Despite its obvious impact on the environment, artificial intelligence can unlock a more efficient reuse economy.
The Consumer Goods Forum’s Plastic Waste Coalition has released a new report on the challenges businesses face when it comes to packaging circularity and how AI could be the key to overcoming many obstacles.
According to the analysis – Exploring AI for Packaging Circularity – 70% of businesses believe artificial intelligence can make a huge difference in terms of reuse and recycling success. 40% note that it could help map where and how material loss occurs, in turn saving revenue.
In particular, five key areas were identified as challenges for businesses:
- Overcoming technical limitations on new packaging materials
- Making the packaging portfolio recyclable, and actually recycled
- Incorporating and getting access to more recycled content
- Setting up refillable and reusable packaging systems
- Staying up to date with regulations, getting accurate data and developing required reporting
‘Packaging circularity requires a step change, and AI can be a powerful tool to help unlock it,’ said Cedric Dever, Managing Director, Plastic Waste Coalition, The Consumer Goods Forum. ‘This paper provides a practical, industry-informed view of where AI is already delivering value today and where collaboration across the value chain will be critical to scale solutions that can truly move the needle.’
‘AI has proven its ability to drive efficiency and innovation across industries,’ added Magali Deryckere, Partner at Bain & Company. Packaging circularity is uniquely intricate, requiring trade-offs across recyclability, convenience, carbon performance, safety, and multiple stakeholder needs. For challenges with this level of complexity, AI can significantly accelerate the path to viable solutions.
You can download the full report here.
Image: Luke Heibert / Unsplash
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