23 OCTOBER | 13:00 | SCANPACK
CONTENTS 3. Welcome to the Sustainability Awards 2018 and the Sustainable Packaging Summit
4. Schedule 6. Resource efficiency ECOFISHBOX DISAPPEARING CEMENT SACK NANOPACK WATERLESS INTERNET FLOWER PACKAGING
10. Best practice
THIS IS FORWARD CIRCULAR ECONOMY PLAN A FIRST RETAILER TO GO PLASTIC FREE GARÇON WINES RECYCLED PET FLAT PROFILE WINE BOTTLE
14. Bio-based packaging
AGRIRAP SIGNATURE PACK SUSTAINABLE FEEDSTOCK FOR BIO-BASED LDPE PRODUCTION CELLULOSE-BASED PACKAGING SUBSTRATE
18. Machinery
SUSTAINABLE HYBRID BATTERY STORAGE LIQUIDFORMING PLASTIC BOTTLES ASEPTIC COMBI PREDIS™ MADE2FIT
23. Driving the circular economy
COCA-COLA FREESTYLE WITH RE-USABLE INTELLIGENT BOTTLES CUPCYCLING™ RECYCLED TEMPERATURE CONTROL CONTAINER PATTEX MADE AT HOME UNIVERSAL GLUE
28. Recyclable packaging
FOODBOARD™ VIRGIN FIBRE X-ENVIROPOUCH GARMENT HANGER RECYCLING ENSHIELD NATURAL KRAFT
32. From label creation to waste reduction Sustainability Awards 2018 | 1 |
WELCOME TO THE
SUSTAINABILITY AWARDS 2018 AND THE
SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING SUMMIT What? The sustainable packaging event of the year (and drinks!) When? 23 October 2018 from 13:00 Where? Superbrand Stage, Scanpack, Gothenburg
P
ackaging waste and climate change demand an urgent and coherent response from the CPG industry. All too often innovations are marketed as ‘green’ based on gains in a single metric, when the complex landscape of ecological challenges requires a holistic approach. The Sustainability Awards 2018 and the Sustainable Packaging Summit, organised by Packaging Europe, are here to connect the dots. Join us at Europe’s leading packaging sustainability event for high-level discussion of the challenges and solutions. And discover which of this year’s finalists have been selected as the most important new sustainable packaging innovators by our jury of 17 independent experts representing the entire European packaging value chain. The Sustainability Awards is established as the most prestigious competition for green packaging innovation. The initiative promotes debate, adoption and cross-fertilisation of the enormous amount of sustainable innovation taking place in packaging technology. It takes a rounded approach to the sustainability challenge, with six categories highlighting the spectrum of opportunities across the value chain where we can intervene to reduce the environmental footprint of packaging and packaged goods. Moreover, the judges are asked to favour holistic, viable solutions over those whose improvements in one area may be offset by negative side-effects in others.
Before the winners are unveiled (and the bottles are uncorked) at the Sustainability Awards ceremony, we will be hosting the Sustainable Packaging Summit, at which six speakers working at the forefront of sustainability in European packaging will share their differing perspectives on the resource efficiency vs packaging waste dilemma. This meeting of minds promises cutting-edge ideas and lively debate. Ian Schofield is head of packaging at Iceland Foods – the supermarket which this year took the radical step of committing to eliminate all plastics from its own brand products, while Jocelyne Ehret, who has spent a whole career helping major brand owners develop sustainable packaging, will be challenging some of the preconceptions about plastics. EUROPEN’s Gwendoline Riou will address the regulatory context, and Norah Lewis of WRAP will discuss cross-industry collaboration around plastic waste. Last but not least, Philippe Diercxsens of Danone and Gian De Belder of P&G will reveal the efforts of two of the world’s biggest brand owners to integrate their packaging into the circular economy. Details of the innovations that have been selected as finalists in each of the categories of the Sustainability Awards can be found on the following pages. For additional information about the Sustainability Awards 2018, the Sustainable Packaging Summit, the competition’s judges and the summit’s speakers, visit: sustainabilityawards2018.com Sustainability Awards 2018 | 3 |
SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING SUMMIT & SUSTAINABILITY AWARDS
GWENDOLINE RIOU EUROPEN, EU PUBLIC AFFAIRS & COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER
EU Regulatory context for sustainability in packaging: opportunities and challenges for the packaging supply chain in Europe Achieving timely and profound change in the environmental impact of packaging depends on coordinated systemic change and investment across all the major stakeholders. Gwendoline sets out EUROPEN’s view of the current regulatory climate in Europe and the extent to which it nurtures or obstructs advancement in the sustainability of packaged goods. How are the Circular Economy Package and Plastics Strategy impacting on industry efforts to move toward circularity? Gwendoline explores the challenges and opportunities facing the packaging value chain in Europe.
PHILIPPE DIERCXSENS
DANONE WATERS, PACKAGING AND ENVIRONMENT MANAGER
Making plastics circular – Danone’s challenges and initiatives In the context of the EU Plastics Strategy, proposed taxation of single-use plastics and broad consensus that urgent action is required on packaging waste in the environment, Philippe describes the multi-faceted challenges involved in aligning resource-efficient, functional packaging with the circular economy. He sets out some of the solutions considered and initiatives undertaken by Danone, including chemical recycling technology, adopting alternative packaging materials, and the concrete work underpinning commitments such as the Evian Pledge to become a 100% circular brand by 2025.
IAN SCHOFIELD ICELAND FOODS, OWN LABEL AND PACKAGING MANAGER
The first supermarket to eliminate plastics In 2018 Iceland Foods announced that it would become the first supermarket to entirely eliminate plastics from its private label packaging. Ian shares the reasoning behind this bold move, and discusses the packaging development challenges the retailer now faces to replicate the functionalities of plastics – as well as some of the innovative materials Iceland is exploring. | 4 | Sustainability Awards 2018
SCHEDULE 13:00 13:05 13:20 13:35 13:50 14:05
Introduction from Tim Sykes Gwendoline Riou Philippe Diercxsens Ian Schofield Norah Lewis Gian De Belder
14:20 14:35 14:50 15:00 16:00
NORAH LEWIS
TECHNICAL SPECIALIST - CIRCULAR ECONOMY STRATEGY
Jocelyne Ehret Panel discussion: Resource efficiency vs packaging waste Drinks interval Sustainability Awards 2018 Event concludes
Transforming the UK Plastics Packaging Sector WRAP launched the UK Plastics Pact, a cross-industry collaboration taking actions to eliminate problematic or unnecessary single-use packaging items through redesign, innovation or alternative re-usable delivery models. Norah shares the progress from 97 members and partners who are at the forefront of generating fundamental changes to the way we design, produce, use, re-use, dispose and reprocess plastic packaging by meeting four world-leading targets set for 2025.
