Sustainable packaging solutions

Sustainable packaging solutions

In the age of fast delivery and convenience products, the packaging industry is exposed to enormous growth. But this growth also has a lot of garbage that our planet cannot cope with. Every year around 300 million tons of plastic waste are generated worldwide. Much of it comes from packaging waste. For this reason, it is becoming increasingly important to promote and use sustainable packaging solutions.

What does sustainable packaging mean?

Before the age of the plastic, packaging was temporarily, unnecessary and depending on the product. However, this thinking has changed in recent years. Sustainability and environmental friendliness have become the focus of the packaging industry. Sustainable packaging is packaging that takes into account the environmental impacts throughout their lifespan - from raw material extraction and production to sales and use to disposal or recycling.

The principles of sustainable packaging

In order to be considered sustainable, packaging should comply with the following principles:

• It should consist of renewable or at least largely biodegradable materials,
• the environment during the manufacturing process strain as little as possible,
• fulfill their benefits without using unnecessary materials,
• and be able to be recycled or composted.

sustainable packaging materials

The choice of materials plays an important role in how sustainable packaging is. Here are some of the most common sustainable packaging materials:

cardboard and paper

The cardboard and paper are the most obvious alternatives to plastic packaging. They are made from renewable raw materials and can be easily recycled. But there are also differences here: packaging made of recycled paper or FSC-certified wood are more sustainable than those made from conventional materials.

bioplastics

Bioplasty is a type of plastic that is made from vegetable materials such as corn starch or sugar cane. It is biodegradable and compostable, which makes it a more sustainable alternative to conventional plastic. However, the production of bioplastics is often energy -intensive and can lead to monoculture.

glass and metal

Glass and metal are both completely recyclable and can be used again and again without loss of quality. From an ecological point of view, you are therefore superior to most plastic packaging. But their weight and fragility can make transport difficult and energy -intensive.

vegetable materials

More and more companies are discovering vegetable materials than a way to produce packaging. Some use mushrooms, for example, as the basis for a kind of biodegradable styrofoam, others use bamboo or palm leaves to form shells and plates.

advantages and challenges of sustainable packaging

Sustainable packaging brings both advantages and challenges. Some of the advantages are obvious: they protect resources, reduce the waste and help to contain the pollution.

advantages

The biggest advantages of sustainable packaging are that they help reduce environmental pollution, lower the consumption of natural resources and raise awareness of environmentally friendly practices. In addition, you can also offer financial benefits: In a world in which more and more consumers are opting for environmentally friendly products, companies that rely on sustainable packaging can obtain a competitive advantage.

challenges

The biggest challenges in the use of sustainable packaging lie in their often higher price and the technical restrictions, which can have the selection and application of sustainable packaging materials. For example, some materials cannot offer the same protective effect as conventional plastic, and the production of sustainable materials can be energy -intensive. In addition, the availability of recycling infrastructures in different regions can be a challenge.

FAZIT

The world is heading for a plastic crisis and the packaging industry plays an important role. By implementing sustainable packaging solutions, we can help to contain this crisis. From the selection of materials to the design of the packaging, there are many ways to make packaging more environmentally friendly. But the changeover to sustainable packaging not only requires technical innovations: we also need political will, consumer awareness and possibly also financial incentives to enable this change. However, it is a way we have to go - for the benefit of our planet.