Even in 2019, Fachpack made a guest appearance on the keynote theme of “Sustainability in the Packaging Industry”. Companies express their sustainable commitment with entire website sections on sustainability.
What is sustainable packaging?
Sustainable packaging is made from recyclable and/or renewable raw materials and is also colloquially referred to as environmentally friendly packaging. The most important thing is to use as few resources as possible. Therefore, both the amount of materials used and the amount of energy used play a major role when it comes to producing sustainable packaging.
Packaging manufacturers are rethinking functional packaging options not only for the sake of sustainability. Changes in production towards environmentally friendly packaging for the good of our blue planet and in response to ever louder consumer demands are no longer unusual. Sustainable packaging has really arrived in society.
A whopping 18.9 million tonnes of packaging waste was generated in Germany in 2018, according to the Federal Environment Agency (UBA). The frontrunners are paper waste and plastic. 87.7 per cent of paper and cardboard was recycled, while only half of plastic was recycled.
So which packaging is the most “sustainable”? Basically, before any packaging is produced, resources must be recycled. There is nothing to add to that. Now there are renewable raw materials, which should be allowed a breather now and then, but there are also finite materials whose last days will come at some point. Therefore, the answer is quite clear: None!
No packaging means environmentally friendly and thus sustainable consumption. However, since so-called “zero waste” is far from the whole truth, there are many more aspects to consider. To this end, it is worth taking a closer look at the functions of a packaging material:
What are the general functions of packaging?
Packaging serves the efficient and orderly distribution of goods, it not only protects the product from external influences, but also partly protects the environment from the product itself (keyword hazardous goods). In addition, they ensure shelf life and ensure smooth transport. Packaging also serves to inform consumers about the best-before date or ingredients, for example. Last but not least, they contribute to the brand’s recognition value.
“What many people overlook: Packaging has great value for the environment. Packaging protects great values with relatively little effort. For food, around 90% of the environmental impact comes from the food itself – and only 10% from the packaging.”
German Packaging Institute
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In addition, the packaging has various application-related functions, such as easy stackability, a resealing option, or good stability, etc….
The logical consequence is that goods without packaging are not always possible – or, to put it colloquially, without packaging is not the best thing in the world. So what then?
The industry is taking a variety of approaches to make packaging sustainable or more sustainable:
What sustainable alternatives are there to traditional packaging?
Biobased packaging
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Materials that are made from biomass, organic substances, are called “bio-based”. In the case of bioplastics, the biomass comes from renewable raw materials such as maize, sugar cane or cellulose.
In the case of bioplastics, although products are labelled as “biobased”, they may consist only partly of biomass and partly of fossil raw materials (polymers). There is no clear definition and regulation here.
Packaging made from biodegradable plastics
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“Biodegradability comprises the property of a substance to be decomposed by microorganisms in the presence of atmospheric oxygen to carbon dioxide, water, biomass and minerals, and in the absence of air to carbon dioxide, methane, biomass and minerals, whereby no time period is defined. ” This is the definition of the German Institute for Standardisation (DIN) in 16208.
However, “biodegradable” is not to be confused with “degradable”. The former describes decomposition into components found in nature, especially carbon dioxide and water. The latter refers to the weathering or decomposition of larger pieces of plastic into microplastics. In this form, it is barely visible, but no less harmful to the environment.
Compostable packaging
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“Composting” refers to the same process in fast motion under optimised conditions – that is, circumstances specially brought about by humans that do not normally occur in nature.
All compostable plastics are also biodegradable, but not all biodegradable plastics are compostable. Bioplastics labelled as “compostable” are not designed for compost in the home garden, but at best for industrial composting.
Conclusion: The combination makes the difference! Loosely based on the motto “good, better, best”, the complex of issues can be presented as follows:
Paper, cardboard and cardboard
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Recycling is the key to the success of wood-based packaging. Wood as an organically grown raw material forms the optimal basis for environmentally friendly packaging. The high recycling rate makes paper, cardboard and paperboard packaging the most popular sustainable packaging. Cellulose fibres can be reused up to six times! The diverse design possibilities of this packaging in particular speak in favour of the material. So wood is the basis for recyclable packaging
Disadvantage: Paper-based packaging material is not resistant to moisture and oxygen, which is why it is often found in combination with aluminium or plastics.
