leading change August 2011 PACKAGING THE …doc.mediaplanet.com › all_projects › 8335.pdfinto the next generation of packaging sustainability. PAC is leveraging its rich history

File Name Trim Size (File) Trim Size (Final) Usage

Colours Live Area (File) Live Area (Final)

Art Director / Designer Bleed Size (Final) Bleed Size (Final)

Proof Size File Size Visual Opening (File) Visual Opening (Final) Notes

DSN1107_Banner 10.8" x 3.6" 10.8” x 3.6”

Copy-Writer

CreativeDirectorCopy Layout

Approvals:ClientRevisions:

Assoc.Cr. Dir.

Art Direc-tor Designer

AccountPerson Client

0" x 0" 0" x 0"

100% of fi nal size 100% of fi nal size 0" x 0" 0" x 0"

4C 0" x 0" 0" x 0"

Front Page Banner

0 0

Mediaplanet Supplement POV

Designed to Make a DifferenceTM

PlantBottle® packaging is made in part from renewable materials sourced from sugarcane production to bring you the pure, crisp taste of DASANI® remineralized water in a bottle designed with the planet in mind.

Now available nationwide. For more information visit livepositively.ca/plantbottle

PlantBottle and PlantBottle design are trademarks of Coca-Cola Ltd.; DASANI is a registered trademark of The Coca-Cola Company, used under license.

Up to 30 made from plantsStill 100 recyclableRedesigned plastic, recyclable as ever

Designed to Make a DifferenceTMDesigned to Make a DifferenceTMDesigned to Make a Difference

DSN1107_Banner.indd 1 11-08-09 10:50 AM

PACKAGING THE FUTURE

James D. Downham and Bob Cockerill of PAC discuss the initiative to increase industry eco-e� ciency

A WORLD WITHOUT PACKAGING WASTE

PH

OTO

: STR

AN

GE

MO

RE

PH

OTO

AN INDEPENDENT SUPPLEMENT FROM MEDIAPLANET TO THE NATIONAL POST

What you can doConsumers leading change

Aiming for A’sThe new standard for packaging plants

August 2011

HOW YOUR HABITS CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE

THE FUTURE3

STEPS

http://livepositively.ca/environment/packaging/index.jsp#a1

AN INDEPENDENT SUPPLEMENT BY MEDIAPLANET TO THE NATIONAL POST2 · AUGUST 2011

CHALLENGES

When it comes to recycling responsibly, we are all held accountable. Industry and consumer must join forces if we are ever to see real change.

“Over one billion plastic cleaning containers go into the landfi ll each year.”

Packaging prizePlanet People’s IQ takes top honours at the Green Packaging Awards.

WE RECOMMEND

PAGE 5

Groundbreaking strides p. 6PAC unveils new initiatives for package sustainability.

Leave zero footprints p. 7How TerraCycle is upping the game in biodegradable packaging.

When it comes to critical social and environmental issues, Canadians want to make a difference.

But can switching to compact fl uor-escent light bulbs or toting a canvas shopping bag really have an impact? According to Lindsay Page, WWF’s head of public mobilization, the answer is an emphatic yes.

“Small changes do add up,” she says. “Consumers are an often underesti-mated force in driving change.”

Page points to Sweater Day, an event supported by Loblaw Compan-ies Limited through the fees it char-ges for its plastic shopping bags. As a result, hundreds of thousands of Canadians donned an extra layer and turned down their thermostat, cut-ting their winter heating costs and

more importantly raising awareness and demonstrating to government and industry that Canadians are con-cerned about climate change.

“That’s the other half of the equa-tion,” Page explains. “Individuals alone can’t solve these problems, but their actions can infl uence decision-makers to make the big structural changes we need.”

Becoming advocates for greenFor example, consumer demand com-bined with business leadership, gov-ernment regulation and NGO advo-cacy is addressing the global overfi sh-ing epidemic and transforming the industry from bait to plate.

Today, more than a hundred fi sh-eries around the world have earned the Marine Stewardship Council’s (MSC) blue “check fish” logo. The

world’s leading ecolabelling program for fi sheries, MSC emphasizes sus-tainability and traceability, giving consumers confi dence that the fi sh they choose come from a responsibly managed source.

