Team Five Packaging and SustainabilityPKG3001 December 9th, 2015
Figure 1: Recycle Logo [1]
By: Marc Cohen, Meghan Hughes, Wilson Lam, Jacob Morrison, Sean Vozza
Table of ContentsIntroduction Pg. 2Green material/sustainable packaging Pg. 2Measuring sustainable packaging Pg. 6Life cycles of common materials Pg. 10Negative aspects of enforcing sustainable packaging Pg. 14Future of sustainable packaging Pg. 18Conclusion Pg. 22Figures and Resources Pg. 23
IntroductionSustainable materials in packaging incorporates the idea of having less as more while having little or no impact to the environment or living conditions. This idea is built on conservation and the production of material from alternative sources so that they are renewable, biodegradable, or easily disposable. Less materials used means a reduction in the cost of transport and distribution. Sustainable materials remain flexible and can be used in other design applications. Measuring sustainability helps discover what works successfully in order to create even more sustainable packaging. The life cycles of the materials used in packaging are often overlooked by the consumer but each material is quite different. Sustainable packaging is important in preserving materials for the future yet the negatives still need to be addressed before companies put sustainability first. As new technology is developed sustainable packaging is becoming cheaper and more feasible for everyday packaging.
Green material/sustainable packagingSustainable materials in packaging incorporates the idea of having less as more while having little or no impact to the environment or living conditions. This idea is built on conservation and the production of material from alternative sources so that they are renewable, biodegradable, or easily disposable. These materials are often produced from plant based components which have all three characteristics. Sustainable materials in packaging can have many benefits. Less materials used means a reduction in the cost of transport and distribution. Sustainable materials remain flexible and can be used in other design applications. Most of all, less pollutants are created and can have a significant improvement in the quality of life of environment, especially in large scale production [1]. Previous and current work include innovative ways that eliminate or reduce traditional methods of manufacturing the plastics. Microgreen Polymers marketed Aeris Incycle, a foamed recycled PET sheet. Traditionally, foaming agents are used to expand plastic. Microgreen Polymers used air instead which made a lighter product. Additionally, the incorporation of air reduced the amount of material of up to 4 times less per application. The products functionally had shown improvements in insulation, flexibility, and impact strength. Airline companies favored the product as it served as a great replacement to expanded PS hot cups. Unfortunately, Difficulties in obtaining funding and a poor business model ended Microgreen Polymers in April 2015, even with the demanded production of two million cups a day [2].
Figure 2: Moisture proof and printable foamed rPET sheet [2]Octal produces DPET, a direct-to-sheet application of recycled PET. DPET consumes 67% less electricity than traditional methods due to Octal eliminating 5 stages of processing during manufacturing. The direct-to-sheet technology works well when producing the material in bulk which may be promising in the food and agriculture business. Octal seeks to phase out and drive the market of PS and PVC towards PET [2]. Octals reason is sensible as PET is the most commonly recycled plastic. If other plastics phase out and innovations continue to evolve the properties of commonly recycled plastics to their less recyclable counterparts the market and demand will favor PET while lowering the cost. The drive for this is continuous innovation, one of the causes that shut down the doors of Microgreen Polymers. Innovation of new products will give incentive for current investors to reinvest which will bring the market one more step closer to a more sustainable model [3]. Other innovative work in sustainable materials consist of blending resins with bio-based products. In 2010, Algix and Interfacial solutions marketed a 15% algae and 85% polypropylene blend. The algae served as a filler which has the same properties as traditional fillers. Algae feedstocks can be easily derived and reduces the industrial waste created. Though physically the blend looked and smelled like algae, the product was able to stay competitive until oil prices dropped. In 2015, Algix and Primex created an algae and polystyrene film from 30% algae core between polystyrene films. The film helped reduce the odor of the algae but the material itself could become compromised in a humid climate since the algae core is hydroscopic. Algix is continuing to expand their algae based products to 3D printing filaments and foam plastics for shoes [2].
