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Packaging Practices
Packaging provides:
protection of the product
convenience for the consumer
marketing opportunity for the manufacturer
The cost of making, handling, reusing, recycling and disposing of packaging materials is passed on to the consumer in the cost of the product
Glass
Large amounts of energy required to shape the glass and handle their heavy weight
Recycled glass must be extensively broken down and reshaped
Carbon dioxide produced during manufacture and contributes to the greenhouse effect
Glass containers need to be reused 10 times before they are as environmentally friendly as plastic items
Coke Bottles
Change in packaging:
response to environmental concerns
Expensive to produce and handle
Use of cans and PET bottles to remain competitive
National Packaging Covenant
Created in 1999
Aim: to encourage an environmentally sustainable approach to packaging issues by all levels of the supply chain
Supported by federal, state and local government
Created by the Environmental Protection & Heritage Council in consultation with the National Packaging Council of Australia
Positive Packaging Practices
Positive Practice Affect on the environment
Glass manufacturers recycle glass to make new products
Fewer raw materials usedReduction in landfill
Resealable plastic bagsless plastic film used to
rewrap products once they are opened
Lightweight plastic used in place of glass. E.g. honey &
peanut butter
Plastic is recyclableLess energy used to make
plastic
Tetra Pak ‘s can be recycled. Paper - pulped, plastic & aluminium returned to
supplier
Less energy used in the production, distribution &
handling (lightweight)
Negative Packaging Practices
Negative Practice Affect on the environment
Overpackaging
Increased landfillMore resources used to produce extra layers of
packaging
Prepackaged foods E.g. mushrooms in a
styrofoam tray and shrink wrapped
Food wastage
Package too large for product it contains E.g. Corn chips have large head space to
protect contents
Wastage of packaging materials and resources used
to create them
Production Techniques
Food manufacturers use a large amount of water and energy in the production of their products and packaging
Environmental cost analysis used to show how packaging uses energy
Energy is required for:
heating, cooling, freezing
maintaining storage conditions
moving products through the production process
operating machines
cleaning & maintenance
Energy
amount of machinery
size of machinery
age of machinery
poorly maintained machinery
= more energy used in the form of electricity & gas
Water can also be used as energy but must be treated properly before being released into waterways
Waste
All products will generate waste in their production.
Amount of waste created must be considered in terms of ecological sustainability
Ideally, waste generated during production would become raw materials in another product. E.g. strawberries used for ice-cream and sauces
waste
Food manufacturing industry sells its waste ingredients to other companies. If not carried out properly, this waste can only be used as animal feed
E.g. Curly Fries
What could the wastage be used for?
Waste Management Experiment
At home, we discard skin, trimmings and other inedible portions of food in the garbage
In the food manufacturing industry similar waste occurs but in larger volumes
Waste gets used as animal feed.
Oranges - juice - peel for cattle feed
Corn - canned - husks for cattle feed
Fish - filleted - heads for fish bait & pet food
Chicken - frozen - heads & feet for gelatine & poultry feed
Nuts - packaged - mulch for mushroom growing
Waste management
Nature has its own waste management system
Trouble occurs when we overload the natural system’s ecological balance
Industry has developed biodegradable wastes that are not harmful to the environment in the long term
The problem exists when a large amount of waste is discharged in a small area such as a tip
Waste Management
There are 2 ways that nature can cope with the issue of excess waste:
End of pipe waste treatment - waste such as water is treated before it is returned to waterways. (Diagram Pg 237)
Recycle as much material as possible
Packaging Waste
Packaging used today is designed to be used only once although many types of packaging are re-usable and recyclable
Clean Up Australia Day 2006 (Pie chart Pg 238)
Sanitary Landfill
Tip
Filling natural depressions and quarries with successive layers of waste and soil
This method converts mining pits and swamp lands into useful recreation areas for the local community once the tip is full
Diagram (Pg 239)