Positive Packaging The Prevent & Save Newsletter: Autumn 2013
Waste EPS
How the Seafood Industry is Leading Change
In This Issue Current News rPETeCO Addresses Cortauld 3 Which? Packaging Survey Results
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Welcome to Positive Packaging. If you have topics or issues you wish to share with Repak and the wider community please send them to: Positive Packaging, Repak Limited, Red Cow Interchange Estate, 1, Ballymount Road, Clondalkin, Dublin 22. Telephone: 01 467 0190 Email: info@repak.ie Repak would be delighted to hear of new packaging ideas that reduce waste and saves cost. We are also keen to promote examples of good packaging systems through this newsletter and through other media. Printed copy or e-mail version? Repak would love to hear your views on how we should publish this newsletter in future. Positive Packaging is produced and compiled by: Colm Munnelly, John Coleman and Niamh MacKenzie; Membership Services Department of Repak Ltd. Design: Baseline CS Printed on Freelife Symbol
We want to hear from you! This is our second Positive Packaging newsletter of 2013 and contains an update on what Repak member companies have been doing to help reduce unnecessary packaging as well as focusing on new, more sustainable types of packaging available. rPETeCO is a new form of recycled PET which Holfeld plastics have developed on-site in Arklow. Not only does it contain recycled content it also reduces the weight of plastic required. We also have a feature on Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) which is a material that can often be difficult to recycle. We hope the information presented will allow for increased EPS recycling and less material ending up in landfill. Finally, we have a feature on a recent Which? packaging survey carried out in the UK which reports on consumers interaction with packaging and how easy-to-use some packs really are. We hope you find these articles interesting and useful. If you have any other aspects of packaging on which you would like us to focus in future editions then please get in contact with us and we will be more than happy to address. So, give us a call on 01 4670190 or email any of the team – contact details of which can be found on the last page of this newsletter. We look forward to hearing from you.
Current News
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The Packaging Optimisation Newsletter
Guide to CSR launched Chambers Ireland has launched a new guide to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) for SMEs - The Sustainability Factor. Dónall Curtin, Chambers Ireland President said - “CSR embraces responsibility for a company’s actions and encourages awareness of a company’s impact on the environment and local community. While it is often seen as the realm of large multinationals, more and more SMEs are realising the benefits CSR can have on their business. “This guide highlights the number of simple ways that SMEs engage with CSR, many of which can have a positive effect on their bottom line.” The guide was co-financed by the South Western Regional Authority through the INTERREG IVC DESUR project. To view the guide - Click Here
Upcoming Training Course Environmental Training Solutions will be running their Waste Management Training Programme course throughout the second half of the year. Location: Tullamore Court Hotel. booking form available here. The schedule is as follows: • Policy & Legislation (Already delivered)
Diploma in Packaging Technology The Diploma in Packaging Technology is a nationally recognised CPD Level 7 qualification, accredited by the DIT and is ideal for those working as packaging technologists as well as for those specifying, buying or selling packaging. The qualification is rewarding and takes you to a new level of understanding, helping you and your company succeed into the future. The Diploma in Packaging Technology provides an opportunity to study the principles and fundamentals of packaging, the manufacturing process of the various substrates, the conversion and the various print and packing processes. Those achieving the Diploma will be able to apply this knowledge in making strategic decisions associated with the technical and aesthetic performance, cost, safety, logistic and legal requirements of packaging materials and packed products. The diploma consists of five modules - the first four modules are assessed through written exams, while the fifth module is assessed by way of a written project. Entry requirements: •
At least 3 years appropriate work experience
• Regulation of Waste Activities (Already delivered)
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Work with packaging manufacture, conversion or packing
• Prevention, Re-use & Recycling 22nd & 23rd October
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Ideally have a 3rd level qualification (Exemptionexperience dependent)
• Biological & Thermal Treatments 12th & 13th November 2013 • Landfill Operation & Management 26th & 27th November 2013 • Facility Management, Compliance & Reporting 10th & 11th December A detailed list of the programmes aims and learning objectives can be obtained by contacting Pat Keelan at Environmental Training Solutions: 71 Iona Villas,Glasnevin,Dublin 9 Tel. 01 8305816 Mob. 087 2382430 E-mail: pat@environmentaltraining.ie Web: www.environmentaltraining.ie
Candidates who are not directly employed in the industry but who are working in associate industries such as packaging design, food, life science, materials science/ engineering, and logistics may also be considered. Cost: Skillnet Members: €2.800 Non Members: €3,250 To apply please send your up to date CV with a cover letter explaining your background and why you wish to join the programme to admin@dppskillnet.ie. Click here for more information.
Packaging Optimisation
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The Packaging Optimisation Newsletter
Dealing with Waste EPS in the Seafood industry What is Expanded Polystyrene? Expanded polystyrene (EPS) is a rigid and tough, closed-cell foam, originally invented in Germany by BASF in 1950. It is 98% air but the rest is made from tiny, spherical EPS beads - themselves made only of carbon and hydrogen. The material has been used in packaging solutions since 1958. Due to its technical properties such as low weight, rigidity, and formability, EPS can be used in a wide range of different applications including: • • • •
Disposable trays, plates, bowls and cups Carry-out food packaging Sheets for building insulation Packing material (“peanuts”) for cushioning fragile items inside boxes.