Figure 3: 15% algae, 85% PP plastic [3]Algix has tapped the potential of algae as a source for bio-plastics. The biomass of algae has up to 65% protein content which behaves like a polymer when treated correctly. Algae tends to have a high protein content when nutrient-rich. To synergize another sustainable practice, when algae is starved it tends to increase starch and lipid production. This is tends to lean towards biofuels production. The unfortunate realization of oil production and extraction from algae alone is that it can be costly, especially when compared to low oil and natural gas prices [4]. For example, Algenol, a company specializing in ethanol production from algae, recently had its investors lead their CEO to resign and their staff cut by 25%. Current plans of oil production from algae have ceased but may be capitalized in other countries where natural gas prices are higher. The harvest of algae biomass after biofuel production to create bio-plastics can expand the diversity of sustainable product development. Algenol failed to innovate their development and strategy and tunneled their vision towards money [5]. The above materials are just a short step towards a long term sustainable movement. Their integration as packages in Consumer Packages Good could significantly reduce the waste and space in landfills around the world. For example, the single-serve coffee business have surged in the market in the last decade due to the development of the Keurig coffee machines. Every brand of coffee is now available in single-serve coffee pods known as K-cups for specific use in the coffee machines. These pods are typically laminated which deems them non-recyclable. Wolfgang Puck Coffee switched to recyclable coffee pods called EcoCup pods from Mother Parkers Tea & Coffee. The pods are composed of a plastic cup, a proprietary non-woven filter material and foil lidding. After using the pod to make a cup of coffee, the consumer can peel off the lidding, compost the spent grounds, dispose of the filter and lidding and, finally, toss the plastic cup in the recycling bin [6].
Figure 4: Recyclable Keurig K-Cups [4]The switch to recyclable packaging from number 7 plastic or laminated packages is the next step towards a more sustainable movement. EcoCups offer a great solution to laminated plastics. The 2-piece, detachable design offers recyclability and biodegradability in one. The K-cup trend in the last half decade have been increasing until recent. Third party coffee pod sellers have seen an increase in sales this year due to their cheaper price than the official K-cup brand [7]. In 2011, over 3 million K-cups were sold. On September 2012, Keurigs license for their K-cups expired causing an explosion of competitor K-cups in the market. In 2014, almost 9 billion K-cups were sold. Keurig Investor, John Sylvan, even stated that the Keurig was a mistake. The environmental impact from K-cups were already predicted in 2011 by Eric Anderson, a professor of marketing at Northwestern University. It was not until recently, in the second half of 2015, when development of recyclable K-cups began. Refillable/reusable K-cups were always an option, but freshness of the product was dependent on how well and how long the consumer kept their coffee grounds. Today, almost one in three American homes use a pod-based system. With Keurig now partnering with Coca-Cola and soon releasing Keurig Cold, the brand will have a line of Coke products in a single-serve application. The single-serve market will continue to expand and third-party competitors will follow along. A serious viable solution needs to be implemented which EcoCups may be able if more K-cup brands follow [8][9].
Measuring sustainable packagingIt is surprising how little oversight there is on what legally qualifies a package as sustainable. There are many guidelines, but for the most part, companies are free to interpret sustainability as they see fit. The idea of sustainability has so many moving parts that it can be very difficult to pin down a certain aspects overall impact. For instance, if one package is made from a material that is easier to recycle, and another packages material is produced using a more renewable energy, which package is the most sustainable?
Figure 5:Sustainability requires balance [5]This ambiguity can be troubling to a consumer, as companies have every incentive to provide packaging billed as sustainable, green, or eco-friendly. As the general public has become more and more aware of mankinds effect on the planet, the average consumer has had more and more incentive to purchase sustainable packaging. With this in mind, companies can easily improve their branding by providing sustainable packaging, even forming corporate coalitions, such as the Sustainable Packing Coalition, to convey a vested interest in creating a more sustainable future.The Sustainable Packaging Coalition (SPC) has formally agreed upon a vision of sustainability for the future and on what specifically defines sustainable packaging. According to the SPC, the package must be 1) safe and healthy, 2) meet market criteria for performance and cost, 3) be sourced, manufactured, transported and recycled using sustainable energy, 4) optimize the use of renewable or recycled materials, 5) be manufactured using clean production technologies, 6) be made from materials healthy throughout the life cycle, 7) optimize materials and energy, and 8) be utilized in closed-loop cycles. While this guideline may seem quite specific, criteria are specifically left vague. For instance, the SPC defines clean production