GIAN DE BELDER
P&G, PRINCIPAL SCIENTIST – PACKAGING R&D
Ambition 2030 and importance of partnerships Having accomplished many of its 2020 sustainability goals ahead of schedule, P&G has this year released its new Ambition 2030. Gian talks about the implications for packaging and the challenges P&G will grapple with to make the necessary progress on packaging waste at the same time as minimising the overall environmental footprint of packaged products. He will introduce P&G’s collaborative strategy for identifying and developing new technologies. This includes tracer and digital watermarking for improved sorting being worked on within New Plastics Economy, opaque and difficult to recycle PET containers (including plastic aerosols) being worked within Petcore Europe, and other initiatives that will help the full packaging value chain and the brand owner meet the new set of objectives.
JOCELYNE EHRET
WWW.THERIGHTPACKAGING.COM, FOUNDER
The most sustainable packaging is not always what you think It’s crucial to see the whole picture. Wrong decisions can be taken by looking with a narrowed field of vision at short-term benefits and one-shot technological horizons. Jocelyne will ask: Why did plastic lose the packaging war? Is it sustainable to remove plastics from the food & beverage segment? Could pharma products be efficient and healthy without plastic? Should we avoid plastic in transport packaging for e-commerce? And how do we make the right packaging choices? Sustainability Awards 2018 | 5 |
RESOURCE EFFICIENCY Innovations in packaging that do more with less, such as downgauging materials or reducing their carbon footprint without increasing the environmental impact of the packaged product.
ECOFISHBOX submitted by Stora Enso Packaging Solution
Overview EcoFishBox corrugated board packages made from renewable wood fibre are an environmentally friendly option for styrox (EPS, expanded polystyrene) packages widely used in the fish industry. Over 100 million styrox packages are used for fish packaging annually in the Nordic countries. Until now, there has been no competitive fibre-based packaging concept in the market to replace the styrox packaging with the required performance. Thanks to the EcoFishBox packaging concept there is now a new alternative made from renewable wood fibre on the market, a leaktight corrugated board packaging solution with excellent stackability properties. The corrugated packages are delivered from the factory to fish packers in form of flat corrugated board sheets. This saves a tremendous amount of space in storage and transport, as new EcoFishBox packages take seven times less space than a styrox package. Packaging systems are also an integral part of the EcoFishBox concept, which makes it easy to automate packaging operations widely. Packaging automation saves both the labour and storage costs.
DISAPPEARING CEMENT SACK submitted by BillerudKorsnäs
| 6 | Sustainability Awards 2018
Impact Thanks to both its renewable raw material and its recyclability, the EcoFishBox packaging concept is ideal for the need to find an alternative, responsible packaging solution for the styrox packages widely used for fish packaging. As it can be flattened and fully recycled, EcoFishBox can reduce the packaging waste handling, transport and recycling costs by up to 60%. Another major environmental motive is related to transport. The corrugated board packages are delivered as flat sheets from the factory to the fish packers. This means that transport and storage of EcoFishBox packages takes seven times less space compared to styrox packages. According to ‘LCA of the industrial use of EPS packaging in Europe, 2011’ by PWC Ecobilan the reduction of emissions of greenhouse gases is above 30%.
Overview D-Sack consists of two layers of white BillerudKorsnäs QuickFill® paper. This paper combines the traditional properties of high strength and high porosity with a patented barrier treatment that allows the sack to resist water vapour, but disintegrates when subjected to mechanical action, aggregate and water in the cement mixer.
NANOPACK a Horizon 2020-funded project
Overview NanoPack is an EU-funded project that is developing state-of-the-art antimicrobial packaging solutions for perishable foods based on natural nanomaterials that will prevent food-borne illness outbreaks and reduce food waste caused by early spoilage. The novel packaging films will display antimicrobial activity against a range of microorganisms, including bacteria, yeast and moulds which cause food spoilage and extend the shelf-life of food products by up to 25%. Applying the power of nanotechnology, the project will employ polymer composites based on natural Halloysite Nanotubes (HNTs) as reliable and safe carriers, capable of tailored release of bioactive payloads. Maximising safety, HNTs slowly release minute amounts of potent, volatile and broad-spectrumessential oils, with antimicrobial and anti-fungal properties, into the packaging. NanoPack intends to develop, scale up and run pilot lines in operational industrial settings to manufacture and validate antimicrobial polymer films that are commercially feasible and accepted by retailers and consumers alike.
Impact An estimated 32% of all food produced globally is lost or wasted each year, representing a massive waste of the valuable resources used in food production. Food
• The sack disintegrates into minute fibres that are bound into the concrete or mortar. • Independent studies show that the presence of paper fibres in the concrete mix has no negative effect on concrete properties. • Apart from the ability to disintegrate under the right circumstances, the D-Sack has a top deaeration construction for quick and easy filling.
losses and waste lead to major economic losses, cause significant harm to the environment, and have a negative impact on food availability and food security. NanoPack is expected to provide sustainable solutions for enhancing food safety by inhibiting growth of microbes in food products, which will prevent early spoilage and foodborne illness outbreaks. The active food packaging solution will prolong the shelf-life of foods, directly contributing towards tackling the problem of food waste. Minimising food losses caused by spoilage can reduce operational costs for the whole value chain. A first round of antimicrobial efficacy tests has demonstrated the NanoPack film’s ability to inhibit mould growth on bread. Breads that were inoculated with relevant-mould spores and packed with NanoPack film inserts had no mould growing for up to 27 days post packaging. The results confirmed the ability of the antimicrobial packaging to significantly extend shelf life and reduce food waste. NanoPack is currently getting ready for the second round of testing with more sophisticated film formats to expand these promising results to other perishable foods and further improve its performance.
Impact D-Sack has 30% lower climate impact than conventional cement sacks. A life cycle assessment conducted by the IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute, confirmed that D-Sack is a CO2 sink in a hundred-year perspective because the carbon dioxide bound during tree growth and then incorporated into the paper, remains in the concrete structure. Sustainability Awards 2018 | 7 |
| 8 | Sustainability Awards 2018
RESOURCE EFFICIENCY WATERLESS INTERNET FLOWER PACKAGING submitted by Uflex Limited
Overview
Impact
Waterless Internet Flower Packaging is based on Active Modified Atmospheric Packaging Technology (AMAP). Uflex Limited has engineered a special proprietary patented polymeric film for offering packaging solution for fresh fruits, vegetables and flowers. A Fast Respiration Meter is used for ascertaining the respiration rate of flowers and associated software thereafter calculates the required film permeability. A special laser system uses this information to adapt the permeability of the film offered by Uflex through micro perforations. This special proprietary polymeric substrate is the first biodegradable (by composting) film that maintains the hydration of flowers during transpiration (evaporation causing loss of moisture during respiration) thus creating a closed loop system. Flowers are put to slow respiration mode by reducing the oxygen availability preventing excess oxidation and dehydration. The film keeps the flowers breathing in hydrated oxygen and release excess humidity keeping them touch dry. The flowers thus can go without water for 20 days as the humidity is fed back in to the flower when it continues to breathe in the modified atmosphere and further seven days in vase.
