, transparency, and systemic thinking.
Raffi Schieir is the Director of Prevented Ocean Plastic.
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