Corrugated cardboard is even more sustainable and environmentally friendly than paper, cardboard or cardboard packaging. No trees have to be felled for its production.
Crackwood and thinned wood often form the basis of production. Glue, as an adhesive of natural origin, fixes the individual components.
As an absolute circular product in terms of recyclability, definitely worth mentioning in the sustainability ranking. In times of flourishing online trade, corrugated cardboard in particular has proven its worth as an addition to the carton. Where otherwise plastic cushions filled with air protected the products from breakage and damage, corrugated board takes over this task as an organic packaging material.
Grass paper rounds off the range. The principle: grasses grow back faster and in greater numbers than wood. Without the use of chemicals and water, the grasses are treated purely mechanically.
The CO2 balance is also impressive. Compared to virgin fibre pulp made from wood, the production saves 95 % CO2. Grass paper is also suitable for blending with packaging made from wood pulp. Up to 50 % substitution is already possible today. Dry food, cosmetics, non-liquid detergents are product examples for the use of grass paper. However, the all-rounder should not be composted.
Sustainability increases as the product is recycled, which means that this packaging should end up in waste paper. Organic packaging material of a different kind!
Aluminium
Aluminium cans filled with soft drinks, the mustard tube, chocolate and so on. Aluminium is suitable as an oxygen and moisture barrier, resistant to cold and heat, lightweight and recyclable.
Thanks to these properties, it is very popular as a packaging material for, among other things, food and kitchen utensils in the household. 2/3 of all aluminium residues can be recycled. Aluminium is not a renewable raw material. The aluminium packaging industry relies on recycling. About 75% of the aluminium produced to date is still in circulation.
However, composite packaging, i.e. packaging in which aluminium is a component, still poses a problem in terms of recycling capability. The materials cannot be cleanly separated from each other. Printed aluminium packaging can release organic toxins when melted down.
Only 11% of consumers feel sufficiently well informed regarding the sustainability of packaging.
Result of a study by strategy and marketing consultancy Simon-Kucher & Partners in March 2021
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The weight advantage benefits transport in particular. Savings of CO2 due to lower emissions during transport increase the supposed attractiveness of packaging. Processing industrial companies are constantly striving to make aluminium packaging even thinner in order to minimise the amount of material required.
Even compared to plastic packaging, aluminium does not look good. Recycling each tonne of aluminium, unlike plastic, does save 0.1 tonnes of CO2 equivalent per tonne of material recycled. On the other hand, the production of primary aluminium releases an average of 13.5 tonnes of CO2 equivalents per tonne of primary aluminium. In plastic production, on the other hand, up to 2.4 tonnes of CO2 equivalents are released.
Only 11% of consumers feel sufficiently well informed about the sustainability of packaging. This is the result of a representative consumer survey of 1001 consumers in Germany on their attitude towards and willingness to pay for sustainable packaging by the strategy and marketing consultancy Simon-Kucher & Partners in March 2021.
Understandably, after all, it is enormously difficult to divide packaging materials into black and white. Every “for” is followed by a “against”.
Here come our recommended actions for three of the most sought-after everyday products:
Sustainable packaging for detergent
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Detergent: Reusable instead of disposable! The market for detergents is now being shaken up by reusable models. The first drugstores are testing the offer of refilling the bottle on the spot. This strategy is similar to that of “unpacked shops”.
How long a nationwide implementation will take, however, is questionable. Washing powder can be offered in wood fibre-based packaging without any problems. It only needs to be protected from moisture and oxygen to a limited extent.
If we look at liquid detergent, it is currently mainly filled in packaging made of bioplastics. It should be noted, however, that biobased and biodegradable variants are rarely represented, which is why people should refrain from buying them.
Sustainable packaging for food
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Food: Probably no material comes into closer contact with food than packaging. With the task of protecting food from external influences, ensuring shelf life, providing the consumer with important information, such as indications of incompatibilities, food packaging plays a supporting role.