So if changing a light bulb seems insignifi cant in the face of global cli-mate change, think again. The chal-lenge is to not feel paralyzed by the scope of the issue or the countless actions you could take. Instead, focus on how your individual actions can help drive large-scale change.

What you can doBegin with a few steps that fi t your lifestyle, whether it’s opting for fair-trade java during your morning cof-fee break or leaving the car at home and biking to work one day a week. You’ll fi nd plenty of suggestions at

community.wwf.ca/. At the same time, speak up. Sug-

gest your o� ce switches to environ-mentally and socially responsible paper certifi ed under the stringent standards of the Forest Stewardship Council or ask your school cafeteria to serve MSC-certifi ed seafood. By using your infl uence to leverage the buy-ing power of larger organizations this way, you can accelerate sustainability throughout the supply chain.

“This is all about fostering and cre-ating new social norms,” Page con-cludes. “Ultimately, it’s about living in a way that will leave a legacy of pros-perity and balance for our kids.”

Driving change: The impact of consumer power

JULIE STAUFFER

WWF-Canada

[email protected]

DON’T MISS!

Looking beyond the environ-mental impact of its own operations, Canadian Tire considers those of its suppliers, transportation partners and vendors.

The Company is working with nearly 400 vendors to fi nd innovative solu-tions to reduce material use, waste and greenhouse gas emissions through right-sizing. Canadian Tire’s six-foot folding table underwent a product and packaging redesign, reducing its weight by 11.5 percent and its volume by 15 percent. In the fi rst half of 2011, Canadian Tire right sized 117 retail products and their packaging which is forecasted to annually avoid $2.3 million, 1,955 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions and 1,627 tonnes of waste.

A multi-stakeholder solution for sustainability

What should our pri-orities be when it comes to food safety and pack-

aging sustainability?First let’s examine the important

reasons as to why packaging is neces-sary?

■ It keeps food and people safe (against allergens, bacteria contam-ination);

■ It communicates wellness attrib-utes (nutritional labels).

■ It keeps food fresh, extends shelf life and therefore minimizes food waste (think grocery store products);

■ It helps avoid bioterrorism (1980’s Tylenol contamination).

■ It protects products, again mini-mizing waste (think 60” plasma TV);

■ It mitigates theft ($3 Billion per year in Canada - therefore saves us money).

■ It helps buying decisions (decision to buy made 60 percent of time at the shelf).

So what is the perceived or real packaging problem?Packaging uses natural resources (oil, trees, aluminum); can be difficult to recycle or compost (lack of recov-ery infrastructure); costs taxpayers money (collection and disposition, 10 to 15 percent of total landfi ll); pack-aging is unsafe (BPA, metallic inks); litter and marine debris (plastic bags, bottles etc); products are over pack-aged (toys, electronics are the usual suspects) but in fact most come from manufacturers outside of Canada.

Sustainable Packaging deliv-ers a more sustainable solution. What is it?Sustainable packaging is a blend of broad sustainability objectives and strategies that address the environ-mental concerns related to the entire life cycle of packaging. These criteria relate to business activities, encour-age innovation and optimization. It is really a sustainable packaging sys-tem. Implementing a Sustainable Packaging strategy is the most e� ect-ive way the packaging community can contribute to a more sustainable planet.

Sustainable product innova-tion is a driver for sustainable packaging solutions

■ Unilever Small & Mighty 3x liquid concentrate: This reformulated con-centrated laundry detergent product has had a profound impact on pack-aging reduction. Over 50 percent reduction in plastic resin, shipping containers, pallet and truck loads.

■ A revolutionary product innova-tion, iQ Cleaners features small, REFill cartridges that contain concentrated cleaning solutions. This concept reduces packaging by 80 percent, energy use by 70 percent, and water emissions by 58 percent.

■ Coca Cola’s brilliant PlantBottle innovation is made from 30 percent renewable material and is fully recyc-lable. Their goal is to reach 100 per-cent renewable materials.

What can Government do to help?Retailers and Brand Owners are work-ing hard to reduce, reuse and recycle

with a focus on sustainability but there is a lack of harmonization of what is recyclable in one jurisdiction and what is waste in another. Only government, through regulation can harmonize packaging materials from one municipality to another.