After the first stage the beads are left to absorb air for between 24 and 48 hours. In the final stage the freshly expanded beads are poured into individually manufactured moulds where steam and pressure are applied to compress and bond the beads into a final structure of the required strength and density. Where is it used? The main demand for EPS usage in Ireland comes from the pharmaceutical, electronics and seafood industries. EPS used in the high tech areas of pharma and electronics is often referred to as ‘clean EPS’ given the type of environment within which it is used. Cleanrooms are a common aspect of both industries and therefore any EPS encountered is very likely to be free from contaminants. Seafood Industry The third industry is quite different however. The seafood business has different requirements including thermal insulation, containment, low costs and stackability. The main differentiating factor though is the nature of the seafood itself and the effects of contaminating the packaging both from microbial and odour perspectives.
Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) can be manufactured into a variety of products and has many applications - It can be used as an insulator against heat and cold, is good at absorbing shocks and helps protect delicate items such as your head when used as part of a cycling helmet. Manufacturers rely on EPS packaging because of its ability to prevent or minimize product damage during transit and its excellent insulation properties required for food and medical shipments.
These contamination issues generally lead to the packaging being disposed after the product has been consumed. Unfortunately at the moment too much of this packaging is being sent direct to landfill. This is the worst way of dealing with the material with both recycling and energy recovery being more highly favoured.
How is it made?
Litter One negative aspect of EPS is that when it is handled without care it can easily break up into smaller fragments. This, combined with it’s light weight, means it can often be a litter concern across Ireland but mainly around coastal areas. EPS foam is also a major component of plastic debris in the ocean, where it becomes hazardous to marine life.
EPS structures are produced through a three part process called steam moulding that expands these tiny beads to more than 40 times their original size. This expanding process is precisely timed to determine the size the beads will finally reach. It is this final density of the expanded beads that determines the strength of the structure.
What are the main issues with EPS?
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Polystyrene foam blows in the wind and floats on water, and is abundant in the outdoor environment. It can be lethal to any bird or sea creature that swallows significant quantities. Non biodegradability Discarded polystyrene does not biodegrade for hundreds of years. This can be a positive factor in some of its uses but very much a negative factor when the material is not disposed of properly after use. Non-collection Due to the low density of EPS, it is often not economical to collect the material, especially as the costs associated rise, such as in rural areas where transportation from one point to another can be over a long distance. How can these issues be remedied? Reduction EPS used to be popular for fast food clam shell burger packaging. However, the fast food industry has worked hard over the past decade to eradicate this extra unnecessary layer from their servings. This has resulted in less material procurement costs as well as much less waste generated. What may have once been a sizable portion of on-street litter is now practically extinct.
Reuse Overall unfortunately, EPS does not lend itself to being very widely reused. Typically it is a single-use material and when used in the seafood industry possible contamination usually means the item cannot be reused. Options for reuse which are available include gardening and repackaging delicate items. Recycling Clean EPS is recycled in Ireland through a small number of recovery operators. However there is still scope for much more to be recycled, particularly the ‘contaminated’ EPS associated with the seafood industry. This short video highlights the EPS compaction process for recycling at a seafood company in Denmark. Walmart have also spoken about their drive to recycle their EPS, and more and more Irish-based businesses are now thinking likewise. If the waste material goes through this initial compaction process, the material changes density from typically 30 kg/ m3 to 330 kg/m3 and becomes a recyclable commodity of high value for producers of recycled plastic pellets. EPS waste can easily be added to products such as EPS insulation sheets and other similar materials for construction applications. Waste EPS can alternatively be recycled into clothes hangers, park benches, flower pots, toys, rulers, stapler bodies, seedling containers, picture frames, and architectural molding. Energy Recovery Some recovery operators in Ireland however do not collect sufficient volumes to economically recycle the collected EPS so, often in these circumstances it may go towards energy recovery in waste-to-energy plants instead. Repak and Bord Iascaigh Mhara working together Because of the issues mentioned above Repak are currently working with Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM) and the seafood industry for ways to reduce the amount of waste EPS which ends up in landfill. We are currently measuring the amount of waste EPS placed onto the Irish market by the seafood industry and researching how we can increase the recycling rate of this material. We will discuss the results of this work in a future issue of Postive Packaging. If you would like any more details on anything discussed in this article please contact us through our contact details which are available on the last page of this newsletter.
