The organisation – which leads sustainability research into packaging – is now seeking to appoint a new director with the same ‘passion and enthusiasm’.
Joining INCPEN as technical director in 1990 before being promoted to her current role in 2000, Ms Bickerstaffe has worked on numerous campaigns and in-depth projects during her time at the organisation.
According to INCPEN, these have helped to support companies in their efforts to improve their packaging from an environmental and social perspective – as well as illustrating that packaging ‘prevents more waste than it generates’.
Merseyside
INCPEN campaigns that Ms Bickerstaffe has worked on include research into the composition of household waste through a six week analysis of actual waste generated on Merseyside.
At the time, this showed that packaging accounted for ‘under a third of this waste ‘as opposed to the widely accepted figure of half.
More recently, the director has co-ordinated INCPEN’s anti-litter programme and is a representative on the government’s new advisory group for a National Litter Strategy.
Ms Bickerstaffe also recently entered the fray over disposable coffee cup recycling, arguing that the energy, water, haulage and sorting costs of recycling the cups would not be sustainable (see letsrecycle.com story).
‘Fantastic’
Commenting on her record, INCPEN chairman David Baker said: “Jane has done a fantastic job in promoting the many positive benefits of packaging and ensuring that the interests of all sectors of the supply chain are fully represented when it comes to policy making.
“We are now looking for a successor with the same combination of knowledge, passion and enthusiasm to carry on this good work. Packaging will remain an easy target for the ill-informed and it is vital that we continue to promote the positive contribution it makes to society.
“We are grateful that Jane has given us fair warning of her wish to retire so that there will be an opportunity for the new appointee to work alongside her to ensure a smooth and effective handover.”
Founded in 1974, INCPEN was set up to understand the environmental and social effects of packaging.
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