By Krzysztof Krajewski, chief sustainability & innovation officer at RDM Group
Plastic-free packaging is often treated as a binary – either you’re there, or you’re not. But the reality is far more complex. The move toward a landscape free of plastic waste is a long journey, and we should not lose sight of what’s possible now, and ensuring a positive direction of travel, by focusing only on the finish line. In the long term, ideally all materials can coexist, provided there is circular end-of-life management. However, this is currently not consistent across material types.
Rather than waiting for a single, universal ‘perfect’ packaging solution, we must commit to steady, achievable steps towards recyclable, circular alternatives that still meet functional needs, economic realities, and environmental goals.
The reality: plastic waste is still everywhere
Packaging is of course a major contributor to waste. Plastic packaging accounts for a significant share of the estimated 2.30 million tonnes of waste Scottish households alone generate each year.
And despite progress in recycling, less than half of Scotland’s plastic packaging is currently recycled according to the latest data – a problem exacerbated by inconsistencies in collection systems, contamination, and limitations in sorting infrastructure. The largest material category of Scottish household waste recycled or reused in 2023 was paper and cardboard wastes (171,000 tonnes, 26.8% of all waste recycled or reused).
While public and political appetite for plastic-free solutions is growing, plastic remains deeply embedded in modern packaging. It offers unrivalled barrier properties, durability, and lightness, particularly valuable in preserving food, preventing spoilage, and maintaining product safety.
From moisture-sensitive powders to frozen fish, plastic is a necessity to maintain product integrity. For these types of applications, plastic-free solutions are still evolving, often facing challenges around cost, scalability, and performance.
The Scottish government recognises this. Its Circular Economy Route Map doesn’t call for an immediate ban on all plastic packaging, but instead focuses on a phased, strategic reduction. And this is something we’re seeing with governments across the world.
This acknowledges a reality. That the journey to zero plastic waste will take time, and multiple stepping stones.
Different sectors will also move at different speeds depending on their packaging requirements. Sector-specific roadmaps are required rather than blanket approaches. If we focus only on “the end goal”, total plastic waste elimination, we stall progress in cases where today’s alternatives aren’t yet viable.
Plastic-light fibre hybrid, yet more recyclable solutions
Some of the most effective solutions in this interim period are already available and often overlooked. One example is plastic-light hybrid materials, such as PE-coated cartonboard.
These can use a small amount of plastic, as little as just 3–5%, layered onto recycled (made from recovered papers) rigid, high-calliper and high-grammage fibre-based board. While not plastic-free, they drastically reduce virgin plastic use while maintaining the barrier protection needed for products like frozen food, dry goods, and pet food, as well as offering rigidity and mechanical product protection. Crucially, with the right infrastructure, they can be curb-side collected with general paper waste collection and recycled, unlike plastic packaging that is harder to recycle due to lack of collection and recycling infrastructure or is not designed to be technically recyclable. They provide the necessary functionality for today’s needs.
What next?
To accelerate the journey towards zero plastic waste, Scotland, and the rest of the world, must continue to align policy, investment, and innovation across the packaging supply chain. This means backing the development of bio coatings and alternative barrier materials that can deliver functionality functionality while minimising plastic waste. At the same time, infrastructure must evolve to support the separation and recycling of new fibre-based formats, ensuring that promising materials don’t fall short at end-of-life.
Additionally, policy mechanisms such as Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) and sustainable procurement frameworks should reward businesses actively reducing plastic use, not just those meeting minimum compliance.
Finally, clear, consistent consumer communication is essential. People must know which materials are made from materials that are genuinely recycled in reality and at scale, how to dispose of them properly, and why these changes matter. Without public understanding and participation, even the best-designed solutions risk falling flat.
In short, progress depends not just on better packaging, but on a better system to support it.
Towards circularity, one step at a time
The journey to zero plastic waste in packaging is just that – a journey. It will involve stops, missteps, and unexpected turns. But steady, evidence-based progress is far more valuable than waiting for the ‘perfect’ solution to arrive.
A pragmatic transition, including truly recyclable hybrid materials, incentives for innovation, and real-world infrastructure improvements, can deliver immediate environmental benefits while paving the way for low or no-plastic solutions that work for all sectors, geographies, and consumers.
After all, the challenge isn’t just about eliminating plastic, or glorifying some other materials but building a packaging system that is fit for the future: circular, low-carbon, and rooted in innovation.