Consumers are critical to the success of discarded package recovery. Consumers determine what products are purchased from a store. Wise con-sumers need to be diligent and aware of sustainable products and their packaging solutions like the Small & Mighty, iQ cleaner and Coca Cola PlantBottle examples.

The consumer also controls the ultimate destination of discarded packaging and has three basic choices in most Canadian regions: Compost, recycle bin or waste bin. Litter is not an option. Consumers—be account-able for your actions and make an educated decision.

North America is rapidly moving into the next generation of packaging sustainability.

PAC is leveraging its rich history in environmental leadership to cre-ate an initiative to guide industry. To ensure inclusiveness and transpar-ency PAC is including important Canadian and international stake-holders from the recovery commun-ity and government.

The PAC focus is on optimizing, mobilizing and mitigating risk of end-of-life solutions for packaging design, recovery (collection and pro-cessing) and end markets. Our goal is clear—A world without packaging waste.

James D. DownhamPresident & CEOPAC—The Packaging Association

ConsumersThe consumer controls the ultimate destination of discarded packaging and has three basic choices in most Canadian regions: Compost, recycle bin or waste bin. Litter is not an option. Consumers—be account-able for your actions and make an educated decision.

GovernmentThere is a lack of harmoniza-tion of what is recyclable in one jurisdiction and what is waste in another. Only government through regulation can harmon-ize packaging materials from one municipality to another.

MY BEST TIPS

What can we do to help?

Mediaplanet’s business is to create new cus-tomers for our advertisers by providing read-ers with high-quality editorial contentthat motivates them to act.

PACKAGING THE FUTURE1ST EDITION, AUGUST 2011

Responsible for this issue:Publisher: Christianne [email protected]: Penelope [email protected]: James D. Downham, John Mullinder, Indrani Nadarajah, Julie Stauffer, Sandra Strangemore, Canadian Business for Social Responsibility, Canadian Tire, IQ, The Packaging Association, TerraCycle, World Wildlife Fund, Zerofootprint

Photo Credit: All images are from iStock.com unless otherwise accredited.

Managing Director: Gustav [email protected] Developer: Chris [email protected]

Distributed within:National Post, August 2011This section was created by Mediaplanet and did not involve the National Post or its Editorial Departments.

FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK AND TWITTER!www.facebook.com/MediaplanetCAwww.twitter.com/MediaplanetCA

1-2. TerraCycle’s upcycled headquarters.3. Waste from TerraCycle factories is not just up-cycled into new products, but also into their “trashy” Headquarters in New Jersey.

PHOTOS: TERRACYCLE, INC. 1

2

Product innovations abound

3

COURTESY OF CANADIAN TIRE

[email protected]

AN INDEPENDENT SUPPLEMENT BY MEDIAPLANET TO THE NATIONAL POSTAN INDEPENDENT SUPPLEMENT BY MEDIAPLANET TO THE NATIONAL POST AUGUST 2011 · 3

CHALLENGES INSPIRATIONTHE NATURAL APPROACH

Eggs are a prime example of nature’s packaging. However, with new environ-

mentally-friendly initiatives, man-made packaging is catching up on the sustainability front!SANDRA STRANGEMORE

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPROVEMENTS

Man vs. nature

2

1

1. Best Choice Eggs use Eggsac Trace Technology.2. We are catching up! Sustainable packaging… it’s working!

PHOTO: STRANGMORE PHOTO

BE DILIGENT ABOUT

CHOOSING PRODUCTS THAT USE

SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES

BE DILIGENT

1STEP

Product innovations abound

COURTESY OF CANADIAN TIRE

[email protected]

AN INDEPENDENT SUPPLEMENT BY MEDIAPLANET TO THE NATIONAL POST4 · AUGUST 2011

PAC —The Packaging Association—is leading industry on a mission to eliminate waste packaging. To make real strides, however, consumers must play an active role in responsibly discarding their waste.

A world without packaging waste The way PAC—The Packaging Association—President and CEO James Downham sees it, a world without packaging waste is not just a radical aspiration, it is achievable, if we all think boldly enough.

Timid, incremental thinking has no place in this brave new world.

