Unicharm Australasia (UCA) - Australian Packaging Covenant

Unicharm Australasia (UCA)
ISO 9001
QEC14915
Australian Packaging
Covenant
2010 - 2015
Unicharm Australasia
3 Lake Drive, Dingley
Victoria, Australia 3172
Telephone: +61 3 9552 1222
Fax: +61 3 9551 7994

Company Background
Unicharm Australasia Action Plan 30/11/10 – 30/11/15
Unicharm Australasia (UCA) is an Australian manufacturing company supplying disposable absorbent products to local and overseas
markets. The Company was formerly owned by DSG International Limited, a global disposable diaper manufacturer. In December
2002, the company was acquired by a Management Buy-Out (MBO) led by private equity investors CHAMP Pty Ltd. During 2005
ownership changed to the financial backing of private equity investors Gresham Partners until October 2008 to which the Unicharm
group purchased the now known UCA.
UCA manufactures disposable nappies from an 18,000 square metre manufacturing, engineering, warehousing and office facility on
leased 10-acre estate at Dingley, Victoria. Four nappy production lines are operated on a 24-hour, 5 days per week basis producing
over 300 million nappies / year. Adult Incontinence & some nappy products are imported from a third party in Europe, Asia & Mexico.
For information regarding Unicharm Australasia Action Plan, please contact
Mr. Keiji Higuchi
General Manager Operations
Unicharm Australasia
3 Lake Drive
DINGLEY 3172
Phone: (03) 9552 1222 Fax: (03) 9551 7994
Email: keiji.higuchi@unicharm.com.au
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UCA and the NPC
Unicharm Australasia Action Plan 30/11/10 – 30/11/15
The Australian Packaging Covenant (The Covenant) is now the key tool for managing packaging waste in Australia. The Covenant is
based on a shared responsibility between government and industry to promote a collaborative approach from all parties in the
packaging life cycle. This includes participants in the packaging chain, all of whom are encouraged to take responsibility for product
stewardship in their sphere of influence.
UCA as a good corporate citizen became a Signatory of the Covenant on 25 th May 2001 and the council accepted our first Action Plan
for 25th May 2002 to 25th May 2003 on the 21 st October 2002. As a signatory to the Covenant, UCA accepts that cooperation is
essential to achieve a consistent approach to the lifecycle management of packaging and paper, including its recovery, utilization and
ultimate disposal. In addition UCA has contributed to the Transitional Fund which was established under The Covenant to support
research into efficient and effective recycling.
UCA’s position in the packaging supply chain is as a Product Filler / Marketer. As well as working internally, UCA works in
partnership with our vendors and customers to minimise the environmental impacts of our product packaging.
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UCA & Packaging
Unicharm Australasia Action Plan 30/11/10 – 30/11/15
Disposable baby diapers are a soft and bulky product.
Pre-formed polyethylene bags are used to contain the compressed diapers and to preserve the hygienic
nature of the product.
For most products, the filled bags are further packaged within cardboard cartons for storage, transport and
retail customer distribution. The outer carton provides necessary strength and rigidity for stacking and
provides a suitable reorder quantity of product at a store level.
Both the polyethylene bags and the cardboard cartons are 100% recyclable.
All of the raw materials used for manufacturing diapers are themselves manufactured products and are supplied to UCA with differing
types and amounts of packaging material. Where possible, packaging is returned to the supplier for reuse, or is sold to a paper or
plastic recycler.
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UCA’s Commitment
UCA commits to:
Reporting
Raw materials
Unicharm Australasia Action Plan 30/11/10 – 30/11/15
• Develop Action Plans with annual review and progress report.
• Annual Reports of packaging material statistics.
• Give preference to suppliers who are APC signatories and to promote the benefits of APC to those who have not yet signed.
• Seek opportunities to utilise raw materials with a recycled packaging material content.
• Work with our suppliers to minimise packaging material quantities; seek opportunities for return and reuse of packaging; and for recyclability of packaging that requires
disposal.
UCA’s products
• Design packaging in accordance with the Sustainable Packaging Guidelines; to minimise the use of packaging materials consistent with public health & safety and
environmental concerns.
• Encourage consumer recycling through
o the selection of readily recyclable packaging materials
o displaying the recycling logo on all packaging compliant with Kerb side recycling
o displaying disposal information on all packaging.
To ensure environmentally responsible behaviour is embraced as an integral part of the company’s operations, “key APC Action Plan activities and targets will be incorporated into
UCA’s annual corporate and individual staff objectives”.
UCA’s Environmental Management Policy incorporates our commitment to the Australian Packaging Covenant, as well as ensuring a ‘best practice’ approach to environmental
regulations and similar concerns of our consumers, customers, employees and communities.
