Product Stewardship - Silicone Send Back

Anna recently joined a project group to raise awareness of product stewardship. Something we have been already doing and thinking about at Munch for the last 5 years, without really using the term. And something that Anna is very passionate to keep developing and experimenting with.

Product stewardship is about businesses taking responsibility for the products they make, sell and buy so their products don’t just end up in landfill. That means designing and making products to last, then putting systems in place to enable them to be reused and recycled when they are worn out.

‘SBN is leading Aotearoa Product Stewardship Campaign with a number of key businesses. It aims to raise awareness and increase the number of businesses involved in product stewardship’.

A group formed to focus on silicone products in particular, made up of a number of other businesses like Again Again, Wa Collective, Caliwood, ReusaBowl - and Munch - with more to come.

Munch is the first New Zealand collection point for a new pilot programme to repurpose silicone: Silicone Send Back.

As many of you know we chose to use silicone rather than plastic as a good alternative. The products that we use silicone for are:

• Munch ice pops
• Munch baby spoons (spoon only)
• Munch Baby silicone butterfly soother
• Munch glass drink bottle (sleeve only)
• Munch lunchbox (seal only)
• Munch silicone food covers
• Munch freezer bags
• Munch large feeding/storage tray (7 comp)
• Munch baby bowls
• Munch small feeding/storage tray (4 comp)
• Munch baby bib

Many of the Munch baby lines and the Munch Baby Shower products are made from Silicone.

The reason we choose silicone is because of its functional properties, these include thermal stability, durability, non toxic and elasticity. It is a great alternative to plastic. But the end of life of silicone products in New Zealand needs further consideration.

Currently in New Zealand there are no silicone recycling options. Even in the US, the recycling options are limited and are still in early stages. 

And the exciting news is that a pilot silicone processing facility is being investigated, as part of The Aotearoa Product Stewardship Campaign led by the Sustainable Business Network.

To avoid silicone products going into landfills right now, we can start to collect it and sort it.

Drop off any of unusable silicone products to our Refillery/Showroom at 471 Adelaide Road Berhampore Wellington.  If you are a Munch or nil products customer located outside of Wellington, let us know and you can be part of Silicone Send Back. We’ll send you a free shipping label to send it in to us and get it sorted for you.

Till next time.

Anna