Overview

Plastics have been found everywhere—from the deepest oceans to the summit of Mount Everest, and even inside the human body. But how can we best use plastics? How can we avoid waste, pollution, and damage to the planet? And should we actually even call them plastics in the first place?

These were just some of the questions explored at What Matters Now: A Pressing Plastic Problem, a public seminar held on Friday, 10 June 2022, at Lancaster University Management School (LUMS) and online via Zoom. Part of the Plastic Packaging in People’s Lives (PPiPL) project, the event brought together researchers, industry professionals, and the public to reflect on the complex role of plastics in everyday life—particularly in food packaging.

This seminar was the latest in a series of public events from LUMS tackling pressing societal and business challenges. Members of the PPiPL team from LUMS and Lancaster University’s Faculty of Science and Technology, alongside an industry partner, shared findings from their interdisciplinary research into consumer behaviours and attitudes toward plastic packaging.

Chaired by project leaders Dr Alison Stowell and Professor Maria Piacentini, the programme featured a series of insightful presentations. Dr Savita Verma explored the role of businesses across the plastic supply chain, while Dr Charlotte Hadley examined how consumers perceive and engage with plastic in their everyday lives. Dr John Hardy delved into the complexities of defining what we mean by “plastic,” and Ian Schofield, a packaging and sustainability expert who was working with Butlers Farmhouse Cheeses, offered an industry perspective on the challenges of moving away from non-recyclable packaging.

The event concluded with a lively Q&A session and in-person networking lunch, offering a valuable platform for dialogue and collaboration around one of today’s most urgent environmental issues.