Flexfresh is the first ever film for packaging fresh produce that is bio-degradable by composting and complies with all international regulations for overall migration (EC 1935/2004), reach compliance (EC 1907/2006) and qualifies for biodegradation under DIN EN 13432 (2000-12). The packaging can be industrially composted within 180 days. Besides extending the shelf life of flowers, the use of millions of gallons of water in the supply chain (transit) is also eliminated because the flowers packed using this technology do not require any water in the supply chain. Elimination of water from the supply chain also increases the product volume-to-weight ratio. This means that one truckload/shipload can accommodate more flowers thereby reducing the number of trips required for transportation of the same quantity of flowers. This further helps in reducing the carbon footprint besides bringing down the logistics costs and associated handling. This is a zero-waste packaging arrangement and qualifies to be a green solution. Given the shelf life extension without water, exporters globally can send their consignments by sea-freight rather than expensive air-freight. Sustainability Awards 2018 | 9 |
BEST PRACTICE Retailers or brand owners that have achieved the most in minimising the environmental impact of packaging and its supply chains.
THIS IS FORWARD CIRCULAR ECONOMY submitted by Coca-Cola Western Europe
Overview In October 2017 The Coca-Cola Company in Western Europe and Coca-Cola European Partners launched a joint Sustainability Action Plan, This is Forward. Coca-Cola is taking action on sustainability by using its business and its brands to build a better future, for people and the planet. Sustainability is at the heart of Coca-Cola business and a tremendous progress has been made but more can be done, especially in Packaging. As a leader in the industry, it has both the strength to act and the responsibility to set new standards for sustainability packaging under the Circular Economy approach. This is Forward is focused on three leadership priorities: Drinks, Packaging and Society. For Packaging this is the Plan by 2025: • Coca-Cola will make sure that 100% of their packaging is recyclable or reusable • Coca-Cola will work with local and national partners to collect 100% of their packaging in Western Europe • Coca-Cola will make sure at least 50% of the material used for PET bottles comes from recycled plastic • Coca-Cola will use the reach of their brands to inspire everyone to recycle • Coca-Cola will lead the way in pioneering sustainable packaging including renewable and smart ways to reduce packaging waste. | 10 | Sustainability Awards 2018
These commitments on Packaging are not only intentions but real plans embedded in its Business Strategy and committed at Top Management level, work-in-progress at this moment. These steps will ensure a positive impact wherever it sells its drinks and with the packages it put in the market.
Impact These are the impacts planned with The Sustainability Action Plan for Packaging: • Every single packaging and brand has already been assessed in terms of recyclability based on EPBP Guidelines. 96.6% of its packages today are fully recyclable or reusable. The 3.4% have already open actions to convert them into fully recyclable. • Work with partners for 100% of its packaging collection: this action will impact the rest of industry and all domestic packaging • 50% of the material used for PET bottles comes from recycled plastic; in 2017 23% of its PET comes from recycled. • Coca-Cola will use the reach of their brands to inspire to recycle: impact for each single consumer it has • Coca-Cola will pioneer sustainable packaging including renewable and smart ways to reduce waste. Examples of new launches in 2018 with biobased material: Smartwater, Honest Coffee and Adez for all Western Europe.
PLAN A Overview Against a backdrop of a volatile and complicated world the retailer M&S is on a journey to make their business more sustainable. They believe a successful business must also be ethically, environmentally and socially sustainable. This was enshrined in Plan A in 2007 and continues with 100 more commitments made last year. Taking a more holistic approach that addresses all the sustainability issues affecting their business and supply chains is part of the Plan A process and designed to equip the business for a future in which success is measured in staying relevant for customers whilst leaving the planet in a better place. M&S are committed to helping to build a sustainable future by being a business that enables their customers and staff to have a positive impact on wellbeing, communities and the planet.
Impact Ten years ago, they launched Plan A. 100 commitments were made to tackle five big issues - climate change, waste, resources, fair partnerships and
submitted by M&S
health. These issues are still as relevant as ever and are at the heart of Plan A. In June 2017 Plan A 2025 was launched which strengthens the commitment to address these issues with 100 bold new targets. Crucially, it forces the business to address questions which don’t yet have answers. In terms of packaging it is about creating all their packaging with the circular economy in mind. Four key steps. Reduce the materials used as much as possible whilst keeping product integrity, reusing packaging where possible, making all the packaging widely recyclable by 2022 and to develop a road map by 2022 to move all plastic to one plastic status. M&S have already an 85% widely recycled status (by weight) and reduced polymers used to 4. They are also removing all single use plastics from their food service and working with suppliers to further curb the use of unnecessary plastics. The important factor here is that Plan A is part and parcel of the way the company does business and is not simply a headline maker. Sustainability Awards 2018 | 11 |
BEST PRACTICE FIRST RETAILER TO GO PLASTIC FREE Overview In January 2018 Iceland became the first retailer globally to declare that it would remove all plastics from our Own Label ranges and by 2023. Iceland had been working on this for a year and it coincided with the launch in February of two ranges of ready meals made from board trays not the usual CPET. Over 100m of these a year alone are used and most go into landfill. If such plastics enter the natural environment, they take hundreds of years to break down. According to Iceland, the move was driven to this move by a lack of commitment by plastic suppliers, councils and government to reduce the amount of plastic entering the ocean, rivers and landfill together with the growing images on TV and social media of food chains and animals being affected by dumped plastic around the world.
Impact The impact across all industries has been dramatic and many companies followed Iceland’s lead in
| 12 | Sustainability Awards 2018
submitted by Iceland Foods
committing to reducing plastic, including McDonalds and Ryanair, in the following weeks. Iceland proved to be a catalyst to change across all media and it was mentioned in parliament on the day of the launch. It prompted widespread talk and action to turn down the plastic tap and to recycle and reuse more. Action has removed plastic straws from most stores and restaurants as just one result of the new thinking. Coverage reached 1.04 billion people in three days on social media worldwide. Iceland appeared on TV and radio around the world and there was a significant response from companies wanting to help with non-plastic solutions. Iceland sells 31,000 tonnes of plastics over the till. Own Label plastics account for 13,000 tonnes. Black plastic CPET trays (which account for 2000 tonnes) will be eliminated this year, 1700 tonnes of carrier bag material will go this year. Iceland has already re-engineered old products and any new products are now developed plastic free.
GARÇON WINES RECYCLED PET FLAT PROFILE WINE BOTTLE submitted by RPC M&H PLASTICS
Overview
Impact
Garçon Wines has recently commissioned RPC M&H Plastics to produce a new kind of wine bottle - wine for the ‘Amazon generation’ – the innovative bottles have a flat profile while still retaining the classic shape expected by consumers. This enables the bottles to be delivered through a letterbox. Pack weight is crucial in mail-order/e-commerce and the wine bottles are 87% lighter than traditional glass bottles (63g vs. 500g). Therefore, transport costs and fuel used are reduced between the bottler and the final destination, thus reducing the carbon footprint. Garçon and M&H worked extensively on producing the optimal weight and wall thickness to ensure that the bottles were engineered to withstand the rigours of postal network distribution while retaining the glass like qualities of shine and clarity to best present the wines and look like the bottles consumers know and love. Using 100% rPET was key to both companies’ corporate social responsibility values and the resulting bottle is produced from post-consumer recycled PET and can also be recycled to produce further bottles. Even the closure is plastic rather than aluminium to assist the recyclability of the product, after use. Garçon Wines are currently exploring a returnable bottle scheme to allow for empty bottles to be sent/ collected and recycled, thus providing a completely ‘closed-loop’ production process.
