Reuse Innovation Challenge

The 2021 Reuse Innovation Challenge is proudly brought to you by the MAVA Foundation and the South African Plastics Pact

Solution types for entry

Competition entrants should submit their proposed designs of reusable packaging items and/or systems that would replace single-use packaging items at a B2B (business to business) or B2C (business to consumer) facing level. Designs should include the systems and mechanisms which would be used to complete the packaging reuse cycle.

Innovations are not limited to physical products, but could also be systems or models for the reuse cycling of packaging items. For more inspiration visit https://plastics.emf.org/upstream and https://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/publications/reuse.

Candidates with the most practicable ideas and designs that are viable and ready (or near ready) for implementation in the South African retail or FMCG sector will be chosen by the judges. Winners will be selected by a panel of specialist judges including brand owners and retailers which would be the target business partners for implementing the reusable packaging solutions. Some criteria that judges will be looking for include:

• Amount of single use packaging it will displace

• Ease of implementation

• Cost effectiveness

• Adaptability to different products or retailers

• Expected number of completed cycles

• Recycled content used & recyclability at end of life

Additional points will be granted for innovations that increase the uptake and inclusion of recycled plastic content. All reusable packaging items must be recyclable once they have completed the desired number of reuse cycles. Please give an indication of the expected number of reuse cycles for your product, or the expected recovery of reusable packaging in your system.

Some ideas for items that have been identified as problematic, where innovations are needed. The list is provided, but does not rule out any other innovations:

• Beverage bottles / sleeved bottles

• Multilayer packaging in food service (including restaurants)

• Take away containers/ on the go items

• Homecare, detergents, personal care

• Dog food / dry food items

• Fruit and vegetables

• Any packs with dispensing pumps