Signify aims to be plastic-free in consumer-related packaging by 2021

Lighting solutions firm Signify on Saturday said it aims to be plastic-free on all consumer-related packaging by 2021. The company, earlier known as Philips Lighting, will completely switch to recycled paper-based materials to avoid the use of 2,500 tonnes of plastics per year, Signify said in a statement.

"As part of its packaging policy, Signify already uses 80 per cent recycled paper for its packaging and will now start phasing out all plastics from packaging for consumer-related products with the aim to be plastic-free in 2021," it added. This 2,500 tonnes of plastics, is equal to 125 million PET bottles which, placed in a row, would stretch more than 8,000 kilometres, the company said.

"On top of that, our new packaging is smaller, reducing carbon emissions from transport and the materials we use by 6,000 tons per year – equivalent to the amount of CO2 that 2,70,000 fully grown trees can absorb in a year," it noted. "Plastic waste has a very negative impact on our planet and its biodiversity and we decided that we must take a leading role and start using plastic-free alternatives. It is the right thing to do and meets the increasing expectations of our customers," Signify CEO Eric Rondolat said.

Signify already started replacing the plastic blister packaging for its LED lamps with paper-based materials in the Pacific, where the switch was received very positively and resulted in an increase in sales. "When we replaced our packaging in the Pacific region, customers said that it was more appealing and environmentally friendly," said Rondolat. He also expects other companies to join it and switch.