Using 100% recycled PET (rPET) to produce the new bottles is something that Garçon Wines and RPC M&H Plastics believe to be unique in the wine industry as typically only a percentage of rPET is used in the production of bottles, and most plastic wine bottles are just PET. The distribution of any product across great distances attracts significant costs and the weight considerations of transporting and distributing wine around the world contributes to the effects on the environment because of the fuel used from the vineyard to the final customer. The weight saving of using rPET combined with reduced breakages has a great effect on the overall carbon footprint of these bottles. Meanwhile, several studies have shown the increased environmental benefits of a successful first-time delivery. The flat design of the product also allows for more efficient packing for transportation with fewer air-gaps between the bottles compared to a cylindrical bottle (approximately 40% space saving). Production of the bottles in rPET also benefits in production cost and raw materials saving and is proven to be more energy efficient per unit than traditional glass bottles. This also has the potential to make a closed loop, environmentally sustainable, production system. The production of rPET compares favourably with glass (the prolific alternative with circa 37bn wine bottles produced per year) across production, transport and cost to recycle. Sustainability Awards 2018 | 13 |
BIO BASED PACKAGING Development or innovative use of new, bio-based materials with significant positive impact or potential in packaging applications.
AGRIRAP submitted by Rapid Action Packaging Ltd
Overview AgriRAP is a bio-based, home-compostable and widely recyclable sandwich-wedge, using paperboard made from agricultural waste derived from stems and leaves left behind after harvest. These crops include wheat, rice, corn and sugarcane, where only 20% of the plant is used for food. RAP uses the remaining 80% of the fibres to convert into board. To enable visibility on the packaged food, protect it and keep it fresh for longer, this board is laminated to a biofilm made of wood pulp from managed plantations. The film is also compostable in both industrial and home composting environments, as well as suitable for anaerobic-digestion and marine biodegradation. While the whole pack can be composted, only the cardboard element of this sandwich packaging can easily be recycled. Having been involved in conver-
| 14 | Sustainability Awards 2018
sations with processors, RAP understands they were having difficulty separating the cardboard and film parts of the pack. With this in mind it redesigned the concept of sandwich-wedges. Through a peelable tab, consumers can easily remove the film from the cardboard and if they throw the whole pack away, processors are now able to separate the board element from the film. This ensures that, depending on what bins are available, the pack will be easily recyclable in any usual paperboard waste stream at end-of-life, without the need for difficult and expensive plastic separation. If it ends up in a composting bin at home, it will break down into water and biomass in less than one year.
Impact Crops like rice, grains, corn and sugar cane are grown to feed earth’s seven billion people. The stems and leaves that are left over after the harvest, when the food has been removed from the plant, are referred to as agricultural waste. Approximately 80% of the crops consist of such waste, whereas only 20% is used for food. Agricultural waste is mainly burned and, in the most positive case, used as alternative source of energy. Conversion into packaging materials gives a second life to this waste. Using this board provides an environmental saving of 47% compared to FSC paper based on wood fibres, and 29% compared to recycled paper (source: LCA quickscan conducted by IVAM University of Amsterdam). The agricultural waste is made available annually and prevents millions of hectares of deforestation by using it as raw material for paper and cardboard. With a mere 1.8% of the annually available agricultural waste worldwide, it would be possible to produce all the paper and cardboard used in Europe per year.
SIGNATURE PACK submitted by SIG Combibloc
Overview SIGNATURE PACK is a world first aseptic pack 100% linked to plant-based renewable material. Net Positive: aiming to contribute more to the environment and society than it takes out – that’s SIG’s big ambition. The company has the responsibility to ensure a sustainable future for the next generations. One of its goals is to improve the materials in its packaging. Fossil-based resources are finite. The extraction and processing of these negatively affect the planet. This is why SIG developed SIGNATURE PACK. SIG’s carton packs contain up to 82% paperboard from renewable wood sources. What’s different are the plastics in SIGNATURE PACK. They’re now linked to a plant-based material (tall oil) via mass balance systems.
Impact The raw material for the feedstock is tall oil – a waste by-product from the paper industry. This provided SIG with the opportunity to decouple from fossil resource consumption and switch to a renewable feedstock basis. The renewable feedstock in this case can be regrown as it is from trees from sustainable European forestry.
The mass balance plastics are certified under recognised certification schemes: ISCC Plus and TÜV SÜD CMS71, which allows for traceability. SIG understands the criticalities around food crop usage, animal feedstock basis, land use effects, etc. It also understands limitations of small-scale bioplastic productions. Such are connected to a single biomass feedstock source and provide single or small variation in plastic grade output. Together with its polymer suppliers, SIG therefore created a sustainable solution by using a residue / by-product from the papermaking process. This fosters the transition from a petroleum plastic industry towards a bio one, while not affecting staple food crops. With SIGNATURE PACK, SIG is now able to offer a packaging solution that answers to industry needs, and to the growing environmentally-conscious consumers. Sustainability Awards 2018 | 15 |
BIO BASED PACKAGING SUSTAINABLE FEEDSTOCK FOR BIO-BASED LDPE PRODUCTION submitted by Dow Europe GmbH
Overview In an effort to advance the circular economy as per its 2025 sustainability goals, Dow is working with partners to help find and test alternatives to fossil fuels in the production of plastic packaging. The result is a bio-based LDPE solution using renewable feedstock that is produced by converting bio-based naphtha in Dow’s cracker into bio-based LDPE. In a specific pioneering project, Dow worked together with UPM and Elopak to convert tall-oil based feedstocks into bioplastics for beverage cartons. The sustainability of the entire production process has been verified with the renowned ISCC PLUS certification (International Sustainability and Carbon Certification) in September 2017. To obtain this certification, Dow entered into an agreement with UPM, the producer of bio-naphtha out of tall oil – a waste product from wood processing industry. Tall oil does not interfere with the food chain which has been an important selection criterion for Elopak. For each kilo of packaging material, one kilo of renewable feedstock needs to be credited to the system, and | 16 | Sustainability Awards 2018
the balances of each partner in the supply chain are audited once per year. Apart from beverage cartons, other potential applications could be collation shrink films or several packaging layers – all ideas are currently in discussion with customers. In order to help customers accelerate their own agenda towards a circular economy, Dow is offering this certified solution to meet the market demand for more sustainable packaging solutions based on renewable feedstocks.
