Sustainable Packaging: On Track for Big Growth
NPES news
October 2006
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Going “green” is becoming big business these days. For all the news in recent years about fiscal responsibility, today’s corporate world is marshalling itself for a new mandate: environmental responsibility. Brand owners are increasingly heeding the public call to action – and much of their attention is turning toward packaging.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. generated 236 million tons of municipal solid waste in 2003. Just over 30 percent was recovered through recycling or composting. The rest was combusted or land filled. The good news is that recycling recovery rates been climbing steadily in recent years. In 2003, paper and paperboard recovery rose to 40 million tons. Metals were recycled at 36 percent. While there is room for improvement, these statistics point to the public’s increased interest in environmental stewardship. As companies seek to become more environmentally responsible, earthfriendly packaging plays a key role.
In 2004, packaging professionals from two dozen corporations including Coca-Cola, Estée Lauder/Aveda, Masterfoods, Nike, PepsiCo, Starbucks, and Unilever came together to form the Sustainable Packaging Coalition (SPC), which has since grown to encompass over 50 member companies. SPC defines sustainable package as “sourced responsibly; designed to be effective and safe throughout its life cycle; meets market criteria and cost; is made entirely using renewable energy and once used, is recycled efficiently to provide a valuable resource for subsequent generations.” Essentially, a sustainable package has zero impact on its environment. For the moment, this is difficult to achieve. Comprehensive infrastructure isn’t currently in place to support widespread sustainable packaging; however, brand owners and retailers are moving closer to the goal.
The Right Building Blocks
The first tenet of sustainable packaging is to source material responsibly. Responsible sourcing often means utilizing recycled materials. Beauty brand and environmental champion Aveda, for example, uses a secondary package made from 100 percent post-consumer recycled newsprint for its Uruku lipstick. The molded pulp clamshell stands out on shelf and reminds consumers of its commitment to the environment.
Other brand owners look toward materials that can be composted. In the plastic industry, polylactic acid (PLA) resin is created from corn and can be broken down in compost facilities. The resin can be used for rigid packaging, but also in label and shrink sleeve applications. Johnson & Johnson is reportedly planning to replace some of its polyvinyl chloride (PVC)-based products with PLA.
Source reduction is another method utilized by corporations. Retailing giant Wal-Mart recently aided the Kid Connection toy line in a redesign of its packaging. By making the packaging smaller, the retailer says that an estimated 3,425 tons of corrugated materials and 5,190 trees were saved .
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. generated 236 million tons of municipal solid waste in 2003. Just over 30 percent was recovered through recycling or composting. The rest was combusted or land filled. The good news is that recycling recovery rates been climbing steadily in recent years. In 2003, paper and paperboard recovery rose to 40 million tons. Metals were recycled at 36 percent. While there is room for improvement, these statistics point to the public’s increased interest in environmental stewardship. As companies seek to become more environmentally responsible, earthfriendly packaging plays a key role.
In 2004, packaging professionals from two dozen corporations including Coca-Cola, Estée Lauder/Aveda, Masterfoods, Nike, PepsiCo, Starbucks, and Unilever came together to form the Sustainable Packaging Coalition (SPC), which has since grown to encompass over 50 member companies. SPC defines sustainable package as “sourced responsibly; designed to be effective and safe throughout its life cycle; meets market criteria and cost; is made entirely using renewable energy and once used, is recycled efficiently to provide a valuable resource for subsequent generations.” Essentially, a sustainable package has zero impact on its environment. For the moment, this is difficult to achieve. Comprehensive infrastructure isn’t currently in place to support widespread sustainable packaging; however, brand owners and retailers are moving closer to the goal.
The Right Building Blocks
The first tenet of sustainable packaging is to source material responsibly. Responsible sourcing often means utilizing recycled materials. Beauty brand and environmental champion Aveda, for example, uses a secondary package made from 100 percent post-consumer recycled newsprint for its Uruku lipstick. The molded pulp clamshell stands out on shelf and reminds consumers of its commitment to the environment.
Other brand owners look toward materials that can be composted. In the plastic industry, polylactic acid (PLA) resin is created from corn and can be broken down in compost facilities. The resin can be used for rigid packaging, but also in label and shrink sleeve applications. Johnson & Johnson is reportedly planning to replace some of its polyvinyl chloride (PVC)-based products with PLA.
Source reduction is another method utilized by corporations. Retailing giant Wal-Mart recently aided the Kid Connection toy line in a redesign of its packaging. By making the packaging smaller, the retailer says that an estimated 3,425 tons of corrugated materials and 5,190 trees were saved .
Companies Mentioned:
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