“It’s a bit like the John F. Kennedy vision of putting a man on the moon within 10 years,” he says. “A packaging waste-free world sounds far-out, but who knows what technology, col-laboration and bold initiatives can achieve in a generation?” he argues.

There are, undoubtedly, signifi cant hurdles, but these can be overcome if consumers and legislators play their part.

For starters, consumers must bear some responsibility for the amount of thoughtlessly discarded waste in the world today, he says. “The McDonald’s wrappers we see on the street, the plastic bottles ending up in the ocean,

those were not put there by the manu-facturers,” he points out.

The lack of legislative harmon-ization across Canada, even across municipalities, is a hindrance, says Downham. What is recyclable fodder in one municipality, is, bewilderingly, landfi ll junk in another. “These are pressing issues that needs to be ironed out and PAC is working on this with stakeholders.”

PAC NEXT, a PAC member initiative, will lead industry on the mission to eliminate waste packaging, but “we can’t have fence-sitters. All of us must pull our weight,” says Downham bluntly.

The importance of being awareSustainable packaging is commonly understood to be comprised of sus-tainably-sourced materials, recyc-lable, and possibly compostable.

Its growing profi le has been fuelled by organizations like PAC, retail stores like Loblaws and Walmart, and manu-facturers like P&G. In 2007, following up an overture from Wal-Mart, PAC

trained over 150 of their senior Can-adian executives and buyers on the nuances of sustainable packaging. PAC also co-sponsored the fi ve Wal-mart Sustainability Packaging Con-ferences, which have attracted over 4,000 attendees.

“Creating awareness among con-sumers is crucial,” says Downham. This will also help foster the necessary cultural change.

To this end, PAC believes in the value of catching adherents when they’re young—it runs packaging competitions for students, to raise the profi le of the importance of sus-tainable packaging, and the economic opportunities it o� ers.

A story waiting to be told“The packaging industry has been watching the same movie for the past 100 years,” says Downham. Basically, this movie follows the same story-line—a package manufacturer gets its raw materials, and makes the prod-uct, most likely boxes or aluminum cans. These end up in the consumer’s cupboard, to be thrown out when its

contents have been used.

Cue the 21st century versionThe camera zooms in on a confused-looking consumer holding an empty soft-drink bottle in his hand. Which bin does he toss it in? The green bin (for organic waste), the blue recycling bin, or does he simply throw it in the waste bin? “The story is just being written as we collaboratively look for next life solu-tions for discarded packaging. We don’t know the ending as the story is still in it embryonic stage, but it does herald the exciting possibilities that await us. As always, consumer education plays a huge role,” Downham emphasizes.

Already, international organizations like TerraCycle—a PAC NEXT member, which has outreaches in 14 countries, is putting a new spin on what used to be old rubbish. Its tagline is, “Get paid for trash.” A check of its website showed that its Canadian arm alone boasts 601,524 people collecting trash. TerraCycle says these trash products are being diverted from landfi ll and the incinerator, to be upcycled into com-pletely new products like backpacks,

du� e bags, even jewellery or recycled. Their products are available in stores like Walmart or Target, or online. Some proceeds from the sales of such prod-ucts go to charity. More than $32,000 has been raised for Canadian charities.

Ultimately, we are limited only by our imaginations.

HOW WE MADE IT

INSPIRATION

INDRANI NADARAJAH

[email protected]





DSN1107_12_DPS 10.8" x 10.65"



Assoc.Cr. Dir.

0" x 0"

100% of fi nal size 100% of fi nal size 0" x 0"

4C 0" x 0"

0 0

For more information visit livepositively.ca/plantbottle

MD

MD

MC

MC

MD

MD

DSN1107_12_DPS.indd 1 11-08-09 10:51 AM

PAC ■ About:

PAC is a not-for-profi t, material and package neutral association that has been a leading voice on packaging since 1950. PAC members are com-prised of industry leaders and representatives throughout the supply chain. PAC is leveraging its rich history in environmental leadership, values, processes and infl uential members to guide in-dustry through this changing era.

