What You and Your Buyers Need to Know

Purpose of Packaging

Packaging can be defined as materials used for the containment, protection, handling, delivery, and presentation of goods. Packaging can be divided into three categories:

  • Primary packaging is the wrapping or containers handled by the consumer.
  • Secondary packaging is the term used to describe larger cases or boxes that are used to group quantities of primary packaged goods for distribution and for display in stores.
  • Transit packaging refers to the wooden pallets, cardboard and plastic wrapping and containers that are used to collate the groups into larger loads for transport, which facilitates loading and unloading of goods.
Packaging provides a physical barrier between a product and the external environment thereby ensuring hygienic conditions and reducing the risk of product waste due to contamination. This is particularly important in the case of food and beverage products. In the life cycle of food products, the highest energy input takes place during the production process. Appropriate packaging ensures that this energy is not wasted. Some packaging is also needed for safe and efficient transportation. Packaging is also used to provide customers with product information and usage instructions, some of which are required by law.

Development of Packaging

Packaging has developed to a large extent in response to social and economic changes affecting consumers. A trend towards urbanization in the last century, which creates longer distances between food producers in rural areas and consumers in urban areas, has also led a greater demand for packaging. Other contributing factors are the increases in working families along with the increase in microwaves and freezers, and smaller family units.

Approximately 70% of primary packaging is used for food and drink. Paper and cardboard are the most widely used packaging materials in terms of weight. Paper and cardboard account for 43% by weight of all packaging and are used to pack 25% of all goods. Paper and cardboard packaging make up 6.4% of the overall content of the typical household garbage can.

Plastic packaging accounts for 20% of the weight of all packaging and 53% of all goods are packaged in plastics. Because of its low weight and relative strength, plastic is one of the most energy efficient, robust and economic delivery methods available. Even though plastics can be recycled, there are fewer recycling collection facilities than for other types of packaging waste. This is partially because plastic has a high volume to weight ratio, which can make recycling collections of plastic packaging waste less efficient than the collection of other recyclables which weigh more. End-markets for mixed and single stream plastics are increasing, and have in the past formed a barrier to increased plastics recycling. Recycled plastics can be used for a variety of products, such as: garden furniture, flower pots and containers, fibers and new packaging materials.


Recycling Logo Guide

There are a number of symbols which commonly appear on packaging products. Some of these indicate whether the item is recyclable, while others show the recycled material content.


Plastics

There are a wide range of plastics used in packaging. To make sorting and thus recycling easier, the American Society of Plastics Industry developed a standard marking code to help consumers identify and sort the main types of plastic. These logos are engraved in the plastic and describe the type of plastic used for sorting purposes only. The logos do not indicate that the products are recycled or recyclable These types and their most common uses are shown below:


Codes Material Packaging Applications Recycled Products
PET Polyethylene terephthalate - Soda Bottles, Water Bottles, and oven-ready meal trays. Fiber, tote bags, clothing, film and sheet, food and beverage containers, carpet, strapping, fleece wear, luggage and bottles.
HDPE High-density polyethylene - Bottles for milk and cleaning fluids. Liquid laundry detergent, shampoo, conditioner and motor oil bottles; pipe, buckets, crates, flower pots, garden edging, film and sheet, recycling bins, benches, dog houses, plastic lumber, floor tiles, picnic tables, fencing.
PVC Polyvinyl chloride - Food trays, cling film, bottles for shampoo. Packaging, loose-leaf binders, decking, paneling, gutters, mud flaps, film and sheet, floor tiles and mats, resilient flooring, cassette trays, electrical boxes, cables, traffic cones, garden hose, mobile home skirting.
LDPE Low density polyethylene - Shopping bags and Garbage Bag liners. Automobile battery cases, signal lights, battery cables, brooms, brushes, ice scrapers, oil funnels, bicycle racks, rakes, bins, pallets, sheeting, trays.
PP Polypropylene - Margarine tubs, microwaveable meal trays. Automobile battery cases, signal lights, battery cables, brooms, brushes, ice scrapers, oil funnels, bicycle racks, rakes, bins, pallets, sheeting, trays.
PS Polystyrene - Yoghurt cups, foam meat, poultry or fish trays, egg cartons, vending cups, plastic cutlery, protective packaging for electronic goods and toys. Thermometers, light switch plates, thermal insulation, egg cartons, vents, desk trays, rulers, license plate frames, foam packing, foam plates, cups, utensils.
OTHER Any other plastics that do not fall into any of the above categories. - An example is melamine, which is often used in plastic plates and cups. Bottles, plastic lumber applications.




Biocompostable
       

If you see these symbols - it means you can put the packaging into your compost heap.
This is a relatively new symbol found on biocompostable plastic packaging. The symbol signifies that the packaging has been tested, and is suitable for putting into industrial and home compost heaps.


