The British Aerosol Manufacturers' Association (BAMA) hosted its inaugural Sustainability Roundtable aboard HMS Belfast in London on 16 June, bringing together voices from government, academia and across the aerosol supply chain to begin work on a roadmap towards a more sustainable future for the industry.
Retailers, brand owners, valve and can manufacturers and fillers gathered to hear from academic, regulatory and trade body specialists, before taking part in an interactive workshop focused on collective industry action.
Sandrine Delarue of the Competition and Markets Authority opened proceedings with a detailed explanation of the CMA's Green Agreements Guidance, outlining how it allows companies to collaborate on environmental sustainability while remaining compliant with competition law.
Professor Ally Lewis of the University of York followed with an analytical presentation on indoor and outdoor air quality, covering long-term trends in VOC emissions, the role aerosols play within the wider emissions mix, and the growing significance of solvents emitted by consumers.
Maxwell Green of Make UK addressed the geopolitical context facing the sector, highlighting the impact of the Middle East crisis and industrial policy on the aerosol supply chain, and exploring the knock-on effects of commodity prices on manufacturing.
Patrick Heskins, chief executive of BAMA, said the aerosol package had shown remarkable resilience for over 75 years, and that carrying this success forward required the involvement of all industry stakeholders in the sustainability conversation. He described the roundtable as having provided a platform for candid and productive discussion that would help inform the sector's next steps.
In the afternoon, participants took part in a workshop delivered by social and environmental impact specialists Seismic, examining potential future scenarios and how collective action today could reshape the industry's long-term sustainability.
Ro Egglesfield, head of impact development at Seismic, said the roundtable had revealed a strong appetite for proactive, industry-wide evolution, with shared recognition that bold ambition could translate into practical action delivering both environmental and social impact. She added that a collective, action-focused approach had the potential to turn sustainability from a perceived compliance challenge into a competitive advantage, creating momentum for near-term improvements while securing the industry's longer-term future.
A follow-up online meeting has been arranged to explore the outcomes and insights from the roundtable, with BAMA inviting anyone from the aerosol sector or wider industry to take part.
BAMA roundtable brings industry stakeholders together to forge sustainability roadmap
