How brand owners can communicate sustainability performance more effectively

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AMSTERDAM (August 26, 2020) – A new White Paper from Trivium Packaging examines the role of traditional Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) tools, and argues the case for a more holistic approach that reveals the wider impact of packaging materials on the waste stream and shelf life.

The Camden-based carmaker said the new program, created in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the related use of items like disposable masks and gloves, expands on its current partnership with the Trenton-based firm. The goal, Subaru said in a news release, is to keep improperly discarded PPE out of landfills and incinerators. The automaker will collect PPE at more than 20 offices nationwide, including ports, training centers and its Camden headquarters. “At Subaru, our commitment to maintaining a safe work environment is as strong as our dedication to protecting and preserving our environment by keeping it clean,” Alan Bethke, senior vice president, marketing, said in a prepared statement. “This expansion of our years-long work with TerraCycle allows us to responsibly wear PPE while furthering the Subaru Love Promise commitment to reduce landfill trash and engage in smart environmental practices, simply because it is the right thing to do.” PPE are not recyclable through conventional facilities. The Zero Waste Boxes will be filled and returned to TerraCycle for processing and eventual conversion into other products, from plastic shipping pallets to low-rubber matting. “At TerraCycle, our mission has always been to eliminate waste, recycle the unrecyclable and use our innovative business solutions to minimize human impact on the planet,” Tom Szaky, founder and CEO, said in a statement. “By spearheading this initiative to reduce the impact of PPE waste on the environment, Subaru continues to demonstrate their shared commitment to a greener future.”

What material has been in use for thousands of years? What is natural, recyclable and biodegradable in 6 weeks? What can come from a fully sustainable, certified source? What can be used to form strong, safe and sustainable packaging? What type of packaging has Cullen been producing, innovating and advancing for a century? When you realise the answer to all these questions is paper, you realise paper is the answer to a lot of questions. What can companies use to help prioritise sustainability? What is the best packaging option to replace plastic packaging? How can business replace single-use plastic packaging in a way that isn’t expensive, especially in the current difficulties economies are facing? Worldwide, fingers are on the buzzers for the simple, sustainable solution. With the pressure on to find out the best way forward, packaging is a great starting point. Paper-based packaging – moulded pulp and corrugate boxes – can significantly reduce product waste through damage, use of plastic and carbon footprint. Bioplastics and plant-based products are other packaging teams claiming sustainability as their specialist subject. Bioplastics still break down to be microplastics – just as problematic for the planet – and plant-based products would need environmentally damaging levels of crop production to be a viable alternative to plastic. The thing that puts paper at the top of the plastic replacement leader board is cost. Eco-friendly paper-based packaging can be a commercially viable replacement for plastic, making it easier to ensure sustainability without sacrificing profit. When it comes to packaging, paper gets top marks. Cullen manufacture moulded pulp and corrugate packaging from our 56,000 m2 site in Glasgow, UK. Get in touch and let us help you make your packaging prize-winning.

Amid the social distancing and lock down protocols instated due to the spread of covid-19, a surge in the use of plastic, especially single-use plastic, has been observed worldwide.

To further reduce plastic, this Earth Day Fekkai is introducing limited-edition Mushroom Packaging. Starting April 20, while supplies last, orders will be shipped in mushroom packaging made from 100% compostable and biodegradable ingredients (mycelium and hemp hurds) which means less plastic in shipping products. Once products are safely delivered, soil can be added to the packaging in a garden or compost to biodegrade in 45 days. Mushroom Packaging has been awarded the globally-recognized Cradle-to-Cradle Gold Certification for sustainability and safety. This past January, Fekkai relaunched a collection of shampoo, conditioner, and treatments packaged in 95% high-grade repurposed plastic that are 100% recyclable, as reported in Happi. In 2020, Fekkai will repurpose 64 million grams of plastic—that is roughly 7 million plastic bottles, and they are just getting started, said the company. Each product is free of parabens, sulfates, silicones, phthalates and 100% vegan and gluten-free.