technologies as a strategy to reduce the health risk to those in the immediate environment. In other words, it seems that this corporate coalition has taken on the attitude that arriving at sustainability can be defined as taking any step in that direction, no matter how small. It is even admitted in the coalitions Definition of Sustainable Packaging that the vision of a future in which materials are rendered, used, and disposed of sustainably is a target vision for companies to strive for, bearing no legal repercussions[10].Another source of guidelines is the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). These definitions, again, carry no legal bearing, and as the ISO itself states, its standards are to help businesses and organizationsmake progress in the three pillars of sustainable development. This means that as far as the ISO standards are concerned, consumers must rely on the discretion of an individual company to determine how sustainable it chooses to be [13].Each industry also has its own guidelines. These can be more specific because they are tailored for individual materials. For instance, it is more cost-effective and therefore easier to justify recycling glass than it is to recycle certain types of plastic. All this is not to say that there are no laws put in place to protect the consumer from false claims. State and federal laws can limit emissions and allowable toxicity levels that, as it relates to sustainable packaging, provide the legal backbone to aforementioned ambiguous guidelines. These laws constitute what makes a package safe and healthy according to SPC definition of sustainability [11]. Fortunately, it seems that The U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is the greatest source of oversight that the American consumer can rely on. While other guidelines may be helpful, the FTC has the power to actually force companies to remove false claims. Unfortunately, like the guidelines mentioned above, the FTC guidelines are also quite vague. Its Rules and Regulations breaks down the term sustainability into several areas, most of which are definitions of claims that a company may make and choose to advertise on their packaging [12]. General ClaimsThe main standard set for general claims is that there should be no purposely misleading claims. This of course leaves much room for interpretation. Vague definitions allow for this area of interpretation.Carbon OffsetsIn regards to reporting of carbon offsets, the FTC basically acknowledges the difficulty in measuring a packages offset. Consumers should be aware that these claims are hard to track and can often be misleading.CompostableA material is deemed compostable if it breaks down around the same time as the other materials it is composted with. You can see how this definition leaves room for loopholes. For example, a material that breaks down quite slowly need only be composted with like materials to fit this definition.DegradableIn order for a material to be deemed degradable, there should be reliable scientific evidence that the item will completely break down within 1 year of entering the solid-waste stream. [3] This is one of the most cut-and-dry criteria, however there is still some interpretation to be had. For instance, could it be reasonable to assume that the package makes contact with certain chemicals within the solid-waste stream that causes it to break down more quickly? Still, the consumer can be relatively confident that all degradable packaging meets a straightforward definition. Free-of ClaimsClaims that packages are free-of certain materials and chemicals must only be made if the package contains only trace amounts of the material or chemical. The trouble with this guideline is that the term trace amounts is vague and left to the interpretation of the packaging company.Nontoxic ClaimsThe standard for nontoxic claims is even vaguer and up to individual discretion. There are no mentions as to what is considered toxic for the consumer or the surrounding environment.RecyclableThe term recyclable can be used if the package consists of a substantial majority of recyclable materials, which is defined as over 60%. This criteria is clearly defined.Recycled ContentOne of the most straight-forward standards that the FTC governs is the claim that a package is made from recycled content. Consumers can be confident in a recycled content claim because 100% of the package material is required to be previously recycled. If the package is made up of less than 100% recycled materials, the percentage must be stated.Renewable materialsThe standard for renewable material claims is similar to that of recycled content claims.As discussed, there are many organizations that offer guidelines and define a sustainable package. These include corporate groups like the Sustainable Packaging Coalition, the International Organization for Standards, and individual packaging industries. From a government standpoint, local, state, and federal laws ensure packaging that is safe for the immediate environment (humans, pets, etc.) and provide caps on harmful emissions. The Federal Trade Commission also serves to regulate packaging claims of sustainability such as compostable, degradable, and recyclable to name a few. While there are many guidelines in place, and while it is comforting to see that companies are making the initiative to try to move in the direction of sustainability, it can be concluded that the term sustainability is still a broad label and that many different aspects must be taken into account when a consumer is choosing to purchase a sustainable package.
