It can be difficult to answer the question of what sustainable packaging actually is. We often hear about the negative environmental impacts of plastic. Most packaging is produced in plastic, which mean people naturally associate packaging with negative environmental impact. In many cases, however, packaging is a necessary element that prevents spoiled goods and spoiled food. In addition, more and more packaging is produced in either recyclable plastics or other more environmentally friendly materials. In this post, we dive into two aspects of sustainable packaging.
You can see our range of sustainable packaging in our product catalogue.
Many see packaging as a major climate culprit, but perhaps it’s not as bad as many of us think. Only 5% of the total carbon footprint from land to consumer comes from packaging. Food waste is thus a much bigger environmental challenge. Up to a third of all food produced does not reach consumers as it is discarded or damaged before it does. Packaging can actually help reduce food waste, as the right packaging can extend the shelf life of food. If food waste is a significantly greater environmental impact than packaging, it must be more appropriate and sustainable to package food that would otherwise quickly perish.
You can read more about food waste and over-packaging here.
At Packwise, we have tested a packaging for a hair treatment with a product content of 200 ml., of which 30 ml. is wasted. This means that the consumer ends up discarding 15% of the contents. This is a waste of resources caused solely by an inappropriate choice of packaging. This is a major problem as it puts unnecessary pressure on the environment.
Environmentally harmful packaging is much more than just materials that are difficult to break down. Packaging can also pollute the environment if it creates a large waste of resources. Similarly, packaging can also be sustainable if the container ensures that the consumer has access to 100% of the product content. Our airless dispenser is a good example of a sustainable packaging type as it is recyclable and eliminates product waste.
If you want to know more, read our page on sustainable packaging.
If you’re not sure on how to make the most sustainable packaging choice, contact us here today to find out more about what we can do for you.