Aidacare are a signatory to the Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation (APCO).  We are committed to the Covenant’s objectives and targets and continue to strive toward minimising the environmental impact of packaging. We are working towards prioritising sustainability at all levels and engaging with our supply chain and partners to develop processes and organisational structures that enable sustainable business outcomes. 

As a signatory to APCO, Aidacare has agreed to specific commitments and responsibilities in respect to managing and reducing packaging waste and being proactive about environmental husbandry through this  -  See attached for ‘Australia’s 2025 National Packaging Targets’ (please note: the link takes you to the APCO website).

Procedure

Packaging for Aidacare comes in various shapes and forms mainly as follows ;

• Wooden pallets  - recycle for re-use or send to timber yard for wood chip.
• Steel pallets for some beds – recycle to metal scrap yards.
• Cardboard boxes – recycle  /  compact and recycle (this is the bulk of our packaging waste.)
• Cardboard dunnage - recycle
• Flexible packaging – recycle
• Bubble wrap – waste, actively reduce this.
• EPS Styrofoam dunnage – waste, eliminate this, convert to cardboard.

The objective in all our locations is to maximise recycling and re-use, and minimise what is not recyclable and goes to land-fill as irrecoverable waste.

Aidacare will work with our Overseas and Local Suppliers to reduce the type and amount of packaging content wherever possible while understanding that goods in transit need packaging to provide protection and prevent damage.

Responsibilities

1. It is the responsibility of the Directors and Senior Managers to;

• To promote and guide awareness of APCO and our undertakings
• To proactively implement processes to deliver on our undertakings
• Monitor and report on waste management progress internally on a routine basis.

2. It is the responsibility of All Managers to ensure that:

• All new staff are made aware of our APCO commitment in their induction program;
• Packaging waste and collection facilities are in place for recycling, as best, at all our locations.
• That we all conscientiously apply ourselves to the proactive re-use of packaging.

3. It is the responsibility of the Product Development Group to ensure that:

• We drive programs with our Overseas Suppliers to minimize packaging.
• We set simple goals and monitor progress together with each Overseas Supplier.
• We identify the use of materials like Styrofoam and bubble wrap and work to eliminate them quickly.
• We convert packaging materials to be re-usable or recyclable as much as possible.