IFST Food Waste Webinar Series: What about the packaging?

Organised jointly by IFSTs Food Regulatory Group, Midlands Branch and Sustainability Steering Group

There is a lot of public interest, in terms of food packaging, in reducing plastic waste and its impact on the environment, but there is more to packaging waste than just reducing or removing the use of plastic materials. This webinar will provide information on what constitutes food packaging waste, the producer responsibilities around such waste and which food businesses might have a packaging obligation. It will also look at an example of a company that has developed fully compostable packaging for its products.

What participants will learn about: The packaging waste regulations, producer responsibilities and an innovative example of reducing packaging waste.

Target audience: IFST members, non-members, university students, academics, food professionals, food manufacturers, suppliers, retailers.

Chair: Sam Jennings, Director of Berry Ottaway & Associates Ltd, Chair of IFST Food Regulatory Group

Sam Jennings has been working for Berry Ottaway & Associates Ltd since 2001. She provides advice to industry and governments globally on scientific, technical and regulatory aspects of food. She offers support for dossier production for submission to the Commission and EFSA, particularly for novel foods, food additives and health claims. Sam is a Fellow of the Institute of Food Science and Technology (IFST) in the UK and Chair of the IFST Food Regulatory Steering Group. She is also a member of the Institute of Food Technologists, USA and the Society of Dairy Technology, UK. Sam is Vice-Chair of the UK Government’s Office for Product Safety and Standards Business Expert (Food Standards & Labelling) Group and is one of only three industry members of the UK Food Standards Agency’s Working Group on Food Standards.

Speaker: Linda Crichton, Resources & Waste, Defra

In January 2018 Linda moved from WRAP to the Resources & Waste team in Defra to jointly lead the work to reform the UK packaging producer responsibility regime. At WRAP Linda held various positions, having first joined in 2004 to set up and manage WRAP’s local authority support programme and work on food waste collections.  Latterly, as head of Resource Management her responsibilities covered WRAP’s work in support of higher recycling including collections, recycling and material quality, the national behaviour change campaign Recycle Now and the local authority support programme.  During her time at WRAP, she worked closely with Defra and represented WRAP on Defra project boards including on separate collection and rewarding recycling behaviours.  Prior to WRAP, Linda worked in environmental consultancy for over 15 years leading studies relating to waste and the environment both here in the UK and internationally.  

Speaker: Charles Baughan, Managing Director, Westaway Sausages

Charles is an entrepreneur that likes to set up and organise companies that have the potential to be disruptive and innovative in their sector.
Key strengths are forming and implementing strategy.
Global experience in many roles. Background in elite fighting forces. 
Charles likes to be on winning teams but will always be interested in social enterprise and sustainability.
Charles is Managing Director of Westaway Sausages – Westaways are shortlisted for 2021 UK Meat, Poultry and Seafood Manufacturing Company of the Year and Winner of 2020 UK Packaging Innovation Award. 

Abstract: We are in the Plastic Age, what are the options to reduce the legacy of plastic? 
Could his alternative approach to replacing plastic and also using an alternative to PE Film be part of the solution to change customer behaviour and reconsider waste streams?
Does composting have a part to play in this complex challenge?
Collaboration, Innovation and Leadership are needed; doing nothing is not an option.

Q&A: Sam Jennings, Linda Crichton and Charles Baughan

Sponsorship opportunities are available. For more information, click here and please don't hesitate to contact us if you have any questions via info@ifst.org.

Please note: IFST is a registered charity with the mission of  ‘recognising and empowering food professionals by promoting excellence in science and its application throughout the food chain’. During 2020 and the COVID pandemic we are proud to have run 30 webinars and engaged with thousands of food professionals around the world from over 50 countries on a free to access basis. From June 2021 we will be charging a £25 per hour webinar including a certificate of attendance to non-members. IFST members attend all webinars free of charge. Details of our membership packages can be found here.