Innovative Packaging Improves Environmental Impact
Flexible packaging suppliers launch innovative products to improve pouches’ environmental impact
August 5, 2019
John Kalkowski
Source from: https://www.flexpackmag.com/articles/90033-innovative-packaging-improves-environmental-impact
Pouch Improves Sustainability
Uncle Dougie’s — maker of natural and organic sauces, marinades and rubs — is dramatically reducing its carbon footprint by shifting to a flexible pouch for its newest line of barbeque sauces. As the first condiment company to debut the inverted flexible squeeze pouch, the brand is setting the bar for sustainability in a category dominated by rigid glass and plastic bottles.
In partnership with Glenroy, the company responsible for producing the new squeeze pouches, Uncle Dougie’s worked with the Natural Marketing Institute to measure the environmental footprint and sustainability of squeeze pouches against typical glass barbeque sauce bottles. Results of this study show that the squeeze pouches:
· Reduce fossil fuel usage by 65 percent
· Reduce greenhouse emissions by 78 percent
· Reduce overall water usage by 80 percent
“We wanted to understand our environmental impact from a holistic standpoint and look for ways to reduce our natural resource consumption as we launched these organic items,” said Rob Johnson, CEO of Uncle Dougie’s. “It’s important to make an impact where we can, and our fans expect us to do so. This package is a huge upgrade for convenience and usability, and proves you can bring meaningful innovation to consumers and do good for the planet at the same time.”
“We commend Uncle Dougie’s for spearheading this study and being a thought leader and change-maker in the category,” said Amanda Dahlby, marketing manager at Glenroy. “The Environmental Protection Agency considers source reduction to be the single most effective method of waste management because it’s a true preventive measure and addresses pollution at its source.”
While the inverted squeeze pouches are not yet recyclable, the packaging is more sustainable than glass due to its lower carbon footprint and natural resource utilization. Recyclable, flexible food grade plastic has yet to be developed, but Uncle Dougie’s will be in a unique position to immediately adopt this type of plastic once it becomes available.
Snack Bar Features Paper Packaging
A technical breakthrough in confectionery packaging will see Nestlé’s ‘YES!’ snack bars wrapped in recyclable paper for the first time. Nestlé is claiming a world first in recyclable packaging on confectionery after UK-based experts, working at its R&D center in York, discovered a way to use a recyclable paper wrapper in a high-speed ‘flow wrap cold seal’ packaging line.
The company’s new range of fruit-based and nut-based ‘YES!’ bars are the first brand to convert to the new technique beginning in July. Nestlé said it represents a world first for a process that, in the past, was only suitable for plastic films and laminates.
“Now we’ve turned our attention to the wrapper so that the packaging is sustainable and easy to recycle. It’s an important step as we work to make all of our packaging recyclable or reusable by 2025,” says Stefano Agostini, CEO for Nestlé in the UK and Ireland.
YES! bar wrappers will now carry the message ‘carefully wrapped in paper’ to reflect the work that has been done in adapting production lines to handle the new packaging more gently during the manufacturing process.
The new packaging is made of a coated paper that is widely recyclable with other paper. The paper itself comes from certified sustainable sources. Nestlé said the challenge was to find a way to use paper on high speed production lines that have been designed for more durable plastic or laminate packaging. The new wrapper then had to be tested extensively to make sure it would keep YES! bars in perfect condition during production, transport and storage.
Recycled Materials Used in Food Pouch
Taking a “pioneering step” toward sustainable food packaging, ProAmpac is producing a high-barrier pouch made with 25 percent post-consumer recycled (PCR) materials for Justin’s newest product innovation, Nut Butter Covered Nuts.
“This flexible package is one of the first commercial pouches for food packaging to combine such a high proportion of PCR material, reducing the carbon footprint of the package without sacrificing the high-barrier snack food requirements. We believe this is a pioneering step in food packaging to further enhance the sustainable advantages of a flexible format,” says Adam Grose, chief commercial officer for ProAmpac.
Utilizing a food-contact FDA-compliant structure, this snack pouch reduces its reliance on virgin resin by using 40 percent recycled plastic content in the sealant film that equates to
25 percent of the total structure. This pouch has high oxygen- and moisture-barrier properties, preserving product freshness, features crisp branded graphics and reduces the package’s total carbon footprint by not relying on 100 percent virgin polymers.
“We overcame the hazy and inconsistent appearance that typically occurs when utilizing a high content of PCR materials by combining flexographic inks and coating technologies, and by optimizing the lamination processes, all of which produces a package with standout shelf appeal,” explains Hesam Tabatabaei, ProAmpac’s director of research, innovation and technology.
Pet Food Employs Bio-Based Packaging
Braskem has partnered with Earth Animal, a manufacturer of veterinary formulated products, to announce a new sustainable packaging initiative using Braskem’s sugarcane based I’m green™ Polyethylene (PE) biopolymer.
“Earth Animal has always been passionate about how, why, and what we do, and for us, we have felt that sustainability is a major part of our DNA,” said Stephanie Volo, VP of marketing and sustainability for Earth Animal.
“For over 40 years, our promise has been to preserve and enhance the quality of life for animals, people and the earth. And, partnering with Peel Plastics and Braskem to design and develop our Wisdom Dog Food packaging using the PE biopolymer was a natural fit given each company’s commitment to sustainability.”
Earth Animal will include at least
30 percent bioplastic packaging material into every bag of new line of Dr. Bob Goldstein’s Wisdom Dog Food. To further enhance the environmental profile of the new more sustainable packaging, Earth Animal is partnering with TerraCycle in order to provide an end-of-life package recycling program.
Braskem’s bio-based resin is made from ethanol, a renewable and sustainable resource produced from Brazilian sugarcane. It retains the same properties, performance and application versatility of fossil fuel derived polyethylene, making it a drop-in substitute for conventional oil-based polyethylene.