Impact The major environmental advantages are that fossil fuel is conserved because every ton of the biobased naphtha that Dow converts into bioplastics reduces one ton of fossil raw materials used. An additional positive sustainability aspect is that by using a bi-product from wood production in the example mentioned, a usual production waste is turned into and reused for something valuable. www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQ2lq3B0C4U&feature=youtu.be
CELLULOSE-BASED PACKAGING SUBSTRATE submitted by VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd
VTT´s bio-based solution is built upon decades of research, experience and know-how on lignocellulosic (biomass) raw materials. These materials are very suitable for packaging and are already widely used in cardboard. As there are no well functioning bio-based materials with good barrier properties available in the food packaging market, VTT started to investigate the potential of cellulose for this purpose.
Impact Overview VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd has created a compostable three-layered material solution that looks and performs like plastic, but does not pollute the environment and oceans like regular plastic as it is made from nature’s very own raw material - cellulose. The compostable multilayer material is ideal for packaging dry food products like cereal and nuts, and flexible packaging air-sensitive products like chocolate, biscuits, thin cuts of meat or cheese, and potentially some liquids and moist food. It is ideal because of the material’s good barrier properties against gases, grease, mineral oils and moisture, which are essential properties for food packages. The multi-layer packaging solution is built from two different cellulose-based transparent films that have complementary barrier properties and that essentially make the solution a monomaterial. The solution is processable with existing film and roll-toroll manufacturing machines and processes. The films are processed in a way that does not introduce any unwanted or toxic chemicals.
The VTT solution provides an environmentally benign alternative for multi-layered plastic packaging (EVOH, nylon barriers). Cellulosic materials are safe, renewable, recyclable, biocompatible and biodegradable. As a renewable resource, cellulose-based materials have a lower negative environmental impact than fossil-based materials. The VTT solution can be produced locally and efficiently from multiple cellulose-based raw materials (with a maximum lignin content of 10%). The processing is energy efficient and existing machinery of pulp and paper industry with minor modifications can be used. The final barrier film products do not include any unwanted or toxic substances. The fully bio-based three-layer structure has better technical properties than the best currently available bioplastics (PLA, PHA, cellophane, starch). The conversion yield of the nanocellulose is very high (90%).The soluble sugars from washing filtrate can be recovered and reused in food/feed and chemical applications. The conversion yield of molar mass adjustment is 95%, followed by esterification to produce thermoplastic cellulose at the yield of approximately 33% for optimum properties. The yields and efficiency of the materials can be further optimised. Sustainability Awards 2018 | 17 |
MACHINERY Development or innovative use of new, bio-based materials with significant positive impact or potential in packaging applications.
SUSTAINABLE HYBRID BATTERY STORAGE submitted by Ardagh Group
wind, on the same grid. It also stores green energy that would otherwise be lost. It is a key step in moving away from the plant’s reliance on thermal energy and plays a role in reducing excess emissions and costs. It paves the way in sustainability and energy technology for industry, supporting the transition to a low-carbon, sustainable, reliable, cost-effective and efficient power system.
Overview
Impact
In December 2017 Ardagh Group implemented a sustainable, hybrid battery storage system to increase resilience and energy security at its glass container plant in Irvine, Scotland. The plant needs a reliable energy supply to support its continuous manufacture of glass containers. The battery provides a secure and reliable supply of green energy, providing a back-up during peak energy consumption and delivering energy back to the grid when demand is low. The storage system is a hybrid combination of a Tesla battery and a grid-optimising platform: • The Tesla battery is designed to efficiently store energy during periods of lower demand and support demand during intermittent power failures. • The battery reduces the plant’s reliance on the grid and any surplus energy is returned to the grid. This is a first for the UK, combining electrical energy storage with on-site equipment that responds to frequency triggers and peak avoidance warnings. The system is a responsible innovation which can tap into various renewable energy sources, like solar and
The solution provides Ardagh Group’s Irvine plant with a secure, resilient, reliable supply of green energy, transforming how energy usage is managed at the plant. It will positively impact energy sustainability locally and nationally: • Locally, the battery will provide fast back-up for the systems on the Irvine site in case of local grid failure, avoiding the emissions from the diesel generators that previously provided this function. • Nationally, the battery allows for more low carbon renewable generation to connect and avoids emissions from high carbon thermal stations to provide grid stability. The battery reduces the plant’s reliance on the grid and any surplus energy is returned to the grid, thereby reducing the CO2 impact of energy demand in the local community by an estimated 400 tonnes annually. This saving is due to the battery keeping the electricity system stable at 50Hz. Before the battery was installed, the National Grid would pay for thermal power stations to provide this stability by operating in an inefficient idling mode.
| 18 | Sustainability Awards 2018
LIQUIDFORMING PLASTIC BOTTLES submitted by Amcor Rigid Plastics and The Liquiform Group
Overview
Impact
A disruptive technology is changing the way packaging is formed (and filled) for Amcor customers. Known as LiquiForm®, this technology uses consumable liquid instead of compressed air to simultaneously form and fill the container. In essence, the liquid product forms its own rigid plastic container. This liquid-forming technology combines the bottle manufacturing and filling process into one step resulting in the removal of blow-moulding equipment and high-pressure air systems. Costs associated with equipment and space as well as handling, transportation, and storage of empty bottles are eliminated with LiquiForm®. In addition to the streamlined operations, the use of incompressible liquids improves the container quality with a more consistent distribution of materials. The result is a much sharper resolution (i.e., embossing, debossing, Braille) that cannot be achieved with air. LiquiForm® technology was brought to market by The LiquiForm Group, a wholly-owned Amcor company. Introduced in 2014, The LiquiForm Group has been working with converters and equipment manufacturers to license the cutting-edge technology. This first commercial container was manufactured on a proprietary Amcor-built machine powered by the LiquiForm® process. The bottle was introduced to the market in December 2017. Nature’s Promise hand soap launched its 12-ounce PET bottle with 50% post-consumer recycled content. This bottle replaced an existing container but added greater branding elements for consumer appeal. The updated design highlights the Nature’s Promise brand’s key symbol – the leaf – with a delicate pattern along the shoulder of the container.
The LiquiForm technology can improve packaging consistency and lower the carbon footprint associated with forming and filling. It opens new pathways toward lighter, more sustainable packaging, has the potential to reconfigure supply chains and move packaging closer to the market. Substantial new value is created through the innovative LiquiForm process, including: • Raw material reduction. In the case of the 12-ounce Nature’s Promise PET bottle, the weight went from 29 grams to 19.5 grams. This represents a 33% reduction in bottle weight. • Energy consumption. Comparison of high-pressure air associated with traditionally blow moulded bottles verses bottles formed with injected, consumable liquids. • Inbound transportation costs. Empty bottle shipments verses preforms for liquid forming. • Outbound transportation costs. Examine opportunity for optimisation of regional/local operations shipments compared to shipments from centralised operations. • Greater responsiveness. Regional/local filling operations can provide greater convenience and responsiveness when compared to large, centralised operations and warehouse distribution. • Lower carbon emissions. Associated with transportation (inbound and outbound) as well as operational efficiencies of forming a bottle with liquids versus high-pressure air. • Less space. One forming-filling line versus separate blowing and filling lines. • Expanding Operations. Low energy, small space operations allow for greater distribution of filling locations globally, particularly in developing economies. Sustainability Awards 2018 | 19 |
MACHINERY ASEPTIC COMBI PREDIS™ submitted by Sidel
tests and acceptance criteria, DBA was able to prove that the scheduled processes were in compliance with the predicate rules and expectations of the FDA so that the equipment could produce a commercially sterile low acid product. DBA’s testing demonstrated that the sterile zone during the blowing process was the critical component, not the blow-moulding zone itself, which was due to the Sidel patented dry-preform sterilisation technology. This approval from June 2017 confirms that the Aseptic Combi Predis design is compliant with the FDA’s current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP) requirements.