Not all foods can be produced and transported without packaging. Today, there are already possibilities to produce film for outer packaging from wood fibres. However, at three times the price of conventional film production from petroleum.
For this reason, wood fibre film cannot yet be fully integrated to cover costs. According to studies, consumers are willing to pay a certain extra price for ecological packaging, but practical implementation has not yet been tested.
Bioplastic variants should also be avoided in the food sector. The basic idea is on the right track, but still needs time to be fully thought through. However, combined with the multiple use of e.g. containers made of bioplastics (coffee to-go cups), bioplastics could represent a real alternative.
Vacuum packaging, so-called Smart Packaging, saves packaging material by omitting oxygen. Sealpac GmbH in particular has made a name for itself in the field of sustainable packaging. Meat and other fresh produce can not only be presented appetisingly, but at the same time the shelf life is extended.
A hot topic in the packaging industry is the principle of “recyclate”. High-quality recyclate is extremely valuable. This is because recycled plastic, which is well processed and particularly pure, is hardly distinguishable from virgin material, but is not yet available in sufficient quantities.
In addition, recycled plastic is more expensive than freshly extracted plastic from fossil sources. Yet. Because the more recycling becomes the standard, the more the costs fall. At the latest since a large grocery chain replaced at least 50% of the material of its own water bottles with recycled material and advertised it as such, recycled material has been on everyone’s lips.
Sustainable packaging for cosmetics
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Cosmetics: In the beauty industry, it is no longer enough for a green image to process only plant-based ingredients. Packaging made of wood chips protects the product from moisture and oxygen and is oil-repellent. However, their durability cannot yet be compared with classic packaging solutions.
Shampoos and conditioners can be bought nationwide in solid form. Packed in small cartons, plastic bottles have had their day. Because they are so easy to use, so-called refill stations can be found in many non-packaging shops as well as drugstores.
Even recyclable paper bottles can be used in the cosmetics sector. Well-known manufacturers developed these together with a Danish company. The environment is particularly grateful for the use of glass bottles for refilling.
The Packaging Act – Which duties apply to manufacturers and traders?
Politicians are also urging packaging machine manufacturers to be more binding with regard to recycling. The new Packaging Act came into force in 2019 and replaced the Packaging Ordinance.
Packaging Act 2019
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The Packaging Act of 2019 aims to increase the share of reusable beverage packaging and ensure that packaging waste is collected closer to households even more often in the future. The Packaging Act creates numerous obligations for online retailers, experts and other bodies. Fines of up to 200,000 euros can be imposed for violations. The Packaging Act regulates the following:
Extended definitions
The definition of individual terms relating to packaging was largely taken over from the Packaging Ordinance. The basic content was to clarify that shipping packaging is also considered sales packaging. This has the effect that online traders are also obliged to participate. Furthermore, the term “reusable packaging” was defined.
Increasing recycling rates for packaging
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Minimum recycling quotas previously in force were raised in all material types with the VerpackG. The systems must prove annually that they meet the quotas as part of the volume flow verification. The quotas apply to packaging that is licensed with dual systems and collected by them on an annual average.
Extension-of-deposit-and-promotion-of-reusable
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The existing return and deposit obligation of 25 cents for certain disposable beverage containers was extended by the Packaging Act to include carbonated fruit and vegetable nectars (e.g. apple spritzers made from nectars) and mixed drinks with a whey content of more than 50 per cent. Furthermore, an obligation to provide information for the trade (including mail-order trade) was introduced.
Both were in principle obliged to clearly indicate single-use and reusable beverage packaging with clearly visible signs (on the shelf, at the point of dispatch).
Creation of a “Central Body”: extended registration and data reporting obligations, uniform market monitoring
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The Packaging Act creates a new authority “Central Body Packaging Register” as a central monitoring body. A registration obligation and packaging quantity reports form the foundation. Experts, auditors, tax consultants, sworn accountants are also obliged to provide information about their activities.
