Guidance on Packaging Recycling Now Released by Suppliers Partnership

The Suppliers Partnership for the Environment (SP), a collaboration of major carmakers and their suppliers, has published updated packaging guidelines for the automotive industry. The guidelines, titled "Automotive Packaging Materials Collection and Handling Practices", aim to maximize recyclable material recovery, increase implementation of leading practices across automotive facilities, and identify opportunities to reduce the volume of material sent to landfill.

The updated guidelines cover a wide range of packaging materials, including corrugated cardboard and paper-based packaging, wood, plastic, scrap metal, foam, universal hazardous and special packaging waste, and more. The recommendations in the paper are based on what has been found to work on the shop floor, reflecting practical, tested approaches to improve the quality and value of recovered packaging materials.

Kellen Mahoney, executive director at SP, stated that the guidance reflects these practical, tested approaches. Gina McGee, business development manager at RecycleMax, led the composition of the latest paper.

One of the key focus areas in the updated guidelines is the reduction of contamination in wooden packaging used for international parts shipments, emphasized by Bridget Grewal, director of packaging CI at Magna International and co-chair of the SP Sustainable Packaging Work Group.

Industry leaders shared practical strategies, collaborative projects, and innovative technologies aimed at meeting new EU packaging requirements while unlocking operational and environmental benefits at the Odette 2025 conference.

The guidance provides material-specific handling and sorting recommendations, space planning considerations, signage design guidance, and implementation strategies.

Grewal will be discussing innovative packaging strategies and best practices to drive sustainability at the Automotive Logistics & Supply Chain Global conference in Michigan, between September 23-25. The updated guidelines are a significant step towards a more sustainable future for the automotive industry, helping automotive OEMs and suppliers maximize recyclable material recovery, reduce landfill waste, and decrease contamination in recycling streams.