Impact
Overview The Sidel Aseptic Combi Predis merges dry preform sterilisation with aseptic blowing, filling and sealing functions within a single production enclosure. In doing that, it respects the fundamental concept which underpins state-of-the-art aseptic packaging rules: producing a commercially sterile product, filled in a sterile zone, in a previously sterilised package. It differs from traditional aseptic technology because the package sterilisation takes place at the preform rather than at the bottle phase. The Sidel Aseptic blow fill seal solution is the world’s first aseptic PET filling equipment with dry preform sterilisation approved by the FDA in June 2017. The Process Authority for the Sidel aseptic filler was US-based Dover Brook Associates (DBA). DBA applied their 30 years of professional experience in sterile processes to validate the scheduled processes of the Aseptic Combi Predis. Using an approach of specific | 20 | Sustainability Awards 2018
Companies throughout the world have recognised the benefits the Sidel Aseptic Combi Predis offers: beyond safety, simplicity, and cost-effectiveness, it is the significant environmental advantages that the solution brings to sensitive beverage producers. The Aseptic Combi Predis is an important step forward in terms of sustainable production because the dry preform sterilisation technology does not require any water and uses only minimal amounts of chemicals in the production process. The blower oven activates the sterilising effect of the hydrogen peroxide vapour, injected into the preforms before the oven, thus eliminating the need for additional heating of the preforms, saving further on resources. Moreover, as the bottles are continuously transferred by the neck and are not under any thermal stress traditionally required by the wet bottle decontamination, this offers unlimited lightweighting potential, reducing the PET raw material consumption. In sum then, using no water and almost no chemicals, the Sidel Aseptic Combi Predis globally contributed to save seven billion litres of water and 57,000 tons of PET, while producing 46 billion bottles.
MADE2FIT submitted by DS Smith Packaging Systems
Overview DS Smith’s Made2fit improves operational efficiency, eliminates void fill & lowers transportation costs. This innovation has been developed to specifically tackle the e-commerce challenge of void space, as shipping air is a waste of resources. Creating right-sized pack lowers costs for e-tailers by reducing both operational and shipping costs: saving storage space, cutting labour costs, order administration and assembly / packing times. It also reduces product movement, helping reduce damage. Whether you are a high-volume retailer fulfilling thousands of orders a day, or a young and growing company there is a Made2fit solution that is, well made to fit just for you. The manual Made2fit solution is perfect for smaller companies as it is designed for lower volume orders, creating 39 possible box size combinations from just three blank sizes of cardboard. Larger retailers will benefit most from the automated version of Made2fit for larger volume orders, with the capability to manufacture more than 10 million box size combinations, in a process that is omnichannel ready.
Impact Finding the balance between protecting packaging and limiting the amount of materials used is a constant source of concern for retailers. Likewise, shoppers do not want to receive broken goods or have to deal with excess packaging. The new DISCS™ technology enables us to scientifically assess customers’ requirements and get this balance right.
An industry first, DISCS ™ tests whether packages can survive the bumps and scrapes of the average e-commerce supply chain. Online orders sometimes need to survive up to 50 touch points, so packaging must be durable but also sustainable. Named after the different types of testing (Drop, Impact, Shock, Crush, Shake), the patented system consists of five pieces of equipment, each replicating a part of the product journey and therefore providing real world testing.
With a network of over 600 design and technical team members in 37 countries, DS Smith is perfectly placed to offer you a ‘glocal’ service, enabling you to connect with a local contact, supported by a global network of knowledge and experience. Its e-commerce specialists have been trained in helping you to eliminate excess packaging material, delight customers with packages that are easier to open, create less waste, reduce product damage, and ship less air. Sustainability Awards 2018 | 21 |
| 22 | Sustainability Awards 2018
DRIVING THE CIRCULAR ECONOMY Breakthroughs and innovations in recycling technology / reusable packaging systems and initiatives promoting increase in recycling rates or demand for recyclate.
COCA-COLA FREESTYLE WITH RE-USABLE INTELLIGENT BOTTLES submitted by Whirley-Validfill in collaboration with The Coca-Cola Company
Overview In 2017 Coca-Cola introduced a re-usable/refillable bottle scheme at the University of Reading in the UK. This scheme operates in combination with the Freestyle dispensers and has ensured removal of all one way-consumer packaging from the campus. This project was developed in collaboration with the bottler, Whirley-Validfill and Reading University, who branded this scheme ‘SUSTAIN IT’. The refillable bottle contains an RFID-tag at the bottom which is read by the dispenser. The university offers a program whereby students can credit their bottles for a number of refills. The refills can be defined by a set number (for example 10 refills) or by a given period (for example: unlimited refills for a week/a month or a term). In the latter case - in order to control abuse - the equipment will ensure a ‘given waiting time’ between two pours (for examples 10 minutes of waiting before a second drink gets poured). In addition to the education channel, the combination of the Freestyle dispensers with RFID has potential to be used in leisure parks, festivals and events, hotels and working environments to remove single-use consumer packaging. https://youtu.be/uyolVMKlfrQ
Impact • The immediate impact on one university campus is the elimination of 600,000 one-way bottles per year. Spreading this across multiple customers and channels could make this eliminate more than 50 million one-way bottles per year across Europe. • The capability to offer environments a world without consumer waste: a bottle becomes a re-usable asset that has a ‘credit’ loaded onto it. • The industrial waste (the packaging needed to fill the equipment with ingredients) generated by CocaCola Freestyle is 40% lower than in the traditional dispensed beverages business. • Applying this technology within the channels where teenagers and young adults operate recruits this generation into consuming sustainably. Sustainability Awards 2018 | 23 |
DRIVING THE CIRCULAR ECONOMY CUPCYCLING™ submitted by James Cropper
Overview The use and disposal of take-out coffee cups is a deeply concerning issue within society, with only a fraction of cups – one in 400 – being disposed of correctly. Consumers’ love of takeaway coffee shows no signs of diminishing, so a solution that reduces its environmental impact is high on the agenda for both the government and industry. With CupCycling™, James Cropper has developed the technology to recycle disposable paper cups on a commercial scale for the first time, and has played an integral role in establishing demand for paper produced from used cups. By partnering with waste management companies, coffee chains and restaurants, James Cropper has created a suitable supply chain to enable cup waste to be transformed into beautiful papers. High street restaurants and retailers have installed cup collection stations to allow for correct disposal. There are now more than 4000 dedicated cup recycling stations in the UK. The used cups are collected by waste management partners for processing. In a standout example of closed-loop recycling, James Cropper is rescuing Selfridges’ used cups
| 24 | Sustainability Awards 2018
from landfill and turning them into the yellow paper used to make the retailer’s iconic shopping bags. The bags can then be recycled with household waste. CupCycling™ is a working example of the circular economy in action and how collaboration between businesses can lead to successful outcomes for both industry and the environment.