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Case Study The Packaging Optimisation Newsletter
Which? Lifts the lid on packaging that gives you ‘wrap rage’ The UK consumer champion Which? recently carried out a survey on ‘easy-to-use’ packaging and the results make for interesting reading. Here’s what they discovered… Two thirds of people get frustrated trying to get into everyday packaging - and it’s also having an affect on their health and wellbeing. According to the latest survey of more than 2,000 consumers, four in ten people have hurt themselves while trying to open packaging over the past two years. If we scale that up to the UK population, it would equate to a staggering 25 million people (Irish population equivalent – 1.6 million people). Surprisingly, the biggest offender for injuries is the humble tin can. If we applied our figures for this to the general population, that would mean more than one million people UK-wide are going to their GP or A&E in a two-year period, simply as the result of opening a tin.
scissors (89%) and knives (66%) to Stanley knives (8%) and screwdrivers (6%). A tiny but worrying minority are even resorting to using razor blades (4%) and hammers (2%) to get to their goods. Impact in the future A quarter of people regularly need help to open packaging, and the same proportion have to rely on others more than they would like to. That’s a worry with the number of people aged 60-plus continuing to increase and so many of them living alone. Dr Yoxall said: ‘There have been competing priorities for companies – the need for packaging to keep food fresh, to keep the contents secure and tamper-proof, and to use less packaging (sustainability). But there are too many excuses for poor design and lack of thought.’
Room for improvement
Our expert packaging panel emphasised that packaging that uses the right materials is just one part of good design. Another important part is instructions. Time and time again they pointed out products that are hard to open because instructions can’t be seen or aren’t clear enough. Poor packaging Moulded plastic ‘clam-shell’ packaging is the leading cause of frustration, followed by shrink wrapping and peel-off coverings. We recruited an expert panel to examine more than 200 items, most suggested by Which? members. Injuries while opening packaging may not be so surprising when you consider the range of implements people use to tear their way into goods including food, medicines and household products. These range from
Which? editor Richard Headland said: ‘With one in four people telling us they regularly need help to open everyday products, bad packaging is not only frustrating but is causing injuries too. We want manufacturers to improve the design of product packaging and make opening instructions much clearer.’ With a British Standard on improving packaging accessibility due in 2014, Which? will be watching to see if manufacturers will commit to make accessible packaging their priority. For more information click here
Over Packaged?
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The Packaging Optimisation Newsletter
rPETeCO addresses Courtauld 3
Holfeld Plastics has been investing substantially in new thermoforming and extrusion equipment to support the production of their new range of lightweight rPETeCO packaging for multiple applications across food and nonfood markets. rPETeCO looks to the future.
A spokesperson for Holfeld said: ‘Barrier protection of rPETeCO mono material is approximately 90% that of standard PET but more than 30 times higher than standard PP. The 85% post-consumer recyclate blend has led to a 74% CO2 saving on raw materials and a 47% reduction in the carbon footprint.’
rPETeCO fully addresses WRAP’s Courtauld Commitment 3 which was launched in May 2013 and runs until 2015. CC3 aims to further reduce the weight and carbon impact of household food waste, grocery product and packaging waste, both in the home and the UK grocery sector. These savings invariably follow through to the irish market due to so many shared-market products.
rPETeCO is also being considered for use by a major international airline for in-flight catering.
The material itself has an appealing and highly tactile on-shelf image with a distinct ‘non-plastic’ appearance. It is lightweight with specific gravity reduced from 1.33 to 1.05. Holfeld advise that the weight of the packaging is up to 20% lighter than virgin PP trays. The material contains at least 85% food grade recyclate. It is available with a PE sealing layer with the potential to provide a high gas barrier in modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) applications.
Holfeld is based in the Republic of Ireland and the commercialisation of rPETeCO has been partly funded by the European Commission’s Competitiveness and Innovation Programme (CIP) ECO-INNOVATION initiative. For more information on this new product visit www.holfeldplastics.com Or telephone +353(0)402 41234
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Contacts
Repak’s Packaging Technology Service
Prevent & Save Website
Repak provide services to their members to help them improve their packaging. These include:
Repak have a website dedicated to packaging optimisation and packaging waste prevention. On it you can find breaking news related to packaging, case studies and toolkits, previous editions of this newsletter and guidance on packaging waste regulation through the ‘Self-Audit’ tool.
Packaging Optimisation Surveys - where a Packaging Technologist will visit a company and produces a report detailing where packaging can be optimised and savings can be made. Case-Studies, Reports and Tools which are aimed at helping Repak member companies optimise their packaging. The prevention web-site www.preventandsave.ie where these resources can be accessed. By telephone where advice and direction can be given in relation to packaging design, choices of packaging materials, or how current and future packaging legislation can affect you.
Keep browsing www.preventandsave.ie for further details
To avail of any of these services please contact our Packaging Technologists Colm or John at: Colm Munnelly Telephone: 01 461 9237 Email: colm.munnelly@repak.ie John Coleman Telephone: 01 461 9229 Email: john.coleman@repak.ie For enquiries or submissions to Positive Packaging please contact Colm or John at the above addresses.
Repak Limited Red Cow Interchange Estate 1 Ballymount Road Clondalkin Dublin 22 Tel: 00 353 1 467 0190 Fax: 00 353 1 467 0197
www.preventandsave.ie