PROFILE

A PACKAGE’S FINAL

DESTINATION IS UP TO YOU—DON’T MISTAKE RECYCLABLES

FOR TRASH

A PACKAGE’S

2STEP



A world without packaging waste

INSPIRATION

Waste notOver one billion plastic cleaning containers go into landfi ll each year. And did you

know that the majority of household cleaners are 95 percent water and only fi ve percent cleaning solu-tion? The combination of these two facts has prompted Planet People to redesign the way we use clean-ing products with their new brand iQ.Through promoting bottle reuse, the iQ cleaning brand aims to reduce the plastic waste associated with traditional cleaners by 80 percent by packing all the non-toxic cleaning concentrate into a small, recyclable cartridge. You only need to buy one container once and then after that you buy the refi llable cartridges. The iQ range (All-Purpose Cleaner, Glass Cleaner, Bathroom Cleaner, Floor Cleaner) has already won two awards for its innovative design, Best Green Packaging at the Green Awards 2010 and most recently winning PAC’s Sustainable Packaging Com-petition Award in June this year. They were also featured on Springwise.com as “one of the top 20 business ideas and opportunities for 2011.” iQ is currently on sale in Walmart and Loblaws.





DSN1107_12_DPS 10.8" x 10.65"



Assoc.Cr. Dir.

0" x 0"

100% of fi nal size 100% of fi nal size 0" x 0"

4C 0" x 0"

0 0


MD

MD

MC

MC

MD

MD

DSN1107_12_DPS.indd 1 11-08-09 10:51 AM





10.8" x 10.65" 10.8" x 10.65"

Copy-Writer

Assoc.Cr. Dir.



0" x 0" 0" x 0"

0" x 0" 0" x 0"

0" x 0" 0" x 0"

1/2 page DPS

Mediaplanet Supplement POV


Designed to Make a Difference™

3still 100%recyclable

2up to 30% made from plants

1unique redesignedplastic bottle


Now available nationwide.


DSN1107_12_DPS.indd 2 11-08-09 10:51 AM

Tap water Refill Clean

PRODUCT SHOWCASE

1. The inaugural meeting of the founding members of PAC NEXT.2. Attendees brainstorm ideas to help transition the industry.

PHOTOS: STRANGEMORE PHOTO

*ON THE COVER: CEO JAMES D. DOWNHAM AND CHAIRMAN BOB COCKERILL.

COURTESY OF IQ

[email protected]

1

2


AN INDEPENDENT SUPPLEMENT BY MEDIAPLANET TO THE NATIONAL POST

INSIGHT

Handle with care: Packaging that protects the planet

No matter what you buy, chances are it comes with packaging: the carton that protects your eggs, the can that contains your drink or the box that holds your new pair of sneakers.

That packaging can carry a heavy environmental cost. Consider the impact of extracting and process-ing the raw materials, whether it’s petroleum for plastic and Styrofoam, aluminum for cans, or timber for pulp and paper. Next, there’s the energy consumed and the greenhouse gases released during manufacturing and transportation. Finally, there’s cost of disposal.

No surprise then, that more and more businesses are taking a hard look at how much packaging they need to protect their products—and not just for the good of the planet. As well as shrinking a company’s

What’s the NEXT step for packaging possibilities?

Tetra Pak’s products are everyday food and beverage cartons, but the 60-year old Swedish company is determined to do its part to help pro-tect the environment.

Greening business through the three “Rs”Reduce, renew, recycle – these three words underpin Tetra Pak’s mission to reduce the impact of its value chain operations on the environment. Two months ago, the company published its Mission Possible report, which out-lines an ambitious global 2020 strategy to produce a better product while con-serving the earth’s limited resources.

Driven by its company motto, “to protect what’s good”, Tetra Pak is working hard to minimise its environ-mental impact, writes Dennis Jönsson, president and CEO Tetra Pak.

Elizabeth Comere, Tetra Pak dir-ector, environment and government affairs said the company’s long-term environmental strategy is three-pronged.

The fi rst pillar is reducing the com-pany’s environmental footprint across the value chain. This spans raw materi-als suppliers to transport providers. “In 2005, we pledged to cut our absolute CO2 emissions by 10% by 2010. We

succeeded in reducing emissions by 13%, despite a 23% increase in sales,” explains Comere. “We have now decided to go further and our global 2020 goal aims to cap our carbon emissions at 2010 levels, across the value chain.”