Impact Since it was opened in 2013, the plant has recycled the equivalent of two billion cups’ worth of post-industrial coffee cup trim. Since September 2017, CupCycling™ has recycled more than 20 million used cups, but has the capacity to upcycle 500m cups per year, offering a significant solution to the UK’s coffee cup issue. With the Selfridges collaboration specifically, James Cropper is saving over 200,000 cups from landfill per year and putting them back into Selfridges’ iconic shopping bags. A Life Cycle Assessment has shown that whilst there is no overall ‘best fibre source’ that is superior in every environmental category, paper from recycled cup trim and recycled coffee cups generally has a lower environmental impact than fibre sourced from renewable forestry sources or office waste. Investment in improved infrastructure and consumer education will ensure a more joined-up approach, leading to a greater level of cups being disposed of correctly and given another life. Following widespread publicity of James Cropper’s solution, new retail partners have been in touch, both those that want to send their used cups to the CupCycling™ facility and those that wish to use the resulting papers in their packaging. Such partnerships will allow for the upcycling of a significant number of disposable coffee cups used each year. By 2020, CupCycling™ has the potential to have rescued around one billion used cups.
RECYCLED TEMPERATURE CONTROL CONTAINER submitted by SkyCell AG
Overview
Impact
SkyCell is a Swiss-based provider of temperature-controlled airfreight container solutions with a special focus on serving global pharma companies and sustainability. It is driven by its mission to supply the safest pharma containers worldwide. This is achieved through a combination of hardware, software and services, which enables SkyCell to master logistical challenges and eliminate temperature excursion. In mid-2017, SkyCell launched a new model of its temperature-controlled containers, called 2500C. It is the largest container for temperature-controlled transport with passive systems, which makes it much lighter than its competitors. More than 50 man-years of R&D were poured into creating an unprecedented, highly efficient insulation solution. This cutting-edge technology reflects the maximum radiation while minimising heat conduction. It is the most patent-protected insulation technology on the market and made of recycled plastic. These aspects lead to a drastic reduction of fuel for air transport, and hence C02 emission. In its latest study, the international NGO MyClimate examined the CO2 emissions of SkyCell containers compared to products of competitors. The results show that SkyCell’s 2500C container basically cuts in half the CO2 emissions during examined air transports compared to containers with a similar capacity.
Since its launch in mid-2017, SkyCell’s model 2500C has convinced many pharmaceutical companies to switch from heavy actively-cooled containers for air transport to SkyCell’s passively-cooled models. In the past, passive systems were not able to keep the temperature for pharmaceutical shipments inside the container in the required range. So frequently, pharma companies have chosen actively controlled containers in the market, despite the fact that they are much heavier than passive ones and leave a much larger carbon footprint. Since it entered the market, SkyCell has been audited by more than 12 of the biggest 20 pharmaceutical companies and passed all tests with tailwind. “Pharma companies tested our containers in their climatic test chambers and, at first, did not believe the results. Outside temperatures were changed from plus 60 to minus 30 degrees Celsius, but inside our containers, there was not even a temperature deviation of a single Kelvin. In their traditional mindset, this was regarded as impossible,” says Nico Ros, CTO and co-founder at SkyCell. The technology saves about six tons of CO2 per shipment and cubic metre of goods. This is the equivalent of a 50,000 km car ride per shipment. Hence, the revolutionary design of SkyCell’s containers will drastically reduce the carbon footprint of airfreight in the years to come. Sustainability Awards 2018 | 25 |
| 26 | Sustainability Awards 2018
DRIVING THE CIRCULAR ECONOMY PATTEX MADE AT HOME UNIVERSAL GLUE submitted by Henkel AG & Co. KGaA
Overview Together with development partners Borealis / mtm, bomo trendline Technik GmbH and KKT Kaller Kunststoff Technik GmbH, Henkel has managed to successfully develop, qualify and launch its first consumer adhesive packaging which is entirely made of post-consumer recycled resin. Both the extrusion blow moulded bottle and the three-piece injection moulded closure are made from 100% PCR and thus close the first loop of recycling.
Impact By successfully launching this product it is proved that the use of post-consumer recycled polyolefins can be a technically and financially viable option in mass products and consequently the use of virgin resin can be drastically reduced.
Sustainability Awards 2018 | 27 |
RECYCLABLE PACKAGING Innovations in packaging materials / design for recyclability and groundbreaking use of recycled feedstocks.
FOODBOARD™ VIRGIN FIBRE submitted by Mayr-Melnhof Karton GmbH
Overview
Impact
The protection of consumer health is the top priority for the food packaging supply chain. Discussions about mineral oils in food started in 2010. It therefore became an urgent challenge to find the cause of the mineral oil issue and to identify possible solutions. With FOODBOARD™ virgin fibre, Mayr-Melnhof Karton has developed the next generation of cartonboard, which ensures the highest product safety: a virgin fibre cartonboard with an innovative barrier concept as the core component. FOODBOARD™ virgin fibre shields packed food against the migration of defined unintended substances such as mineral oils, phthalates and bisphenol A. The barrier provides comprehensive protection against penetration from printing inks and the environment, which can infiltrate packed food during transportation, storage and at the point of sale. Accordingly, FOODBOARD™ virgin fibre reliably protects against cross-contamination and means transparency throughout the supply chain.
FOODBOARD™ virgin fibre is a mono-material, a pure cartonboard solution and not an extruded or laminated compound as other existing functional barrier solutions, and it is therefore fully recyclable and bio-degradable. It is available with FSC® or PEFC™ certification. FOODBOARD™ virgin fibre helps to ensure consumer confidence as well as secure existing fibre-based markets. With its functional barrier FOODBOARD™ virgin fibre can replace existing plastic packaging, inner liners or plastic compounds which have been used to prevent migration in the past. Cross-contamination is one source of mineral oil migration. Mineral oil migration cannot therefore be prevented by the use of standard plastic solutions or folding boxes made of cartonboard without a barrier. Only a functional barrier between the food and the cartonboard is an effective solution. These include inner bags made of modified polypropylene, polyethylene terephthalate and aluminium. FOODBOARD™ virgin fibre offers with its innovative barrier concept the eco-friendly alternative.
| 28 | Sustainability Awards 2018
X-ENVIROPOUCH submitted by RPC bpi protec
Overview The stand-up Doy Pack sealed pouch has become a highly popular pack format in recent years – its stand-up and easy open properties are particularly appreciated by consumers and the same stand-up ability also provides great opportunities for retail display. However, the manufacture of many of these packs incorporate laminates, and this means that they cannot be recycled. A solution to this problem is the new X-EnviroPouch from RPC bpi protec, which is produced solely from polythene film and is therefore fully recyclable. This modern consumer pack format retains all the convenience benefits of a Doy Pack, including the availability of a prestoclose seal that enables it to be re-closed, and is ideal for a wide variety of applications. With a culture of innovation, the RPC bpi protec team set about meeting the challenge. Using the latest PE polymers, a film was developed with high seal and rigidity to ensure the pack provided the necessary functionality. As a leading extruder of co-extruded films RPC bpi protec was able to develop the structure and provide the X-EnviroPouch film with strength, durability and printability to enable a fully recyclable pack. X-EnviroPouch packs can be recycled with other film waste and dropped off at recycling points or supermarket collections of carrier bags.
