In his final speech at the end of a two year term as chairman of the Packaging and Films Association, Barry Turner reinforced the resolve of the flexible packaging industry to shoulder the regulatory burdens placed on UK manufacturing industry and continue to fight “ill-informed” attacks by the popular media.

“Despite all these challenges, our members have remained resolute and have continued to invest, innovate and to improve their standing” he told an audience of 200 industry leaders, politicians and overseas representatives of the global packaging supply chain.

At the 35th annual luncheon of the trade association, Turner added: “In the past two years, I have seen the industry respond to a continued increase in polymer and energy costs, a dramatic slowdown in consumer confidence, a relocation of capacity overseas to countries more supportive of manufacturing industry, unprecedented and unwarranted attacks by ill-informed politicians on plastics as green issues take centre stage and many of our customers scrambling to formulate green policies in their attempts to take the moral high ground and capture green consumers.”

But on the positive side of PAFA’s achievements, Turner described how the trade association had successfully negotiated a Climate Change Agreement with Defra resulting in a reduction in energy costs in excess of £2m covering the 51 production sites operated by members of the scheme and allowing 80 per cent rebate on the Climate Change Levy. He also described how the issue of health and safety continues to be high with all members. “During the year the number of reported accidents amongst industry members providing data to our survey showed a marked improvement, with accidents down by 30 per cent, reportable accidents down by 38 per cent and the lost hours per employee down by 23 per cent.”

The merger of PIFA and the FPA which resulted in the enlarged PAFA was also held up as a significant strengthening of support for the industry. Turner said: “Over the last year the merger of PIFA and the FPA became reality and the new organisation now represents a much broader membership with the committees and structure improved to accommodate the broader interests of all whilst, at the same time, preserving and building on the essential strengths of both organisations. In addition, the trade association created a more informative and useful website.”

He described how, through its CBC lobbying group, PAFA had successfully defeated a private member’s bill brought in Scotland to tax plastic bags and had also helped broker a voluntary code with government and the retail industry to reduce carrier bag impacts. The association had also been busy making representations to the Welsh environment minister, the London Assembly, London Councils and up to fifty towns and cities. But he also warned: “At the beginning of 2007 I was perhaps foolishly optimistic that the voluntary code on carrier bags would defuse the attack on plastic bags by ill-informed politicians and those aspiring to a greener lifestyle. However, there has now followed an unprecedented and continuous barrage of attacks not only on plastic but on the voluntary code itself with U-turns becoming common amongst experts whose sound science we had come to rely on.”

The trade association has continued its long-established campaigns to educate politicians, consumers and the retail industry on the correct use of flexible materials and has continued to promote the mantra of sound environmental practice of reduce, reuse and recycle. On degradable options, PAFA has been promoting the correct consideration of biodegradable and degradable materials in the face of their ill-informed promotion as the ultimate green solution. Turner said: “Those who promote such solutions often conveniently overlook the impact on CO2 emissions as they break down and the fact that the material and energy that went into their manufacture is lost for ever.”

The outgoing PAFA chairman will be replaced by David Read of Printpack Ltd.