GE Appliances, a Haier company, highlighted multiple new packaging sustainability goals in the 2023 annual corporate report it released Wednesday.
The report prominently highlights five new goals for sustainable packaging, which the company says will “guide us toward reducing the environmental impact of our products and our supply chain through the development of more sustainable packaging solutions.” By the end of 2030, it intends to:
- Eliminate expanded polystyrene from all finished goods packaging.
- Have 100% of packaging include recycled content.
- Have 100% recyclable packaging.
- Use only “environmentally sustainable” ink on packaging.
- Eliminate printed literature unless required for product safety or regulatory compliance.
GE Appliances had noted in its 2022 report that it was examining its product packaging to reduce environmental impact. It noted work to maximize recycling throughout the value chain and to “identify viable alternatives to EPS.”
The new report highlights work to build on those ideas, noting actions like “conducting a baseline materials analysis and continuing to evaluate alternatives to EPS.”
“From decreasing our packaging footprint to using recycled plastics in our products, we know that small steps can make a big impact as we work to contribute to a more environmentally-conscious future,” the report states. “We know that now, more than ever, our customers and users want packaging that not only protects their appliances — but is recyclable and helps protect the planet.”
The company released its first corporate citizenship report in 2021. At that time, it reported that more than 80% of its product packaging materials were recyclable.
GE Appliances continued in 2023 its ongoing work to “reduce contamination of recyclable materials and find additional outlets for our waste.” Last year it diverted more than 160 million pounds of waste from manufacturing sites. Part of that total includes more than 1 million pounds of plastic scrap that went through the company’s regrind system to be used in other products.
The 2023 report also describes waste diversion efforts such as improving the availability of cardboard balers at some manufacturing sites to make it easier for employees to recycle material at their workstations.