Impact Traditional stand-up Doy pouches enable a wide variety of today’s consumer products to be conveniently packaged, however their traditional laminate structure makes them very difficult to recycle. X-EnviroPouch is a new pouch solution that delivers functionality with full recyclability, bringing stand-up sustainability to this convenient and popular packaging format.
X-EnviroPouch is also designed to protect and preserve, extending the shelf-life of goods and minimising food waste and the impact this has on the environment. The more food we waste, the more we have to produce – minimising this waste through packaging is therefore a key benefit. For manufacturers and retailers, X-EnviroPouch can be specified with a gloss or matt print finish whilst allowing aesthetically pleasing designs to be created to maximise brand image and on-shelf impact. With the option of additional features such as recloseability and easy opening, its functionality and shelf appeal ensure it meets the latest consumer trend needs. From its ability to enable on-the-go-snacking, to providing a solution for effective portion control, X-EnviroPouch helps to reduce waste and deliver greater functionality from a fully recyclable pack. Developed by the R&D team, X-EnviroPouch is an integral part of RPC bpi protec’s commitment to create products and develop appropriate working practices that help to protect the environment and support the requirements of the circular economy. In summary, X-EnviroPouch is a modern consumer pack format solution that is now 100% recyclable which delivers the functionality and design capability consumer’s modern lives demand. Sustainability Awards 2018 | 29 |
RECYCLABLE PACKAGING
GARMENT HANGER RECYCLING submitted by Braiform
Overview
Impact
Over fifteen billion garment hangers are used annually worldwide, the majority only once, therefore making them a major contributor to the global issues of waste. The waste of garment hangers at this rate is not environmentally or economically sustainable in the long term with landfill sites, in many global locations, becoming exhausted by the year 2018. Unlike other companies, instead of just making hangers, Braiform re-uses them, reducing the pollution generated from manufacturing by 70%. The hangers it provides are specially designed to go through the cycle many times and still appear in top condition in-store. Using its own waste management stream has the following results: • Less than 1% goes into general waste • Card is sorted and sold on to recycling partner • Steel is sorted and sold on to recycling partner • Plastic is shredded on site and moved on to compounding partner • PS is sorted and put back into virgin production
Although Braiform strives to maximise the number of hangers re-used within client programmes, there are always those that have come to the end of their usable life, either broken, dirty or obsolete. These hangers are not put back into the waste stream to end up in landfill — Braiform recycles these and reuses the raw materials back in virgin production of new garment hangers. Waste Management Programs are extremely important at Braiform, which aims to recycle 99.5% of all returns from store including any by-products of the Re-Use program. In addition to sustainable product design it is dedicated to ensuring its supply chain is both environmentally sustainable and ethically responsible. Braiform now works alongside SEDEX (the supplier of ethical data exchange), a not for profit membership organisation dedicated to driving improvements in responsible and ethical business practices in global supply chains.
| 30 | Sustainability Awards 2018
ENSHIELD NATURAL KRAFT submitted by WestRock
Overview WestRock Company, a leading provider of differentiated paper and packaging solutions, recently introduced EnShield® Natural Kraft, a fully recyclable paperboard with high oil and grease resistance. This products’ sustainability features and natural, brown aesthetic make it the ideal choice for foodservice and bakery brands focused on improving their sustainability and attracting eco-conscious consumers. EnShield Natural Kraft is an innovative product that achieves a Kit 12-rated level of oil and grease resistance without the use of poly coating. Instead, EnShield uses a proprietary aqueous coating that is applied in-line, eliminating the need for additional manufacturing steps. Kit 12 is the highest rating for oil and grease resistance on the scale per TAPPI Standard T559. This grease barrier is achieved without the use of polyethylene or fluorinated chemicals, which many brands are working to eliminate from their packaging. Not only is this product repulpable and recyclable, it is made using sustainably sourced, renewable fibre – a signature of WestRock’s paperboard products.
Impact EnShield Natural Kraft performs very well when compared to competing substrates on key sustainability metrics. Using PIQET v 4.0.2, WestRock conducted life cycle analysis (LCA) of packaging made from EnShield Natural Kraft along with poly-coated kraft paperboard and rigid plastic solutions for comparison points. This analysis has found that EnShield Natural Kraft has significant sustainability advantages.
Compared to Poly-coated Kraft Paperboard: 91% reduction in solid waste 42% reduction in cumulative energy demand 42% reduction in eutrophication 69% reduction in climate change 28% reduction in minerals and fuel 25% reduction in water use Compared to Rigid Plastic: 91% reduction in solid waste 62% reduction in cumulative energy demand 52% reduction in eutrophication 73% reduction in climate change 81% reduction in minerals and fuel 38% reduction in water use These differences are primarily driven by the elimination of poly and the recyclability of EnShield Natural Kraft relative to the alternatives. Additionally, ENK does not contain PFCs, which is a concern for may brands. Sustainability Awards 2018 | 31 |
FROM
LABEL CREATION TO WASTE REDUCTION Collaboration drives the circular economy, helping to address the resource challenges faced by all of us. Improving sustainability and safeguarding scarce resources can only be achieved by working together across the entire value chain, and there are many benefits in doing so. Recycling Using labelling products generates unavoidable liner waste and matrix waste, and there has been rapid progress in dealing with the waste stream. An increasing number of recycling programs exist across Europe and beyond. They turn an unwanted by-product into a new resource, up to and including recycled PET that can be incorporated into new like-for-like PET products.
Enabling recycling Contamination is an important challenge to overcome when recycling, and the recycling of both PET and glass bottles can be improved by making the whole label, including its adhesive, come away cleanly from the bottle during the standard recycling process. Innovations in adhesive technology play a pivotal role in this, and an example is Avery Dennison CleanFlake™ portfolio with its ‘switchable’ adhesive.
Using recycled content Recycling programs and innovations alone are not enough. It is also important to make new products from recycled content. Significant progress has been made in this area, so that current recycled facestocks cannot easily be told apart from virgin materials. They convert, print and look similar to traditional labels. rPET liners are also being made by combining recycled PET and virgin PET - an example of closing the loop, the ultimate sustainability goal. | 32 | Sustainability Awards 2018
| 34 | Sustainability Awards 2018