Sustainability Driven
Eco-Friendly
Adjective
1. Designed to have little or no
damaging effect on the
environment.
“A guide to Eco-Friendly packaging”
Today, £80 billion or 95% of packaging material is lost to the economy annually from single use packaging. Whether you are a consumer or a purveyor of goods,using Eco-Friendly Packaging will help to reduce the amount of plastic in our environment, put a stop to the extinction of marine wildlife and halt the consumption of harmful plastics in our food chain. By lowering plastic production there would be a decline in the use of fossil fuels, harmful toxic waste, cuts in incineration and an increase in cleaner air.
From a business perspective opting for greener solutions should not be underestimated and making that choice should not come at the expense of performance. Choosing lightweight packaging, will reduce shipping costs,produce less waste for disposal and will set your business apart from its competitors. Green packaging should also be durable otherwise the initial boost in sales you get from going ‘green’ could be cancelled out by damages and returns.
Sustainable
Adjective
1. The ability to be maintained at a certain rate or level.
“Sustainable packaging processes”
In essence sustainable packaging should be sourced responsibly,so even the ink, adhesives and coatings on packaging should be considered through the life cycle of the packaging. All end of-life scenarios should be considered, and the appropriateness of the packaging designed to facilitate maximum recovery. (Definition of Sustainable Packaging: August 2011)
This is just one definition of sustainability, however, you could search the internet and find at least another 10 definitions, all equally relevant to today’s environmental calamity. What is clear,however, is that sustainability is not just what we do here and now,it’s the far reaching effects and what it means for future generations.
As a result, we have created a sustainability-certified range of products that adhere to current sustainability requirements,including FSC® and the UK’s plastic tax legislation. We work on pushing the sustainability horizon by actively sourcing products containing increasing levels of recyclable & recycled content.
Biodegradable
Adjective
1. Capable of being decomposed by bacteria or other living organisms.
“Biodegradable materials/packaging/plastic”
Here are some biodegradable rates (marine environment):
| Paper Towel | 2-4 weeks |
| Cardboard Box | 2 months |
| Wax Coated Carton | 3 months |
| Plastic Bags | 10-20 years |
| Plastic Bottles | 100 years |
Typically biodegradable materials are: cotton, wool, wood, paper, and cardboard.
In packaging terms, biodegradable links to the materials being used in packaging and whether it can be effectively broken down in the environment without causing harm. Plastic is not biodegradable and will remain in our environment for years, as microplastics, hidden in our food chain. Thus,
companies are reverting to more traditional
materials, or innovating new materials, that
breakdown naturally, but don’t compromise on performance and quality.
The rate of biodegradation is based on light, water and oxygen, so where a product may test in laboratory conditions as biodegradable, real-life may in fact prove problematic, as landfill conditions are not always rich in the elements required.
Recyclable
Adjective
1. A substance or object that can be processed and used again.
“Recyclable Adhesive Tape”
Recycling is not exclusive to plastics. There are several materials that should not be dismissed. These items can be collected in the UK via your recycling bin. The trend in recycling has taken a turn, with most households actively recycling packaging. However, it is not always clear if it can be recycled. There are seven recycling codes for plastics, which remain dependent on local authorities to sort and recycle correctly.
| Code | Material | Recyclability |
| 1 | PET or PETE (clear plastic bottles / fruit punnets) |
Most widely recycled by UK councils, turned into fleece, strapping and carpets. |
| 2 | HDPE (milk bottles, shampoo bottles, cleaning products) |
Widely recycled by UK councils. Technology means they can be recycled into milk bottles. |
| 4 | LDPE (Bread bags, bubble wrap, carrier bags, squeezable bottles) |
Can be recycled by UK councils, turned into bin liners. |
| 5 | PP (Packing tape, plastic straws, take-away tubs, plastic picnic ware |
Can be recycled by UK councils, turned into brooms, bushes, garden rakes and plastic trays. |
| 3, 6 & 7 | PVC/PS/Other | Not generally recycled in the UK, although category & (other) some items can now be recycled at various local supermarkets. |
Recyclable Material Factsheet:
Compostable
Adjective
1. Capable of disintegrating into natural elements, without toxicity in the soil.
"Compostable packaging materials”
Not to be confused with biodegradation,compostable products are required to breakdownwithin a much shorter period of ninety days,but will vary according to the product and composting conditions.
Some companies have innovated to produce plant-based, renewable, low carbon packaging that can be easily composted with food waste. These are not the same as compostable plastic bags, which can simply mean they break down into micro-plastic components under the correct conditions.
With compostable packaging you have a guarantee that the materials used do not produce toxins as they deteriorate and will in fact add nutrients to the earth when fully broken down, as well as their production being lower in carbon and reducing landfill waste.
Vegan
Adjective
1. Eating, using or containing no food or other products derived from animals.
"Vegan packaging options”
As Eco-Friendly Packaging is growing in market share on a daily basis, we are continuously developing new products to meet the needs of our clients, such as our recently developed VeganFriendly Range. This range has a low impact on the environment and broadens the potential market with customers’ lifestyles in mind. We are pushing the boundaries to create a diverse range of products, with a Vegan conscious supply chain, ensuring glue, starch, paper and inks are sourced from eco-conscious suppliers. Veganism is spreading ever further and omitting animal products in your nutrition is becoming ever easier. At Allpack we want to reflect this within our packaging solutions.