Life cycles of common materialsThe consumer of the package only interacts with the product for a very short period of time in the grand scheme of the life of the package. The consumer buys the package and uses the product and then throws the package away or recycles the package. The average consumer does not think about how the package was made or what will happen to the package now that they are done with it. The most common packaging materials are plastic, glass, paper, and metal and each material has a unique life cycle. Figure 6:Recycling rates over past 50 years [6]PlasticPlastic is the newest form of packaging that rapidly became popular due to being very cheap and versatile. Plastic is composed of polymers and the plastic used in packaging is commodity thermoplastics. Plastic originally described natural materials such as wax and clay but as polymer technology developed plastic became to define modified natural resins and synthetic materials that could be molded. Polymers describe the raw unmolded material and plastic refers to the molded material consumers see.The plastic package starts as products from the petrochemical industry where the polymers are formed into small bead like pellets. The plastic pellets are melted down into a liquid state where it can be formed into different types of packaging depending on the production method of choice. Injection molding forces the liquefied plastic into molds where it cools and solidifies in the mold. Upon solidifying the mold opens and the package is pushed out of the mold and then is sent to be filled with the product it was designed for. Another type of plastic shaping method is injection blow molding where the plastic is first injection molded into small tubes that resemble test tubes. The empty tubes are then sent to the manufacture where they heat the tubes inside the mold and blow air into the molds pushing the plastic against the mold walls forming plastic bottles. The plastic bottles are then filled and sent to the stores for consumer purchase.Plastic is the least environmentally friendly option and after the consumer is done using the plastic packaging most of the plastic ends up sitting in a dump for decades while it slowly breaks down. With so many types of plastic most consumers throw away the plastic when they are done with it leading to a lot of wasted material. All plastic packaging has what type of polymer it is normally imprinted into the plastic located on the bottom allowing for the sorting of the plastic but the plastic is just thrown away. The plastic being thrown away is not environmentally friendly making plastic the least environmentally conscious material of the common packaging materials [14].GlassGlass has been around for over 5000 thousand years with the first glass objects appearing in ancient Egypt as glass beads. It would take another 2000 thousand years before the first hollow glass vases were made in Mesopotamia. The glass made in Mesopotamia would not look like modern glass for another 1500 years when the Syrians realized they could blow glass using a blowpipe. Glass blowing techniques would continue to improve for another 1600 years until the first glass factory was constructed in Jamestown, VA in 1608. Glass finally became a popular packaging method in 1903 when the first automatic glass blowing machine was built. New technology has only increased the speed at which bottles can be made as well as improve the quality of glass bottles. Glass containers are primarily used for beverages as a way to distinguish the product as premium. Glass itself is not found in nature and modern glass is primarily made up of silica sand, soda ash, limestone, and alumina. When the components are combined and heated the result is large containers of molten glass. From there additional materials may be added to the glass to provide more strength or other aspects such as colorizers and fining agents. The molten glass is then cut into globs of molten glass that fall into the forming machine where the glass is pressed into the mold and then blown with air to expand the glass into filling the mold. The glass leaves the molds looking like the bottles we encounter everyday but there are still many steps until the bottle will ever be held by a customer. The glass will then receive a surface treatment to strengthen the glass and prevent the glass from being easily scratched when the bottles hit one another. The bottle will then be packaged and shipped to manufacturer for it to be filled and labeled. Only after the bottle is checked for quality the finished product will be sent to the store where the consumer will able to purchase the product.The consumer will then use the product and if the product is properly recycled the glass will then be turned into a new product. The leftover glass from the glass forming process called plant cullet will be combined with the recycled glass called ecology cullet. The cullet is grinded up into small pieces and then melted to be used again and again with any contaminates being destroyed when heated. Glass packaging is the most sustainable package due to the ease it can be reused and the little adverse environmental impacts caused by glass [14].PaperThe Egyptians were the first to attempt to make paper but it was not perfected till the second century in China. Paper originally was composed of matted sheets of plant fiber tightly woven together and then dried. Modern paper and paperboard has evolved into a science of extracting the longest cellulose fibers from trees to turn fibers into strong enough paper to protect a product. The fibers that go into paper come from both hardwood and softwood while softwood creates stronger paper. Trees are primarily composed of cellulose, lignin, and carbohydrates but paper is only created from the cellulose fibers and so lignin and carbohydrates have to be extracted due to their non fibrous nature. The cheapest extraction method is to grind up the wood which creates low quality paper that is not used for packaging. The paper used in packaging is created from the Kraft process where the tree is subjected to an alkali sulfate extraction procedure. The Kraft process removes the lignin and carbohydrates and leaves the cellulose fibers intact. The fiber is mixed in with water and any additional additives and then goes through the papermaking machine. The water fiber mixed called furnish is pumped onto moving wire screens where most of the water drains out and the fibers remain on the screen for further processing. The wet entangled fibers are then dried more and sent through a series of drying drums