Stronger-alignment-of-licence-fees-for-packaging-with-ecological-criteria
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The VerpackG obliges the dual systems (according to § 21 para. 1 VerpackG) to create incentives for sustainable packaging production/design via the assessment of their licence fees (participation fees), which they collect from the manufacturers and distributors of packaging for collection and recycling. In addition, minimum standards for recyclable design have been developed together with the Federal Environment Agency.
Option for introducing the recyclables bin, strengthening the design rights of municipalities Design rights of municipalities
The Packaging Act does not introduce a binding provision for the nationwide introduction of a recycling bin. To facilitate cooperation between the municipalities and the dual systems, the public waste management authorities were given additional influence and control options in the VerpackG.
Extended public information duties
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The dual systems have to take over extended duties in citizen information additionally themselves.
Definition Dual System: The Dual System refers to the household collection and disposal of used sales packaging in Germany. It follows the requirements of the German Packaging Act.
Interview with Winfried Batzke from the German Packaging Institute on the topic of sustainability in the packaging industry
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PackPart: What advantages do sustainable packaging generally bring?
Winfried Batzke: Packaging is sustainable simply because it protects and stores products, the production of which consumes at least 10 times more CO2 than the packaging itself. On the other hand, the production of packaging consumes materials, water and energy. So whether a packaging can be described as sustainable depends on the one hand on factors such as material consumption or energy use, but on the other hand also on the specific conditions of its use, such as transport distance and reuse or recycling effort and disposal options. So there is no such thing as “THE sustainable packaging”, but rather the optimal packaging for each individual application.
“If packaging manufacturers take a sustainable approach […], their chances in competition increase.
Winfried Batzke – German Packaging Institute
Packpart: What advantages can packaging manufacturers create for themselves by resorting to sustainable packaging solutions?
Winfried Batzke: If packaging manufacturers take a sustainable approach by saving material, using recyclable material, using recyclates or using renewable raw materials and communicating their commitment credibly, their chances in competition increase. They are perceived as responsibly acting companies and are attractive for your customers and future employees.
PackPart: How can the use of sustainable packaging develop a unique selling proposition for a product?
Winfried Batzke: Since the protective function of packaging is assumed, there is the possibility of differentiation on the market through sensible sustainability strategies. Here, the right communication plays a major role. Packaging made of plastic, for example, can be distinguished as sustainable through its improved recyclability or low material input in individual cases just as much as packaging made of fibre-based materials, glass or metal.
Trends-in-industry-towards-environmentally-friendly-packaging
What natural, ecological and sustainable packaging will we see more of over the next few years?
The company kompackt61 “(…) develops and distributes sustainable packaging solutions made of jute for shipping sensitive goods, such as food and pharmaceuticals. The shipping boxes and insulated bags made from natural fibres are just as efficient as synthetic materials, but in contrast are biodegradable and climate-neutral,” says the start-up from Germany.
Styrofoam is one of the most commonly used packaging materials, especially for shipping. For the environment, however, this material is anything but compatible. Styrofoam is neither biodegradable nor environmentally friendly in production. Around 1.5 litres of petrol are needed to produce a single cube of Styrofoam. The American company Ecovative has found a way to replace Styrofoam.
An innovative process is used to produce innovative packaging in any shape from biological waste and mushrooms. The organic waste is first shredded and mixed with special fungal cultures (mycelium). After the mycelium has grown over several days, the mixture is shredded again and shaped into the final form. The growth is made possible by the biowaste, which serves as food for the fungi.
Within 5 days, the growth of the mixture has reached the desired shape. Then the compact mass is subjected to another heat shock to stop the growth and make the material germ-free. Algae are also innovating the packaging industry in a completely natural and ecological way.
At less than 1 cent each, British start-up Ohoo’s invention is poised to revolutionise the liquid food market. The packaging is made from seaweed, is 100 per cent biodegradable and edible. The special feature of the invention lies in the unusual type of packaging, which is modelled on the natural “packaging” of fruit.
Through the process of spherification, a kind of waterproof skin forms around the liquid, comparable to the skin of a grape. Liquid food could thus be sold in small portions like fresh fruit and make the production of billions of water bottles superfluous in the future.