This will require a hefty cut of 40% in CO2 emissions, especially con-sidering Tetra Pak’s global growth ambitions, she adds.

Innovation is keyThe second pillar involves the use of renewable materials in its packaging. Tetra Pak’s cartons are made mainly from paper (on average 73%), which is a renewable resource. However, “our vision is to have packaging made up of 100% renewable material,” says Comere.

This requires sustained investment in research. However, its award-win-ning Tetra Recart packages show how innovation can reap rewards. Tetra Recart is the world’s fi rst carton made mainly from paper which is suitable for products like tomatoes, soups, sauces and beans, typically packaged in steel cans or glass jars.

The lightweight square cartons are shipped fl at, so one standard truck with empty Tetra Recart cartons equals nine

trucks with empty cans -- meaning less fuel is used to transport packaging, and less trucks are clogging the highways, says Comere.

Tetra Pak is also researching the use of plant-based plastics, or green poly-mer, in its packaging, as such materials have a lower carbon footprint.

We can recycle moreFor its third pillar, recycling, Tetra Pak aims to achieve a 40% recycling rate for cartons by 2020, doubling the current global rate of 20%, as rates among countries vary.

According to offi cial statistics, the recycling rate in Canada is about 43%, but we can do better, says Comere.

At Tetra Pak’s instigation, the Carton Council of Canada, estab-lished earlier this year, aims to increase recycling in this country. The Council has been tasked with advancing sustainable recycling solutions through promoting recyc-ling technology and local collection programs to divert carton packaging from landfi lls, she explains.

“There is some critical work we need to do to achieve this goal, and the bulk of it involves educating the consumer,” says Comere.

A World of Good in Every Carton

Good is helping preserve the Earth’s resources for future generations, because cartons are made mainly from a renewable resource. Good is diverting carton packaging from land�lls, because they are recyclable.

Tetra Pak cartons protect what’s good inside and out.tetrapak.ca

ADVERTORIAL

The average recycled content of paper packaging produced by Canadian mills for use in Canada has jumped to 77 percent, according to the indus-try’s environmental council, PPEC.

“This is a very impressive result,” according to executive director John Mullinder. “The aver-age has increased by 30 percent over the last 20 years and we’re very proud of it.

“But we also have to understand that recycled content is only one part of paper’s life cycle and that the packaging material produced in Can-ada is only half of what Canadians actually use, the balance being imported as raw materials or converted boxes, bags or cartons. We have no control over the composition of imported board.”

The Canadian industry is heavily weighted to recycled content, he added, noting that of the 30 mill sites capable of producing packaging grades in 2010, almost two-thirds produced 100 percent recycled content, with the balance using a blend of recycled and virgin, or 100 per-cent virgin material.

Domestic shipments of containerboard (which is used to make corrugated boxes) averaged 82 percent recycled content. This is in large part due to increased recovery of used boxes from both industrial and residential sources, for further recycling. PPEC estimates the national industrial recycling rate for old corrugated containers (OCC) is in the mid 80 percent range. Residential recycling of old cor-

rugated was recently estimated at 75 percent for Canada, with Ontario leading the way at an amazing 92 percent recovery rate, according to Waste Diversion Ontario/Stewardship Ontario data.

The average recycled content for boxboard (your typical cereal box) is also high (at 77 per-cent), with seven of Canada’s 10 mill sites pro-ducing 100 percent recycled content product. PPEC pioneered the further recycling of this used paper material in southern Ontario back in the early 1990s. Today, at least 83 percent of Canadians can recycle it.

John MullinderExecutive Director,PPEC

COURTESY OF PPEC

[email protected]

CANADIAN PACKAGING PLANTS AIMING FOR A’S

Our nation’s packaging manufacturers are raising the grade by increasing recycled content produced in Canadian mills to 77 percent.PHOTOS: STRANGEMORE PHOTO

Mission Possible: Tetra Pak’s holistic approach to sustainability

http://paperpackaging.ca/

http://www.pac.ca/

http://www.tetrapak.com/Pages/default.aspx


Handle with care: Packaging that protects the planet

No matter what you buy, chances are it comes with packaging: the carton that protects your eggs, the can that contains your drink or the box that holds your new pair of sneakers.

