Sustainable Packaging. SPC Course Takes a Look At it’s Role.

Sustainable Packaging Coalition’s upcoming course in North Carolina’s Charlotte, from October 6-8, 2015 is going to be a big hit.

The course is set to focus on several important measures being taken by the packaging industry in its bid to become more sustainable. According to Nina Goodrich – Executive Director of the (SPC), it would involve considerations for sustainable packaging such as materials sourcing, packaging designing, manufacturing, transportation, and disposal at the end.

According to Goodrich, there are three important categories from the packaging perspective. They are:

Source: refers to where the materials have been obtained from and consider if they are using certified polymers or recycled materials;

Optimisation: refers to a balance between optimising the packaging and the product since it’s not about reduction of packaging; rather, it’s about avoiding damage to the product; and

Recovery: this is about the recycling streams or checking if the materials can be recovered; an example could be getting municipal recycling facilities rid of plastic bags that can wrap around and stop operations.

Goodrich highlighted how SPC has evolved with sustainability since its establishment in 2004. The group’s nine founder members include NatureWorks, MWV, The Dow Chemical Company, Unilever, and Starbucks Coffee Company. Almost 200 companies have joined the group, including big names like that of Amcor, 3M, Bemis, PepsiCo, The Kellogg Company, Crown Packaging, Mars, Sealed Air and Silgan.

According to Goodrich, the growth of SPC was driven by the industry’s need to share the best practices.

How Sustainable Packaging Professionals Will Benefit
The course will allow corporate sustainability decision-makers and packaging professionals to learn about sustainability considerations for packaging. As more of these professionals are becoming aware of a product’s life cycle and focusing on the circular economy, there’s a renewed interest in this course. Naturally, the uptake on the course is experiencing a steady rise.

Goodrich said technological improvements and developments, such as in optical sorters, are helping end-of-life sustainable packaging options. Though there’s still a lot of work that needs to be done, she was upbeat about the way different materials like biopolymers and anaerobic digestion are created with a focus on sustainability.

Innovator Awards by Sustainable Packaging Coalition
SPC has awarded 3 winners with their Innovator awards. Here are the winners and details of their innovative solutions in the packaging industry.

AirWave PaperWave Innovation in Responsible Sourcing Winner
The public has pressured companies to reduce their reliance on plastic. As a result, many businesses reacted by searching for ways to minimize their waste and environmental impact.

One German company, Flöter Verpackungs-Service GmbH, has developed an innovative solution that could reduce the amount of plastic waste produced by e-commerce businesses. Their inflatable paper cushioning system is made from FSC-certified paper and potato starch. It is recyclable and compostable.

The company is hoping to phase out its production of plastic-based cushions in favor of these more sustainable options in the near future. This could help to reduce the amount of plastic pollution produced by the packaging industry, and potentially lead to other businesses following suit.

PaperWave is an example of a sustainable product. The air cushions are produced at the packing station, which saves energy and reduces carbon dioxide emissions. Consumers can dispose of this innovative solution in paper recycling bins or organic waste. The product has a RESY mark and the sorting symbol 22PAP, which are common in the European market.

KD-Fold™ Innovation in Design Optimisation Winner
FedEx Supply Chain and WestRock have a long history of working together to develop innovative packaging solutions that meet the needs of customers and improve operational efficiencies. So when WestRock was asked to develop a new mailer for a major customer, they knew that FedEx Supply Chain would be the perfect partner to help test and trial the design.

The result was the KD-Fold™, a mailer that outperforms a standard plastic mailer in both efficiency and storage. The KD-Fold™ is a plastic wrap made with fewer materials, which reduces waste and improves pallet space utilisation. It is also easier to store and ship, which further improves efficiency.

In recognition of the KD-Fold™’s superior performance, it was recently awarded the “Best New Innovation” at the annual FedEx Innovation Awards. This award is a testament to the power of teamwork and collaboration in developing truly game-changing solutions.

One sustainable packaging solution is KD-Fold. The KD-Fold™ uses an average of 50%, which less paper than a corrugated small box, making it a more sustainable option for businesses. What’s more, the KD-Fold™ is both Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) and FSC certified, meaning it has been independently verified as being made from sustainably sourced materials.

The Pak On Demand™ mailer system produced by KD-Fold is another example of the company’s commitment to sustainability. This technology generates fibre-based, personalised, sustainable mailers on demand. It requires lesser space used in order fulfilment.

What’s more, it can be operated by just one person, meaning there is potential for labor reduction and cost savings. In a time when businesses are under pressure to operate in a more sustainable way, KD-Fold is leading the way with its innovative and sustainable packaging solutions.

AMP Robotics Innovation in Recovery Winner
As the world generates more and more waste, the need for effective recycling systems has never been greater. Unfortunately, sorting through mixed recycling streams can be a time-consuming and expensive task.

AMP Robotics has developed a solution that uses artificial intelligence to quickly and accurately sort recyclable materials. In partnership with Sonoco, AMP Robotics has created rigid paperboard cans.

The companies have deployed an AMP Cortex™ intelligent robotics system. This recycling relationship is just one example of how AMP Robotics is helping to create a more sustainable future.

The world produces a lot of waste, and it can be difficult to recycle everything. However, AMP is working hard to change that. They are using AI to help identify different types of recyclable materials. This way, they can develop robotic sorting systems that will help to sort the materials more efficiently.

They have already begun testing their system and it has been successful in identifying and sorting 50 billion packaging types. With more technological advancements, they will only be able to improve their system and help make the world a little bit cleaner.

For more news and views on sustainable packaging, browse the Valdamark Direct website.