The Australian Beverages Council has expressed its disappointment that environment ministers are still considering implementing a national container deposit scheme. [ + ]

The NPCIA claims environment ministers have missed an opportunity to provide regulatory certainty and address public concerns by supporting work on two additional options under the Packaging Impacts Consultation. [ + ]

Bundaberg Sugar and Proteco Gold have received grants as part of the Government’s Clean Technology Investment Programs to install energy-efficient equipment. [ + ]

DAFF and AUSVEG have engaged in a slinging match over the import of New Zealand potatoes for processing, which may harbour zebra chip disease or the tomato-potato psyllid. [ + ]

Four WA manufacturers are taking advantage of the government’s Clean Technology Investment Programs to install more than $4.8 million worth of energy-efficient equipment. [ + ]

Quality Food World is being prosecuted by the Fair Work Ombudsman for allegedly underpaying 46 employees more than $300,000. [ + ]

Fonterra has recorded its largest ever quarter, with 620,000 tonnes of dairy products shipped for export to over 100 markets around the world - 36% more than last year. [ + ]

City University of Hong Kong and Starbucks Hong Kong have collaborated to develop a ‘biorefinery’ designed to use food waste to produce plastics, laundry detergents and other everyday products. [ + ]

The APROPOS project seeks to re-use protein- and oil-rich side streams from fish and oil plant processing. [ + ]

Novozymes has developed a fungus that produces malic acid from renewable raw materials instead of oil. [ + ]

A worker was left with serious and permanent injuries to his arm after a dough extruder activated while he was cleaning it, at Goodman Fielder’s Pampas factory in 2009. [ + ]

Sullair Australia has extended the operational area of Remtron Automation, one of its principal distributors. [ + ]

O-I Australia has been awarded a 4.3 out of 5 rating by the Australian Packaging Covenant for its annual report. [ + ]

The ongoing viability and competitiveness of food processing in Australia has been investigated with a report tabled in the Senate yesterday (16 August). The report examines possible policy responses to the challenges and pressures within the broader economy that threaten the $108 billion food and grocery manufacturing sector that is Australia’s largest manufacturing sector, employing around 200,000 Australians. [ + ]

Goodman Fielder Limited has posted an NPAT loss of $146.9 million for the 2011-12 financial year, slightly less than the 2010-11 NPAT loss of $166.7 million. [ + ]