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Feature
Where there’s a will, FEATURE THERE’S AWAY
SPECIAL GREEN THINKING
OPI looks at the accelerating trend of sustainable packaging – by Michelle Sturman
The scourge of packaging has once again reared its ugly head. However, considering last year’s heavy focus on the ‘war on plastic’, this time it’s not just about single-use items but all packaging. There are several reasons for this, and most are to do with – you’ve guessed it – COVID-19.
Coronavirus caused an unprecedented increase in the amount of packaging in use as e-commerce became a necessity during global lockdowns. The resulting surge in home deliveries has been accompanied by a closer examination of the sustainability of packaging – an area already under scrutiny from consumers and businesses before the pandemic.
To put the growth of e-commerce into perspective, Pitney Bowes’ latest Parcel Shipping Index revealed that in 2019, global shipping volumes reached 103 billion parcels. The company predicts that, by 2026, this figure will reach 220-262 billion units. While the full impact of COVID won’t be known for some time, the Index reported that in April alone, there was a 60% rise in parcel volume in the US.
As Asia Pulp & Paper European Director for Sustainability and Stakeholder Relations Liz Wilks notes, one big takeaway from the pandemic is how much packaging is being consumed. “Food packaging, in particular, saw tremendous spikes as people sheltered in place, which can be a problem. Food contaminants make recycling difficult or even impossible, so much of that wrapping is going to end up in landfill. More attention will need to be paid to readily available biodegradable alternatives as a replacement,” she says.
For packaging specialist Sealed Air, lockdowns accelerated the need for many of its customers to examine their e-commerce capabilities. However, meeting customer expectations related to environmental responsibility during the growth in
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online purchases while ensuring products arrive damage-free is no easy feat.
The company said it was taking “significant steps” towards achieving its pledge to ensure all its products are 100% recyclable or reusable by 2025. To this end, it has redeveloped its Mail Lite mailers and AirCap bubble liner to contain more recycled content, with the latter offering easy separation of the inner and outer components for recycling.
Five new paper void-fill and cushioning machines have been added to Sealed Air’s Paper Systems series, which are designed to fit around any shape and type of item.
According to the manufacturer, the paper void-fill offers a highly protective solution by helping to minimise product movement during transit. “We use our expertise in designing and testing packaging applications to deliver the best overall performance for each customer. If paper is the right solution, we now have the range to provide this,” says Eric van der Kallen, Portfolio Manager, Sealed Air.
EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED
Global brands are currently at the forefront of sustainable packaging due to the drive to meet not only legislation and regulations, but the increasing numbers of more environmentallyconscious consumers.
Ultimately, this will promote a significant reduction in single-use plastic in particular, along with the accelerated use of alternative materials such as those that are biodegradable or compostable.
By way of illustration, paper manufacturer Arjowiggins has launched Sylvicta, a translucent, functional barrier paper, which is fully recyclable, compostable, marine-degradable and made from renewable raw resources.
This race for sustainable packaging materials is producing results in some unexpected quarters. Drinks producer Bacardi, for example, has unveiled its first plant-based biodegradable spirits bottle.
Several recent surveys indicate that demand for environmentally-sound packaging is rising rapidly, as well as sustainability as a whole.
The 2020 Green Buying Report, commissioned by Trivium Packaging and conducted by Boston Consulting, reveals that 67% of the public in the US, Europe and South America currently identify as ‘environmentally aware’.
Crucially, sustainable packaging options are important to more than two out of three consumers; 47% won’t buy products in packaging that is harmful to the environment, while 74% said they would be happy to pay extra for sustainable versions.
INFORMATION IS KEY
53% of respondents are actively looking for recycling or sustainability messaging on-pack. This is also backed up by a study undertaken across several European countries in June this year by packaging firm Amcor.
According to Amcor’s It’s a wrap: The future of packaging is all about sustainability survey, while respondents have plenty of knowledge about general recycling, what’s often missing are specific instructions on the packaging itself. 83% of people said they check pack details for information on how to dispose of an empty item correctly. A prime example is being told which recycling bin it should be placed in. Related to this, nearly half of all respondents said compostable packaging would positively influence their purchasing decision, but less than one-third could actually correctly identify the symbol for it.
Additionally, people are willing to pay more for logos that provide strong differentiation and those that certify the origin of materials, such as bio-based or FSC-certified.
However, while the ability to recycle packaging is virtually non-negotiable nowadays, it is just one concern. Most consumers believe reducing the carbon footprint of it is equally important.
RETHINKING BUSINESS
Packaging company Smurfit Kappa investigated the importance of the balance between sustainability and profitability in its report Sustainability reshapes the business landscape. For good.