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ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY
UCA is committed to:
Unicharm Australasia Action Plan 30/11/10 – 30/11/15
• Manage its activities in an environmentally responsible manner;
• Collaborate and cooperate with environmental agencies and government authorities in preventing adverse environmental consequences, and
• Promote a strong environmental ethic among staff and in managing its processes.
To achieve the above policy, UCA will:
• Ensure that its operations are in compliance with all relevant environmental regulations;
• Abide by and enforce the provisions of the Australian Packaging Covenant Code of Practice of which it is a signatory;
and
• Establish an eco-efficiency program to manage its processes. Eco-efficiency is the term developed by the World Business Council for Sustainable
Development to describe the implementation of business systems to manage environmental issues. The goals of these systems are reduced regulatory risk,
minimised resource use, improved business performance and enhanced company profile.
UPDATE
UCA have been engaged in the APC for a number of years. During this time some significant changes have occurred in the way that waste materials are
handled within our factory. The majority of materials within the factory now end up in some form of recycling system.
Additionally ongoing personnel changes mean that the business will need to reassess outstanding activities and data collection for analysis on a continual basis.
The 2010 -2015 period will be one of reassessing the activities that have taken place and the collection and recording of data. This process is documented in
QMS Australian Packaging Covenant Procedure.
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Goal 1
Unicharm Australasia Action Plan 30/11/10 – 30/11/15
Design – packaging optimised to achieve resource efficiency and reduced environmental impact without
compromising product quality and safety.
Covenant performance goals
and KPI’s
KPI 1 Proportion of signatories
in the supply chain
implementing the SPG for
design or procurement of
packaging
Goal 2
Actions Responsibility Baseline
Data
Review new packaging design
using the SPG checklist, to be
completed along with product
launch forms.
Review current packaging design
using the SPG checklist.
Quality Assurance
Department
Quality Assurance
Department
Recycling – the efficient collection and recycling of packaging
Covenant performance goals
and KPI’s
KPI 3 Proportion of signatories
with on-site recovery systems
for recycling used packaging
KPI 4 Proportion of signatories
with a policy to buy products
made from recycled packaging
Starting date
Aug 2011
Starting date
July 2011
Actions Responsibility Baseline
Data
We will continue to operate a
recovery system for used
packaging.
UcA will develop a policy in
relation to purchasing recycled
packaging, including the review of
current purchasing procedures.
Quality Assurance
Department
Quality Assurance
Department/CEO
Continuation
from previous
action plan.
To be
Developed
Target or
Performance
goal
Completed SPG
checklist for all new
packaging as part of
product launch.
SPG checklist
completed for all
SKU’s.
Target or
Performance
goal
To ensure all used
packaging is
recovered and
recycled, where
appropriate
Timeline/
Milestones
(MM/YY)
100% new
packaging by
December
2011.
100% existing
packaging by
December
2014.
Timeline/
Milestones
(MM/YY)
Ongoing
Policy Established September
2011
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Goal 3
Unicharm Australasia Action Plan 30/11/10 – 30/11/15
Product Stewardship – a demonstrated commitment to product stewardship by the supply chain and other
signatories
Covenant performance goals
and KPI’s
KPI 6 Proportion of signatories
that have formal processes for
working with others to improve
design and recycling of
packaging
KPI 7 Proportion of signatories
demonstrating other product
stewardship outcomes
KPI 8 Reduction in the number
of packaging items in litter
Actions Responsibility Baseline
Data
All – Liaise with new raw material
vendors to review packaging used
& opportunities for reduction or use
of recycled and/or recyclable
materials. Implementation of
generic letter to be instigated.
Packaging Configuration –
Investigate opportunities for
configuration changes to improve
packaging efficiency.
Office and Admin Canteen
packaging waste - Introduction of
recycling bins and collection to the
office and Admin canteen.
Disposal instructions – Ensure all
new packaging contains either
recycling or disposal instructions.
Procurement
Department
Quality Assurance
Department
Quality Assurance
Department
Quality Assurance
Department
END OF DOCUMENT
Audit at year
end 2011 –
2012 to
ensure that all
suppliers are
aware of our
commitments.
Continuation
from previous
action plan.
Target or
Performance
goal
Letter will be sent to
all new raw material
vendors upon
selection.
% of raw material
vendors with
recorded evidence.
Increased packaging
efficiency.
April 2011 Recycling of office
and Admin canteen
waste recyclables.
Continuation
from previous
action plan.
All packaging is
labeled with either
recycling of disposal
instructions.
Timeline/
Milestones
(MM/YY)
December
2012
January 2013
Records of
waste
collection.
Ongoing
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