It's Not Easy Being Green

Businesses can often feel overwhelmed when thinking about the best way to make meaningful environmental change whilst using plastics in their products or packaging. You might feel under pressure to become more sustainable from customer demand, new regulations or a feeling of responsibility for the planet.

The SMI Hub’s Sustainability Workshop: It’s Not Easy Being Green, will provide impartial advice and expertise around plastics use and plastics circularity, which will support your business to use plastics more sustainably and efficiently now, and in the future.

About the Workshop

During the event, you’ll have the opportunity to engage with and learn from sustainability and polymer experts who are keen to support SMEs in GM to be the most forward thinking when it comes to plastics circularity and help to implement sustainable practices.

In advance of the event, the SMI Hub team will be in touch to arrange an introductory meeting, where you’ll have the opportunity to provide us with your plastic product or packaging for lab testing, the results of which will be available to be shared during the workshop.

What to Expect

• Gain a better understanding of sustainability considerations for plastics use and plastics circularity
• Learn about sustainability concerns with the use of plastics, upcoming policy implications that might affect your business, current recycling & waste systems in the UK and where waste is likely to end up, unintended consequences of materials use, and how your business can become more sustainable
• Potential to progress your interaction with the SMI Hub to an innovation project, a bespoke collaboration to create new ambitious innovations and technologies that address your sustainability challenges.
• Use the knowledge you gain to enhance your business’ reputation and future proof your business, with a case study, and social posts you can share.

Overview of Agenda

• Lab tour
• Introduction to Sustainability
• What’s the problem with microplastics?
• Processing plastic – what happens at end-of -life?
• Testing Analysis and Problem Plastics Surgery

Eligibility

The SMI Hub offers free support to small and medium-sized enterprises:

• Based in Greater Manchester
• With less than 250 employees
• With less than €50m turnover

You will need to:

• Register via the SMI Hub
• Share information (in confidence) about the materials you use

About the Sustainable Materials Innovation Hub

The Sustainable Materials Innovation Hub (SMI Hub) works with businesses in Greater Manchester to provide free support, and create sustainability solutions for plastics use and end of life.

The SMI Hub has a varied team of specialists from materials experts, technical support staff and business advisors who work with small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Greater Manchester to create trusted sustainable solutions for plastics use. The SMI Hub helps businesses understand where they can make efficiencies and realise opportunities with the sustainability of products or packaging.

The SMI Hub offers three overlapping services to businesses looking to make a change in their use of plastics. This includes sustainability advice, access to materials assessment facilities and innovation support to bring new products or materials to market.