Packaging

Procter & Gamble (P&G) has announced that 45 of its facilities, including six in the Asia region, have achieved zero manufacturing waste to landfill.

The Asian cosmetics industry needs to raise the bar for sustainability according to speakers at the 2nd Asia-Pacific Sustainable Cosmetics Summit held recently in Hong Kong. They say the region is lagging in many ethical and ecological areas, such as alternatives to animal testing, ecological packaging, green formulations, as well as consumer education. The growing importance of Asia to the cosmetics industry was highlighted by Sam McKay, CEO of Jurlique. In his opening keynote, he declared: “Asia has become our number one focus as a region”.

US-based global retail giant Wal-Mart Stores Inc has given its suppliers five years to comply with its environmental rules or risk being pushed off its shelves. The new requirements, announced in China where Wal-Mart has more than 20,000 suppliers, will compel them to improve on energy efficiency, waste reduction and other markers on the retailer’s checklist. Wal-Mart said the checklist, introduced in 2009, was voluntary. But if suppliers fall short, they could be cut off from the discount stores wholesale warehouses that the company operates in the United States.

China and the United States are strengthening ties in reducing carbon emissions through new agreements involving energy efficiency cooperation, despite recent trade disputes over renewable energy products.

KFC has denied made by Greenpeace this week that it sells its chicken in buckets produced by controversial paper supplier Asia Pulp and Paper (APP).

A new online tool unveiled by the WWF and German development finance institution Deutsche Investitions-und Entwicklungsgesellschaft mbH (DEG) allows companies to identify water risk within their supply chains and provides steps to mitigate that risk, which is becoming a major concern for companies operating in China and the rest of the Asian region.

Asia has led the world since the global financial crisis hit much of the developed world and looks set to see further robust growth in 2012.  Standard & Poor's has, however, warned that the region cannot be entirely immune from economic risks elsewhere, particularly in Europe and the USA, and that may have impacts including interest rate cuts and an increase in stimulus spending[1].  The pace of development across the region over recent decades has meant unprecedented advances in technology, prosperity and consumption, with Asian economies now well-placed to consolidate growth in the second half of the year, according to Reuters.

Apple has for the first time held talks with environmental campaigners who accuse the company's Chinese manufacturers of widespread pollution, participants told reporters Wednesday.The maker of the iPad and iPhone agreed to meet five Chinese environmental groups after they issued a report in August that alleged rampant pollution at dozens of factories believed to be producing products for Apple, according to a report in the Global Times.