| Eliminate | | | | Refillable packages may be refilled by either the |
| The basic principle of waste prevention is that by | | | | consumer, retailer, or product producer from |
| preventing the waste material from being | | | | bulkor much larger containers. To be considered |
| produced in the first place, there will be less | | | | refillable packaging must be refilled or reused for |
| waste to manage at the end. If possible, eliminate | | | | its original purpose rather than reused for a |
| the package altogether, provided product integrity | | | | secondary purpose such as storing surplus |
| will not be compromised. | | | | material or other limited applications. |
| Reduce | | | | Maximise the use of reusable packaging materials, |
| Reduce the amount of packaging materials used. | | | | including reusable transport packaging. |
| For those products that must be packaged, | | | | Recyclable Packaging and Recycled Content |
| consider methods of reducing the amount of | | | | Packaging should be designed to be compatible |
| material used in the packaging. Minimal packaging | | | | with universally available recycling systems. |
| can be accomplished through: | | | | Labels, seals, tapes & closures etc should |
| Product packaging design changes (e.g., | | | | also be compatible with common recycled material |
| concentrates, different material). | | | | processing systems. |
| Modifications to the package design (e.g., structure | | | | A material should be considered recyclable only if |
| of the package). | | | | there is a commercially viable and widely available |
| New or different types of packaging. | | | | system for collecting, processing, & |
| Single material packaging (e.g., one package | | | | marketing the material. |
| component). | | | | Use the maximum possible quantity of post |
| Development and use of consumable packaging | | | | consumer, recycled material in the packaging. |
| where appropriate. (Consumable packages are | | | | A package that is designed to be both recycled |
| those which are eliminated in the process of using | | | | and constructed from recycled material is |
| the product so that no packaging material | | | | preferable. |
| remains; an example would be the use of water | | | | Wherever possible, recycled content should |
| soluble packets for a product that is to be mixed | | | | consist of post consumer, recycled, waste |
| with water.) | | | | material, i.e. material which has already served its |
| Reuse | | | | intended use and has been discarded by a |
| Design packages that are refillable or reusable. | | | | business or consumer. |