Signify Aims to be Plastic-free on all Consumer-related Packaging in 2021

For many years, plastic has provided numerous solutions for consumers and manufacturers. However, the material is virtually indestructible and the amount of plastic built up over the years increases faster than the material is able to break down, posing a detrimental threat to the natural environment.

Each year, eight million tons of plastic end up in the ocean, killing one million marine birds and threatening 700 species of marine life with extinction. Plastic pollution has become one of the most pressing environmental issues and consumers are increasingly critical of the packaging of products that they buy.

Acknowledging the issue, Signify, as the world leader in lighting, embraces the responsibility and opportunity to take action against single-use plastics and make a significant impact on the planet. As part of its packaging policy, Signify already uses 80% recycled paper for its packaging and will start phasing out all plastics from packaging for consumer-related products in 2021.

– Plastic waste has a very negative impact on our planet and its biodiversity and we decided that we must take a leading role and start using plastic-free alternatives. It is the right thing to do and meets the increasing expectations of our customers – said Eric Rondolat, CEO of Signify, and added:

– I look forward to the moment that we can announce that we no longer use plastics in our packaging.

By phasing out plastic used for consumer product packaging, Signify will avoid the use of over 2.5 million kilograms of plastics per year. This is equal to 125 million PET bottles which, placed in a row, would stretch more than 8,000 kilometers. On top of that, their new packaging is smaller and weighs less, saving on transport emissions. In Europe alone this would reduce two million kilograms of CO2 emissions from transport – equivalent to the amount of CO2 that 80,000 fully grown trees can absorb in a year.

On average, Signify’s policy already requires all packaging to contain more than 80% recycled paper and virgin materials must be from certified renewable sources. In cases where paper-based materials are not applicable, Signify looks into other non-plastic alternatives, having already removed commonly used plastic inserts from the packaging for some of its products.

Signify International B.V. Ogranak Beograd

Signify

Eric Rondolat

plastic pollution

phasing out plastic

packaging production

single use plastic

packaging

plastic waste

plastic bottles

reduction of emission of exhaust gases

industrial recycled paper

industrial unprocessed materials

alternative plastic free solutions