that turn the fibers into a sheet that resembles paper. Once the paper is completely dry the paper goes through additional heavy rollers which smooths out the paper and increases the paper density. The paper is then sent to the manufacture where the paper is cut and the package logo is printed on the paper. The paper then is folded into the package and filled and sealed and is ready to be shipped to consumers.Paper is the weakest of the common packaging material with water easily causing the package to breakdown and fall apart. After the package is used by the consumer the remaining paper can be recycled to create new paper. Every time paper is reused the fiber lengths become shorter and the fibers ink and other additives from its previous uses cannot be completely removed from the fibers. With the degrading of the fiber lengths, the fibers used in packaging will be used in paper products that do not require as much strength such as newspaper. Paper is a renewable product because most areas require a tree to be planted for every tree that is cut down [14].MetalThe first metal package did not appear until the early 1800s till a Parisian chef discovered food sealed in tin containers and then sterilized could preserve the food for a long time. Before the discovery metal was rarely used as a package due to the cost of metal and the metal would poison any food placed in it before the sterilization process. Shortly after the discovery of the sterilization process the first sealed cylindrical can was created and within a few decades metal packaging started to become popular. Today metal packaging is most common in beverages and canned food as a way to preserve the product longer than most other packaging methods.Metal packages today are generally made with low carbon steel and has a very thin coating of tin on the inside of the can to prevent corrosion. The metal required for the package is first extracted from the ground and then refined in a factory where it is heated to destroy any impurities. The factory then shapes the metal into long metal sheets that are rolled up and sent to the manufacturing plant. The cans start as metal disks cut from the sheet of metal and then pressure is applied to the disk turning it into a shallow cup. The shallow cup continue to be stretched until the can is at the desirable height and then the can is trimmed and cleaned. The can is then has any additional protective coatings added and the label is printed onto the can and is sent to the manufacture for filling. The cans used for soda and beer are filled with the product and the lid is then sealed onto the cans. Most cans used for canned food are sent to the manufacturer with no logos on them due to the can has to be heat treated after being filled and sealed. After the canned food is sealed most get a paper label and then is packaged and shipped to the grocery stores for consumer purchase.After consumer use any metal that can be recycled is then heated and turned back into the long sheet of metal to be used again and again. The metal canisters that are not initially recycled are generally caught when the trash is being sorted at the garbage dump due to the magnetic properties of the metal. Metal continues to be used as a popular packaging material due to its relative low prices and long product shelf life [14].
Figure 7:Recycling bins for common materials [7]
Negative aspects of enforcing sustainable packagingWhile the benefits for implementing sustainable packaging in industry are immense, there is always an opposition to any major change in production that should be considered. While sustainability may lead to a form of packaging that is beneficial to individuals and the environment throughout its lifecycle, one must ask whether these benefits outweigh any negative aspects that may arise through sustainability. For the purpose of this section, focus will be centered on whether an innovation in a package's sustainability will truly result in a safe and healthy alternative to individuals and the community throughout its' life cycle, whether this innovation can be implemented at an acceptable market cost considering performance and profitability, and whether it can be applied through the use of environmentally friendly production (reduce waste and negative effect on environment). The successful practice of the criteria previously listed will minimize the negative characteristics resulting from sustainable package production. First, and possibly most important morally, is the question about whether a package's innovation in sustainability will actually lead to a package that is safe and healthy for the consumer and anyone affected by the product. The effect of a certain packaging and its' production can be experienced by both the consumer through product interaction, and also the community by affecting those involved in the packages manufacturing and even disposal of the package. While there are a broad range of ways that a product's package can affect individuals, these benchmarks are some of the most widely considered in industry. In 2009, it was estimated that over 5 million people globally were employed by the packaging industry. This means that the packaging industry as it stood in 2009 was a vast source of stable employment and livelihood for individuals around the world, and the introduction of a new innovation in packaging for a product may produce a significant negative effect on the availability of these 5 million plus jobs. The termination of jobs that previously provided stability for some families would clearly be a negative effect on the community [10]. Then comes into consideration the experience the consumer has through product packaging interaction. Certain packaging applications may result in the release of chemicals and other harmful substances when interacting with the product contained through its' lifecycle. Anything from adhesives used in production, to coatings applied to the packaging, can become a source for the emission of harmful substances into the product or consumer. Food contact materials is a common term used for the materials, and the chemicals they are composed of, that come into contact with packaged and processed foods. There are more than 4000 chemicals that are used today in the production of FCM's and while many of these may be safe for humans in the quantities exhibited, it still poses the question to whether they are "safe" [15]. Chemicals as dangerous as formaldehyde, a cancer causing agent, are still used in packaging applications today for certain products, like some plastic bottles, in minute amounts, but