In addition to the information provided by suppliers and certification results for the properties of alternative materials, a team led by Research and Development Engineer Clemens Klocker installed a proprietary test system to demonstrate the decomposition of new types of biodegradable and compostable materials in real conditions. Important findings The construction of the test system consisting of containers with different types of soil was built with the resourceful and expert support of Facility Management. The first few samples were successfully buried last autumn in different types of soil, from compost to garden soil and various types of agricultural soil. Samples are drawn every two months to determine the characteristics of the degradation. By nature, little decomposition occurs in winter, though this is made up for by activity in spring. ‘Certain products attracted tiny organisms that are involved in the degradation,’ Klocker reports. Weather data are recorded to establish correlations between weather conditions and the degradation kinetics. ‘The decomposition under real conditions is different from laboratory results. Consequently the system has already provided us with important information regarding our strategic search field of bio-based and biodegradable materials. And that is what it is all about; we want to understand the processes better,’ says Klocker.

Andrex®, the UK’s number one non-food FMCG brand, has announced plans to use 30% recycled plastic material in its packaging. Launching with its most popular product, Andrex® Classic Clean, the new packaging will be designed using 30% recycled plastic packaging made from post-consumer resin (PCR). Ensuring the packaging continues to be fully recyclable, PCR is a sustainable packaging alternative made from plastic materials used by consumers. The plastic is then taken to a facility where it is washed, reground and pelletized into a new usable material. The new Andrex® Classic Clean packs will begin to appear on all major retailers’ shelves from June 2020, a change which will remove 481 tonnes of virgin plastic over the next 12 months from this variant alone. That’s the equivalent of over 48 million 500ml PET virgin plastic bottles. The announcement marks yet another step towards a wider ambition to reduce the brand’s usage of virgin plastic. By 2023, Andrex® is targeting to have at least 50% recycled plastic across all its packaging. Ori Ben Shai, Vice President & Managing Director of Kimberly-Clark UK, said: “At Andrex, we are committed to improving the sustainability of our products and packaging. The launch of the new 30% recycled plastic packaging forms part of our wider ambition to leave a greener ‘pawprint’ on the planet. Beyond this, we aim to have at least 50% recycled plastic content in our packaging by 2023, and we will continue to look for more sustainable alternatives that reduce our environmental footprint, without compromising on the quality of our products that our customers know and love.” The announcement is just the latest step in the brand’s wider plan to further enhance its sustainability of its products, packaging and processes as part of the Andrex® Greener Paw Print initiative. All Andrex® Toilet Tissue dry packaging is 100% recyclable and the brand recently removed plastic handles from wrapped Andrex® packs of toilet tissue saving 31 tonnes of plastic per year. In addition to this, Andrex® Washlets were the first major UK brand to receive Water UK’s ‘Fine to Flush’ certification, which scientifically tests whether flushable wipes can be flushed down toilets and pass safely through sewer systems. The certification, announced earlier this year, sits across the full Andrex® Washlets range.

Some 65 percent of all packaging for food, pet food, and beverages is made from plastic. But currently only about 39 percent of packaging in Europe is recycled, with an additional 40 percent used to generate energy. In response, the EU and national governments have set ambitious targets for the volumes and percentages of packaging material that should go into a closed-loop system in the packaging industry. The targets demand a volume of 10 million tons of recycled plastic in new packaging by 2025.

Compared to traditional polyethylene (PE) films, the TF-BOPE film made with INNATE™ TF Polyethylene Resins for Tenter Frame Biaxial Orientation has higher mechanical properties and material rigidity, better optical and printing performance, and offers considerable sustainability advantages, including the potential for all-PE structures for recyclability.

According to Südpack, the solutions have been designed to be more recyclable, as well as significantly lower material consumption compared to standard packaging. The Flow Pack PurePP film claims it can achieve material savings of up to 60% compared to tray packaging, with a pack for 1kg of minced meat weighing 9.5g. Südpack also says its new film can be processed quickly and efficiently on all common flow wrapping machines even at high speeds due to its advanced sealing properties.