Packaging Inputs Are a Key Tool Helping Brand Owners Make Progress Toward Their Corporate Sustainability Goals

As companies continue to strengthen their commitment to using sustainable packaging, packaging inputs that improve sustainability are increasingly in demand.

Sustainability, the focus of this article, is one of three broad macro trends in the packaging space, along with safety and functionality. And while the exact definition of “sustainable” may differ from company to company, when it comes to packaging, it means that all of a package’s components — including substrates, coatings, adhesives and inks — must themselves be sustainable.

A corporate mandate

Corporate sustainability goals are being driven by a confluence of factors, namely the need to reduce environmental impact, the influence of consumer expectations and the evolution of the regulatory landscape (see Table 1).

But whereas package design and emission/resource reduction have been central commitments for more than 10 years, eliminating problematic inputs, reducing excess and providing disposal guidance have only emerged more recently.

Generally speaking, companies are on track when it comes to meeting their emissions reduction targets but are struggling to meet recycled material and package design targets due to a host of infrastructure challenges (see Figures 1a and 1b).

4 innovations in packaging sustainability

Companies are focused on four innovations that enhance recyclability, enable biodegradability, reduce reliance on petrochemicals and minimize waste, respectively.

1. Enhancing recyclability (coatings) — Aqueous coatings are an example of materials transforming the landscape of paper-based packaging by enhancing functionality while preserving recyclability. For example, when applied to paper coffee cups and fast-food containers as a replacement for traditional plastic coatings, aqueous coatings ensure that these items can be recycled in existing paper recycling streams while providing a moisture, oxygen and grease barrier.
2. Enabling biodegradability (substrates) — Bioplastics — plastic alternatives such as polylactic acid and polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) made from renewable feedstocks like food waste or agricultural waste — are expected to take share in the market as capacity expansions increase supply, blend capabilities enhance material characteristics (e.g., softness, flexibility) to compete with alternatives and equipment innovations reduce historical production inefficiencies. PHA bioplastic cutlery is increasingly being used by quick-service restaurants, for example, as a biodegradable alternative to conventional plastic utensils.
3. Reducing reliance on petrochemical feedstocks (adhesives) — Lignin-based adhesives, for example, represent a breakthrough by utilizing a natural polymer found in wood to provide a renewable and more sustainable alternative to petroleum-derived adhesives. Fiberboard packaging and other paperboard products are among the areas where these adhesives are being utilized.
4. Minimizing waste (coatings) — Silicone coatings used in linerless labels, for example, eliminate the need for a release liner, reducing both waste and packaging weight as compared to traditional pressure-sensitive labels, where the liner is typically discarded as waste. Food packaging and retail shipping labels are common applications.

All four of these sustainability innovations present opportunities, not just for the packaging makers and brand owners that leverage them, but also for the chemicals and materials firms that supply them.

Be sure to check out the rest of our three-part series, which delves into the macro trends in packaging as well as the impact of health and safety concerns and the desire for increased functionality.

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