still may pose a threat to human health. These health and safety considerations can lead to the success or downfall of a product and its' packaging characteristics. Another important consideration when presented the options available for sustainable packaging is whether the market cost for the packaging innovation is reasonable, considering the performance of the packaging and profits generated. In order for any business to remain successful and continue to operate, overall profit margins are extremely important in order to fund expansion, salaries, and production. This relates to packaging due to the fact that a product exhibiting a package system that is expensive to manufacture may make it near impossible for a business to generate a sufficient profit margin and remain in operation. The packaging system used for a product must also perform its task of delivering an appealing image of the product as well as a successful functioning package, which will affect the consumer's choice of whether to purchase a product, and therefore the business' profitability. In today's industry it is also important for a business to consider the legal regulations that may be placed on the packaging industry for a certain product, which will provide a guideline for package design as well as a baseline for costs that may be associated with the packaging system. Significant design considerations for packaging that are commonly considered when aiming to meet a cost criteria are material selection, production design as it affects manufacturing costs, material optimization, as well as packaging performance. The goal for a successful and profitable packaging system is to choose the characteristics that provide the minimum specifications requirements that are determined to be required for a complete product lifecycle, but also to have the lowest associated cost with the packages production. For example, a business may choose to manufacture water bottles using a specific thickness of the packaging material that is determined to provide a safe and complete lifecycle for the product, but to produce a package with any increase in this thickness would increase production costs while providing no noticeable benefit to the packages performance. A business may also choose to replace a previously thick walled product viewing window with a thinner sheet film material in order to improve the sustainability of the product package, but the impact that this design change will have on the quality appearance of the product to the consumer should be strongly considered.A major concern considering sustainability in the packaging industry is the effect that the packaging and associated production processes have on the environment, with focus on the amount of energy and raw materials consumed as well as emissions released into the environment. The manufacturing processes associated with product packaging commonly require high quantities of energy to be carried out, and any change in package design could affect what processes are capable of producing the package. Some process may contribute less of a negative effect to the environment by requiring less energy or releasing less by-product into the environment, and these processes should be favored to improve sustainability while making design considerations. In order to ensure sustainability of a product's package, it is also necessary to consider whether the disposal of the package can be carried out in a way that leaves minimal impact on the environment. A package system that is able to be recovered, recycled, and returned back into the packaging production process has very little impact on the environment in terms of post-production waste. In some cases, a design change in a product package that is intended to improve the recyclability of the package at its' end-of-cycle location may, in fact, result in a more significant negative consequence towards the environment where the package is manufactured. For this reason, a package design consideration aimed to provide a benefit of sustainability could possibly be a source of an inverse negative aspect of such practices simultaneously. Sustainability in packaging is growing to become more important for the industry as it grows and expands around the world, as well as with the increase demand for products. This practice has become essential for the conservation of the environment and the resources available for this industry, but it still must be considered alongside with other aspects of concern for the delivery of a successful product. Considering safety, cost, and adverse environmental influences all simultaneously will allow for the selection of a packaging system that will be sustainable while still remaining feasible to implement in the industry.
Figure 8:Decomposition times for common materials [8]
The Future of Sustainable PackagingGreenwashing is a term used to describe when an organization spends more time and money advertising the sustainable nature of their products and goals than is spent actively engaging in environmentally friendly activities. A cult of personality formed through greenwashing is a threat to innovations in packaging and sustainability, as a projected image of progress reduces pressure for an organization to make progressive changes. The future of sustainable packaging lies in the hands of both packaging manufacturers and consumers who purchase products contained in those packages. Companies are responsible for recognizing the impact that the products they create have on the environment, and making honest attempts to develop and distribute products that will make a positive impact on the environment. Consumers are responsible for informing themselves on the environmental impact of a product and how to properly dispose of the product after it has been used, primarily through recycling. The How2Recycle Label:Packaging systems currently on the market offer very little information to consumers with regards to how to properly dispose of them after use. The Resin Identification Number found on plastic packages only provides information of what is in the plastic, neglecting to include what can be done to reuse or recycle it. Rather than providing incentive for the consumer to look up the proper disposal process for each item, this lack of instruction commonly leads to packages being thrown out in the trash [18].The Greenblues Sustainable Packaging Coalition has provided a solution to this issue through the How2Recycle Label as a means of displaying clear and standardized recycling information to consumers catered to the material of each package.
