It is now 5 months since COVID19 was declared an outside pandemic and the first cases were starting to seem in Australia . During this period , we ’ve seen an quick and adaptable industriousness that ’s strictly follow medical advice and authorities restrictions , and this has allowed us to continue to operate .
by Glenn Fenton , GIA President
Many business have explicate tidings ways of merchandising and trade our products during incredibly unmanageable trading condition . workplace have modified their processes to integrate new hygiene practice that have hold open workers good .
While most States have returned to downhearted horizontal surface of COVID normality , Victoria is going through an incredibly hard period and our idea and good regard are with our acquaintance and colleagues as they battle with microscope stage 4 lockdown . GIA and all State Member Associations have been in touch with Nursery and Garden Industry Victoria ( NGIV ) to provide support and offer assistance if necessitate .
NGIV have been front and center in discussions with the Victorian Government since the pandemic was declared and this , together with efforts by GIA in ensuring the industry nationwide is considered essential , has allowed the manufacture in Victoria to continue to trade . These relationship are carefully nurtured and mould over many yr through protagonism , education and events and have delivered when it was most necessitate . Well done to the Board of the NGIV !
In the portfolio area of Sustainability , as part of GIA ’s agree Strategic Plan , we will set ambitious waste product reduction and emissions target that will ride industry innovation and support our environmental credentials . For an industry that deliver positively on so many environmental issue , we do have a waste problem and this needs to be accost .
The conversation has already protrude with polypropylene ( PP ) being the focus of conference presentations and dedicated industry workshops . PP is used extensively in the industry in the form of credit card smoke , tray , labels , stakes and more . Sadly , despite consumers admit them for recycling , these items mostly terminate up in landfill . The primary reason for this is detection scanner at council / community recycling centres can not detect bleak PP . We require to fix this waste material problem .
GIA has joined a working group of industry representative who are seeking to ascertain how the manufacture can better manage the use of PP packaging . precede by GIA , Garden City Plastics ( GCP ) and the Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation ( APCO ) , the working group has been examining packaging and recycling options . moldable waste and recycling failures have been gaining medium attention , so it is well-timed for GIA to move as quickly as we can in developing a sustainable role model for our industry .
Our post is not unique . A caboodle of workplace has been undertaken in the UK which can inform the Australian industry . The UK Horticultural Trades Association , to meet recycling obligations , has introduced a “ Taupe Pot ” which is designed to be kerbside recyclable and will supplant traditional black charge card good deal . It was a collaborative effort from stakeholders in the UK who recognise , the lighter the colour of PP , the easier it was for scanner to sort the detail . There are other option of course , and this will demand to be balanced against cost and the role of existing recycling systems .
The next step for GIA is to form the Sustainability Committee , a sub - citizens committee of the Board which will be a balanced team of allied dealer , retailers , and yield representatives . GIA will before long release the Terms of Reference for the commission and call for expressions of interest group . This will be incredibly crucial work as it will also take R&D and investing .
The Committee will also consider thriftlessness issues of non pp5 plastics and newspaper publisher but will also look to other areas of sustainability such as energy , water and ethical practices .
The Federal Government is encourage industry to address these areas , so we ask to have a stiff program , be part of the national conversation and lead the resolution .
For more selective information : Greenlife Industry AustraliaT : ( 02 ) 8861 5100F : ( 02 ) 9659 3446[email protected]www.greenlifeindustry.com.au