That packaging can carry a heavy environmental cost. Consider the impact of extracting and process-ing the raw materials, whether it’s petroleum for plastic and Styrofoam, aluminum for cans, or timber for pulp and paper. Next, there’s the energy consumed and the greenhouse gases released during manufacturing and transportation. Finally, there’s cost of disposal.

No surprise then, that more and more businesses are taking a hard look at how much packaging they need to protect their products—and not just for the good of the planet. As well as shrinking a company’s

environmental footprint, reducing packaging can cut costs and attract eco-conscious consumers.

IKEA, for example, packs its prod-ucts fl at. This doesn’t just use less cardboard, it also means more boxes can be stacked into each truck, cut-ting transportation costs and emis-sions.

Meanwhile, Walmart aims to reduce the amount of packaging in its global supply chain by fi ve percent by 2013, an achievement that would slash CO2 emissions by 600,000 tonnes in fi ve years and save the retailing giant US$3.4 billion.

Less is more

Clearly, cutting back can have a big impact. But some companies are going further, making sure the pack-aging they use comes from more sus-tainable sources.

In some cases, such as beer bot-tles, that means reuse. In others, it involves choosing recycled or sustain-ably sourced materials such as paper stock certifi ed by the Forest Stew-ardship Council. And, sometimes, it means turning to the next generation of plant-based packaging.

A refreshing takeTake the example of The Coca-Cola Company’s PlantBottle™. Thirty per-cent of its plastic comes from plant-

based materials. Since it was launched in 2009, the PlantBottle has elimin-ated the equivalent of 30,000 tonnes of CO2. In addition, Coke was care-ful to ensure that PlantBottles could be recycled through all community recycling programs.

Still, governments, industry and the public also have a role to play. Today, most Canadians have access to a blue bin program, but only half divert everything they could. Meanwhile, not all municipalities have extensive recycling programs. Together, we need to create the mindset that tossing out that can or bottle instead of recycling it is socially unacceptable—and we need the infrastructure to support that mindset.

Ultimately, smarter packaging and cradle-to-grave packaging manage-ment benefi ts everyone. It preserves resources, cuts back emissions, reuses valuable materials and frees up land-fi ll space. Call it a gift to the planet—without the wrapping.

THE CIRCLE OF LIFEBefore widespread recycling programs and companies like ZFP, the material chain ended always in waste. Now, it can be a Cradle-to-Cradle system.ILLUSTRATION: TERRACYCLE INC.

JULIE STAUFFER

WWF-Canada

[email protected]

■ Question: What are manufacturers doing to be environmentally responsible?

■ Answer: Through new innova-tion and partnership with environ-mental initiatives, more packaging is recyclable than ever before.

FACTS

■ Smart design makes a difference: A 2006 redesign of Molson Coors’ Grolsch beer bottle reduced the weight by 13 percent. As a result, the company could fi t more bottles onto each shipping pallet, cutting the number of truckloads required, along with their emissions.

■ Smart sourcing equals big savings: It takes 95 percent less energy to make a can from recycled aluminum than from virgin metal.

■ Plants make packaging greener: From cornstarch packing peanuts to fast food containers made from soy, plant-based packaging is sprouting up everywhere. By replacing petroleum-based plastic with plant-based substitutes, busi-nesses can slash carbon emissions. Choosing plant material from eco-friendly sources, such as sustainable cane sugar plantations, increases the environmental benefi ts even further.

TerraCycle, a global leader in the collection and repur-posing of non-recyclable or hard-to-recycle waste, was looking to conduct a study on the environmental impact of their products.

They wanted to show their cur-rent suppliers and clients that their repurposed products are an environmentally-preferable solu-tion to incinerating waste, sending it to landfi ll, or buying products made from new materials.

TerraCycle turned to Zerofoot-print, an award-winning cleantech software and services company that helps businesses measure, vis-ualize, and manage their environ-mental footprint. Zerofootprint helped TerraCycle prove its prod-ucts were green by providing a clear and comprehensive analysis of the processes used by TerraCycle to repurpose waste.