Figure 9: An example of how2recycle labels for frozen food packaging [9]Each package includes one of four generalized labels of the following type:Widely recycledCan be recycled through curbside or municipal recycling programs for a majority (greater than 60%) of the United States.
Limited recyclingCan be recycled through municipal programs for fewer people (20-60% of the US) than widely recycled products. This label still encourages consumers to check their local program for information on this particular product.
Not yet recycledCan either be recycled by less than 20% of the US, or contains a contaminant that will negatively affect recycling systems.
Store drop-offInforms the consumer that a particular product may be recycled local grocery stores. This label applies primarily to polyethylene bags used for bagging groceries, and can be reused by the operating store.
Biodegradable materials are a promising option for eliminating the impact of products otherwise assumed to take longer than the average human lifespan to decompose, such as plastics. These materials generally replace a synthetic component of the product, such as petroleum products, with a naturally derived chemical capable of playing the same role in the final product. PHA (polyhydroxyalkanoates): A suitable option for commercially available and useful biodegradable plastics. The primary difference between plastics that are and are not biodegradable is their means of production. Conventional plastics are synthesized from petrochemical derivatives, while biodegradable plastics, such as PHA, are formed though fermentation of carbohydrates by bacteria to store energy, much in the same way fat is used in more complex organisms [19]. These compounds cover a wide range of polymers, and can be composed of a single type of monomer, or can be copolymers, as created in fermentation reactions. Over 150 unique monomers have been identified within PHA polymers. In addition to biodegradability, many of these polymers are nontoxic and rarely lack structural strength found in conventional petroleum based polymers. One particular instance of PHA, polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB), has properties very similar to polypropylene, while also maintaining a strong moisture barrier, and being biodegradable [20]. Unfortunately, industrial breakthroughs and economic feasibility of industrial production of these polymers are few and far between, leaving uses to prototypes and theories until some kind of change is achieved. The most significant proposed production method is transferring genes of productive bacteria into plants that can be grown and harvested in large quantities. However, proposed uses for PHA include adhesives, absorbent diapers, any packaging that commonly is discarded into bodies of water, implant materials, and other medical devices [21].Sustainable inkPrinting is an extremely important step in manufacturing a package and the product it contains. Once a consumer is in the store, the only way they can learn about a product that have never interacted with before is through the information presented on its packaging, which must be printed through lithographic, flexographic, roto gravure, or digital printing, all of which require some kind of ink. Most ink used today contains large amounts of volatile organic compounds, linked to both short and long term health issues, but are very resistant to sun-bleaching and water damage.Environmentally friendly ink exists today, primarily in the form of water-based ink, and plant-based dye. Unfortunately, these sustainable inks are not used as commonly as solvent-based ink due to their poor resistance to water and light damage. Because of these limitations, adoption of sustainable ink will be slow until technological developments make production more economically viable. Production of VOC free inks will open printing opportunities to medically sensitive locations, such as hospitals and schools [22].Recoloring recycled glass A common issue commonly associated with recycling glass is the need to separate recyclables by color, particularly separating blue glass colored with cobalt oxide from other colors. Cobalt oxide is a strong colorant, and glass colored by it will overpower most other colors when mixed in small amounts, thus rendering them unusable for the original purpose.Color coated recycled glass aggregates provide a means of using glass that has either been contaminated by mixing with strong colorizers, or is too strong to mix with other colors after its original purpose. Rather than melting down cullets of recycled glass, these aggregates coat the glass in a large number of colors, including those not available in pre-recycled glass. This newly treated glass can be used in the same way as traditional recycled glass for architecture and road paving, but with a wider range of available and vibrant colors [23]. ConclusionSustainability in packaging will continue to be a topic of great concern as long as there remains a desire to conserve materials and resources, while still imposing the least negative effect on the environment and community as possible. This fact reinforces the importance of defining sustainability in packaging, and will drive growth in the industry with the help of technological advances and the accumulation of new information. The goal of sustainability is to preserve our planet and resources in order to provide a fruitful life for our descendants in the future. As we grow as a society the importance of sustainability will most likely grow as well to become a monumental obstacle that society will have to overcome. Great advances in packaging sustainability today will pave the road for the future of sustainability on our planet.
