Excess Packaging campaign comes to Milngavie

5.23.31pm BST (GMT +0100) Thu 26th Jul 2007

Jo quizzed bosses at SCA packaging on their green credentials

Jo Swinson has brought the focus of her national campaign against excess packaging to East Dunbartonshire, with a visit to SCA packaging in Milngavie.

With 130 employees, SCA packaging is one of the largest employers in the Milngavie area. The company works closely with distilleries to provide packaging for spirits and other products.

Jo has campaigned extensively on the issue of reducing excess packaging, through activities including:

• producing a report on excess Easter egg packaging earlier this year;

• working in conjunction with the Independent's Campaign Against Waste;

• meeting experts from industry and environmental groups;

• organising a panel discussion event and a policy motion to be debated at this year's Liberal Democrat conference in Brighton in September.

Commenting following the visit to SCA packaging, Jo said:

"Packaging is essential to protect and provide information about many of the products we buy, and the packaging industry is a major provider of jobs across the country, as SCA packaging shows. Equally essential, however, is that packaging should be minimised where possible, to avoid waste, protect the environment and save consumers money.

"SCA packaging has a good track record on green issues, having recently come 2nd in a ranking of the world's most environmentally friendly companies. I was impressed by the company's recycling processes within the plant.

"However, excess packaging is widespread, and there is much that should be done at Government level to tackle the problem. We need packaging regulations that are tougher and easier to enforce, as well as action to reduce the number of disposable plastic bags we use."

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SCA was recently ranked 2nd in the world on environmental friendliness