Green alternativesZerofootprint has performed doz-ens of LCAs for companies look-ing to back-up the environmental benefi ts of their products. One of the most revealing studies Zero-footprint performed was for Ter-raCycle’s Drink Pouch Pencil Case, a pencil case made from used juice pouches. TerraCycle wanted to show that its production process consumed less energy than six other common pencil case manu-facturing methods.

“According to Zerofootprint’s findings, the TerraCycle Drink Pouch Pencil Case was responsible for less greenhouse gas emissions than a comparable product made from virgin materials,” said Tom Szaky, CEO of TerraCycle. “These fi ndings reconfi rmed the business value of up-cycling to our stake-holder community. It was previ-ously clear that the TerraCycle pencil case extended the useful life of the drink pouch material, but now we have more quantifi ed infor-mation. Zerofootprint helped us discover that the existence of this product could replace the need for the production of a less sustainable version.”

There’s a story behind every productTo date, TerraCycle has successfully diverted more than 2.5 billion units of waste from landfi lls and has de-signed and produced more than 1,500 products made from waste. Conducting Life Cycle Assessments is one key way to demonstrate that companies’ processes are environ-mentally preferable to traditional waste solutions. This way, busi-nesses can help communicate the value of their products to consum-ers, clients, and suppliers.

While LCAs are valuable for forward-thinking companies like TerraCycle, they can also help con-sumers understand their environ-mental impact. “Life Cycle Assess-ments bring to light the long story behind every object, from the extraction of resources to a fi nished product. They help us realize how every step has its own environ-mental impact,” says Ron Dembo, founder and CEO of Zerofootprint. “Creating this awareness is at the heart of informing consumers to make responsible choices that will reduce our collective environ-mental footprint.”

DON’T MISS!DON’T MISS!

NEWS

What’s the NEXT step for packaging possibilities?James Downham, president and CEO of PAC—The Packaging Association—an-nounced August third that the association has created PAC NEXT to help our indus-try transition towards a world without packaging waste.

“To address this pressing need, a 31-member founding organization was established on August third to formalize this North American initiative by electing co-chairs and establishing a series of objectives.” Downham stated.

The purpose of PAC NEXT is to facilitate the convergence of ideas

and identify sustainable solutions that lead to zero packaging waste. This will be achieved through transparent process and active collaboration by leading industry, government agencies and NGOs.

“We will explore all solutions to achieve economical recovery that leads to improved reduction, recycling, reuse, up-cycling, com-posting, energy-from-waste and other emerging solutions for dis-

carded packaging.” Downham con-tinued.

Following the Consumer Goods Forum model of co-chairs repre-senting retailers and consumer packaged goods manufacturers, the PAC NEXT founding mem-ber chairs are Guy McGuffin, vice president sustainable packaging, Walmart Canada and Kim Rapa-gna, manager of sustainability, Kraft Canada.

chances are it comes with

that contains your drink or the

sneakers.

That packaging can carry a heavy environmental cost. Consider the

COURTESY OF PAC

[email protected]

“We will explore all solutions to acheive economical recovery that leads to improved reduction, recycling, reuse...”James D. DownhamPresident and CEOPAC

CANADIAN PACKAGING PLANTS AIMING FOR A’S

COURTESY OF ZEROFOOTPRINT

[email protected]

The importance of life cycle assessments

FOSTER THE MINDSET THAT UNSUSTAINA-

BLE PRACTICES ARE SOCIALLY

UNACCEPTABLE

FOSTER THE

3TIP/STEPSTEP





DSN1107_Full_Page 10.8" x 21.43" 10.8" x 21.43"

Copy-Writer



Assoc.Cr. Dir.



0" x 0" 0" x 0"

100% of fi nal size 100% of fi nal size 0" x 0" 0" x 0"

4C 0" x 0" 0" x 0"

Back Page

0 0

MediaplanetSupplement POV

Grab theGreen Cap andMake a Difference

3still 100%recyclable

2up to 30% made from plants

1unique redesignedplastic bottle


Now available nationwide.


MD

MD

MC

MC

MD

MD



DSN1107_Full_Page.indd 1 11-08-09 10:48 AM


Documents

leading change August 2011 PACKAGING THE …doc.mediaplanet.com › all_projects › 8335.pdfinto the next generation of packaging sustainability. PAC is leveraging its rich history