Despite being conducted during the pandemic, results reveal that 83% of UK companies described sustainability as an opportunity to be exploited. 74% admitted they wouldn’t wait for competitors to up the ante before defining their own benchmarks for success.
According to the research, in a post-COVID-19 world, businesses will be turning to environmental, social and governance measures and rethinking their products and packaging solutions to tackle waste. The top two sustainability challenges were: materials used in packaging (68%), and collection and recycling (59%).
Longevity is key to the environmental agenda, which is a sentiment echoed by respondents – 82% of executives are now treating sustainability as a long-term investment, rather than a cost.
When firms were asked what changes would be most beneficial for the continuing success of sustainability practices, 50% said greater customer awareness of the associated impact. Next was industry regulations and/or benchmarks (39%), followed by companies in the same sector collaborating on the topic (38%).
Meanwhile, paper packaging is now being used in some other FMCG sectors. Coca-Cola, for example, has recently revealed a paper bottle prototype – which still contains plastic, albeit 100% recycled. Johnnie Walker has launched a plastic-free, paper-based whiskey bottle and Carling introduced paper beer bottles. The material is also being used for beauty and personal hygiene products like toothpaste tubes and deodorants.
“Over the past 18 months, we’ve seen some significant shifts globally to provide sustainable packaging. It is a trend that has been building for some time now, with brands such as Apple, Amazon, Coca-Cola, etc, all looking into green options. It is interesting to see that consumers are keeping pace too and, in some cases, leading the global movement,” says Wilks.
BEING RESPONSIVE
COVID-19 has also highlighted several complications involving packaging. Closed recycling centres and severely disrupted refuse collections are just two examples that have brought these issues to the attention of consumers. But even pre-pandemic, tainted waste, capacity issues and insufficient recycling infrastructures caused major headaches.
Simultaneously, panic was rife at the start of the pandemic as it was unknown if and how long for coronavirus adhered to packaging materials. This led to a rise in single-use plastic for hygiene purposes in supermarkets, for example. However, this specific circumstance is likely to be a temporary blip while we wait for a breakthrough in the fight against SARS-CoV-2.
Although many countries are presently in a second lockdown, a post-COVID green recovery is advancing the sustainability and closed loop agenda. This significantly affects the packaging sector, and vendors are responding.
Paper manufacturer Sappi says all its material development is based on wood fibres which are a renewable source. Product-wise, it is striving to make them fully recyclable or even compostable to support the circular economy. The vendor is currently working on increasing the sustainability of the next generation of barrier papers as an alternative to film- and foil-based packaging.
The other heartening news is that the results from numerous surveys recently undertaken on sustainable containers bode well for the future (see ‘Providing packaging support’, left). But the reality of the situation is far from clear-cut and often muddied by lobbyist groups and misinformation about what is sustainable and what is not.
This has unfortunately led to the packaging sector having to grapple with numerous issues. Some of these include: the myth that plastic is a completely unsustainable choice when, in fact, it can be a viable option; apprehensions about aspects of bio-based materials, particularly concerning land use; confusion over the difference between biodegradable and compostable; and finally, problems with determining what can be recycled or reused. It will require a concerted effort by the entire supply chain to educate end users.
THE PAPER CHASE
One sector benefitting from the rise in green packaging is the paper industry, which is at long last winning the credibility battle over its environmental credentials. The public is also becoming increasingly familiar with certifications such as FSC and PEFC.
“Sustainability is a global topic, important to all businesses. We are noticing it as a huge priority in the paper and packaging industry, with the call for products with a strong sustainability profile continuing to increase for our customers and wider society,” Johannes Klumpp, Marketing & Sales Director at Mondi Uncoated Fine Paper, told OPI.
NORPAC VP of Sales and Marketing Tom Crowley supports the sentiment, adding that legislation which limits or bans the use of plastic bags, for example, is stimulating demand for paper products. “Paper packaging in all forms is replacing plastic varieties, and most consumers and governments are seeing the advantage of this substitution,” he asserts.
“We’ve expanded the production and sale of our lightweight recycled packaging papers, and in doing so, are keeping 300,000 tons of mixed paper out of landfill.”
IT’S COMPLICATED
The answer to green packaging is complex and requires fundamental changes in the supply chain in terms of sourcing, materials, optimisation and recovery. But its significance in the circular economy and role in helping to address some environmental concerns from consumers is producing rapid innovation and collaboration.
With an ever-louder mantra of ‘reduce, reuse, recycle’, there seems to be little excuse for not embracing sustainable solutions.
