Tackling the Waste Crisis

This projection is a stark reminder that packaging plays a role in the climate crisis, contributing to greenhouse gas emissions, the depletion of natural resources, and a significant amount of waste generation.

At Michelman, we are working to find solutions that enable packaging to play an important role, while minimizing impact. It’s important to understand all the ways to achieve this. First we examine the negative impact of landfill.

Let’s Look at Landfill

Waste has significant implications on both Public Health and Environmental Pollution. Landfills emit methane, a potent greenhouse gas, as organic matter decomposes. What’s more, the decomposition of certain packaging materials, such as plastics, can release harmful chemicals into the environment. Currently, packaging is often designed for single use, resulting in a high volume of waste that ends up in landfill.

Using a lifecycle approach, it has been estimated that a 10 to 15% reduction in global greenhouse gas emissions could be achieved through landfill mitigation and diversion. Energy from waste, recycling, and other types of improved solid waste management, including waste prevention, could potentially increase this contribution to 15 to 20%.

Ways to Reduce Packaging's Impact

Reduce Material Use

Packaging needs to be designed to be as lightweight and compact as possible, minimizing the amount of material used. Many options are available to reduce packaging and these can be carried out by individuals, businesses and governments.

Individuals

Consumers can reduce waste by avoiding single-use items like plastic bags, straws, and utensils. Instead, opt for reusable alternatives such as bags and water bottles. Choose products with minimal or recyclable packaging when shopping and buy in bulk to reduce packaging waste. The re-use of containers for food, drinks, and other items can further minimize packaging disposal.

Businesses

When designing products, businesses need to incorporate sustainability into product design by considering the environmental impact of packaging throughout its lifecycle. Choosing renewable materials like natural or recycled options and educating consumers through clear labeling helps them understand product contents and promotes responsible practices, closing the loop on material reuse by providing incentives for recycling. Businesses can support Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) programs to hold producers accountable for managing packaging at the end of its life.

Governments

By implementing policy measures, like offering subsidies to businesses using renewable materials and imposing taxes on single-use items, governments can support innovation by investing in research and development of compostable materials and reusable containers. There is also an opportunity to educate consumers about the environmental impact of packaging and ways to minimize usage through outreach programs.

Re-use

The Benefits of Re-use as a Strategy

Cost: Packaging and transportation costs can be reduced by supplying refills for reusable containers in compact form.

Brand loyalty and customer retention: This can be achieved through deposit and reward schemes for reusable packaging.

Personalization: Individual needs can be accommodated by reuse models that let users mix and match flavors, personalize packaging, or choose desired amounts.

Smarter packaging: User experience is enhanced by improving the look, feel, or functionality of reusable packaging.

Economies of scale: Distribution and logistics, achieved by sharing reusable packaging across brands, sectors, or wider networks.

User Information: Preferences and system performance can be gathered by incorporating digital technologies such as RFID tags, sensors, and GPS tracking into the reusable packaging system.

Reuse is a viable alternative where recycling isn’t possible. It’s also very lucrative compared with a single use model.

Recycling

Worldwide Plastic Disposal

The recycling infrastructure for plastic is currently restrictive, reflected in figures worldwide, with the global recycling rate for plastic packaging at just 14%.

The recycling level of paper and board, however,  is much further ahead. Worldwide the recycling rate for fiber packaging is 70%.

“Of the 412 million tonnes-plus produced globally in 2019, almost 211 million tonnes–or 51.15%–were produced using recovered fibres and 201.5 million tonnes were made exclusively from virgin fibres.”
Source: The Future of Recycled Packaging Markets to 2023, David Platt, Smithers

Consumer Awareness and Education

Consumers understand there is an issue with waste, and the management of it. As the first step in packaging end-of-life management, a lot of onus is put onto the consumer to decide what to do with the packaging once used. For instance, which waste stream to use, which can be very difficult to decipher. It is imperative that clear labelling instructs consumers on how to dispose of the packaging responsibly. Raising awareness among consumers about the environmental impact of packaging promotes sustainable consumption habits and ultimately encourages recycling and composting practices.