Cardboard

  or  

The above symbol, called the Mobius loop, is most commonly found on cardboard packaging and denotes that the item is recyclable. If the centre of the loop contains a number, this means that the item is made from a certain percentage of recycled materials.

Glass



While most glass containers are recyclable, this symbol reminds consumers to recycle glass jars and bottles, either at bottle banks or, where available, through curbside collection schemes.




Definitions

Dow Jones Sustainable Index - Launched in 1999, the Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes provides a financial quantification of member companies' sustainability strategy and their management of sustainability opportunities, risks and costs. Because "What gets measured, gets done", they will be motivated to increase long-term shareholder value by integrating economic, environmental and social factors in their business strategies.

Life Cycle Inventory - A product's life cycle starts when raw materials are extracted from the earth, followed by manufacturing, transport and use, and ends with waste management including recycling and final disposal. At every stage of the life cycle there are emissions and consumption of resources. The environmental impacts from the entire life cycle of products and services need to be addressed. To do this, life cycle thinking is required.

Metrics - Quantitative Measurements

Monopack - Package that is made from same material for easy sorting and recycling

Supply Chain Efficiency - Two supply chains exist in virtually all forms of commerce, the physical supply chain and the financial supply chain. The management of the physical supply chain has evolved from physical logistics management to more sophisticated transaction management and now to planning and collaboration between trading partners. Most companies have spent the last few years focused on improving physical supply chain efficiency. Some of the benefits include shorter time to market, reduced production costs, reduced inventory costs, and better collaboration between trading parties.

Third Party Certifications - independent laboratories that quantify the performance of products.



Glossary

Bagasse - Remains of sugar cane pulp after juice is extracted, used to make bi-products such as packaging, paper and absorbent products.

Biocompostable - plastic and paper products, which disintegrate and biodegrade completely and safely when composted in a municipal or commercial facility (such as yard trimmings and food scraps) Biocomposting is usually completed within 90 days. Biocompatibility will be faster if the products are broken down to small pieces or ground up. Certain packages from renewable resources, like those made from PLA and Sugar Cane, can be composted in your own backyard

Biodegradable - materials that decompose, usually by bacteria or sunlight, into original organic components within a reasonably short period of time. Most organic materials (paper, grass clippings, food scraps), under the right conditions, are biodegradable.

Bioplastic - plastics made from corn, potato or other annually renewable sources which are compostable & biodegradable.

Compost - a crumbly, earthy, sweet smelling mixture of decomposing organic matter (e.g. leaves, food scraps, grass clippings) that is often used to improve the texture, water retaining capacity and aeration (opposite of clumps) of soil.

Eco-efficiency - do more with less of our resources.

Life Cycle Analysis - The key measurement tool for environmental sustainability is Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). LCA is a technique for assessing the environmental impacts associated with a product (or service), covering all stages in a product's life.

Life Cycle Inventory - A product's cycle starts when raw materials are extracted from the earth, followed by manufacturing, transport and use, and ends with waste management including recycling and final disposal. At every stage of the life cycle there are emissions and consumption of resources. The environmental impacts from the entire life cycle of products and services need to be addressed. To do this, life cycle thinking is required.

Monopack - This refers to a package that is made from same materials for easy sorting and recycling. An aluminum can with a paper label is not a monopack.

A plastic milk jug and the plastic cap are usually made from the same plastic material (HDPE with the number 2 recycling logo) and is a monopack.

Packaging - protects the food we buy. Usually it cannot be eliminated or compromised.

PLA - PolyLactic Acid - is a product made from corn-starch, with a look and feel like petroleum based plastic. PLA is the one of the most commonly used bioplastics for making products.

Recyclable - material that still has useful physical or chemical properties after serving its original purpose and can be reused or remanufactured to make new products. Plastic, paper, glass, steel and aluminum cans, and use oil are examples of recyclable materials.

Source Reduction - eliminate waste and use less packaging

Sustainability - Actions we take that support quality of life now and for future generations



Acronyms

CSR - Corporate Social Responsibility

EDLP - Everyday Low Prices EPP - Environment Preferred Products

GHG - Greenhouse Gas Emissions

LOHAS Consumer - Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability Consumers

VPI - Value Producing Items



Trivia

  • 7% of Americans compost.
  • LOHAS Consumers are rapidly growing demographic sector (over 16%) whose purchase decisions are driven by organic, sustainable, recyclable and eco-friendly products and packaging.
  • 65 billion bottles are produced per year for beverages - even a small savings in weight results in significant savings.
  • 7 of 10 Households don't know what they will serve for dinner, just one hour before they must decide