Figures [1]-http://www.moldsteel.com/images/sustainability_logo.jpg[2]-http://www.packagingdigest.com/sustainable-packaging/yesterday-s-promising-green-materials-where-are-they-now/page/0/1?cid=nl.pkg06.20150917[3]-http://www.packagingdigest.com/sustainable-packaging/yesterday-s-promising-green-materials-where-are-they-now/page/0/3?cid=nl.pkg06.20150917 [4]-http://www.packagingdigest.com/sustainable-packaging/wolfgangpuck-coffee-switches2recyclable-pods[5]-http://www.subiaco.wa.gov.au/CityofSubiaco/media/City-of-Subiaco/Your-council/Reports-and-corporate-documents/Strategic-Financial-Plan-2014-2024.pdf [6]-https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&site=imghp&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=1280&bih=800&q=recycle&oq=rec&gs_l=img.1.0.0l10.278.1437.0.4790.3.3.0.0.0.0.514.856.0j1j1j5-1.3.0..2..0...1.1.64.img..0.3.849.0jn0eEbJwsM#hl=en&tbm=isch&q=recycle+statistics&ddle=1&imgrc=KLBUKw8duKTKIM%3A[7]-http://media.mnn.com/assets/images/2013/10/Recycling-bins.jpg.560x0_q80_crop-smart.jpg [8]-https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&site=imghp&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=1280&bih=800&q=recycle&oq=rec&gs_l=img.1.0.0l10.278.1437.0.4790.3.3.0.0.0.0.514.856.0j1j1j5-1.3.0..2..0...1.1.64.img..0.3.849.0jn0eEbJwsM#hl=en&tbm=isch&q=recycle+statistics&ddle=1&imgrc=1Xx7-gami-YixM%3A[9]-https://scontent-mia1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xfa1/v/t1.0-9/395314_180197092085820_8858771_n.jpg?oh=9f25eff65e269bbf74ad989f47d4b97e&oe=56E50B6C
Resources[1] http://www.calrecycle.ca.gov/greenbuilding/materials/[2] http://www.packagingdigest.com/sustainable-packaging/yesterday-s-promising-green-mate rials-where-are-they-now/page/0/1?cid=nl.pkg06.20150917 [3] http://www.calrecycle.ca.gov/Plastics/Resins/ [4] http://algix.com/why-algae/bioproducts-not-biofuels/[5] http://www.biofuelsdigest.com/bdigest/2015/10/25/algenol-ceo-exits-staff-cut-by-25-investors-re-up-for-two-years-new-direction-tipped/[6]http://www.packagingdigest.com/sustainable-packaging/wolfgangpuck-coffee-switches2recyclable-pods[7]http://money.cnn.com/2015/08/06/investing/keurig-green-mountain-coffee-treehouse-foods-single-cup-k-cup/[8]http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2015/03/the-abominable-k-cup-coffee-pod-environment-problem/386501/[9]http://time.com/2913062/k-cups-war/[10]http://sustainablepackaging.org/uploads/Documents/Definition%20of%20Sustainable%20Packaging.pdf [11]http://www.packaginglaw.com/3515.html [12]https://www.ftc.gov/sites/default/files/documents/federal_register_notices/guides-use-environmental-marketing-claims-green-guides/greenguidesfrn.pdf[13]http://www.iso.org/iso/sustainable_development[14]Dr.Pelletiers slides and lecture material[15]http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/02/140219205215.html [16]http://www.alouette.qc.ca/aluminum-life-cycle.html [17]http://www.container-recycling.org/assets/pdfs/glass/LCA-GPI2010.pdf [18]http://www.how2recycle.info [19]http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18623547 [20]http://www.bio-plastics.org/en/information--knowledge-a-market-know-how/bioplastic-types/polyhydroxyalkanoates [21]http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24976377 [22]http://www.reprographic-intl.com/sustainable-inks-boldly-going-where-no-man-has-gone-before[23]http://www.agricoatings.com/recycled-material-coloring/recycled-glass-coloring
