Anne Johnson, GreenBlueEPA National Workshop on the Resource
Conservation Challenge ProgramsArlington, VA March 6, 2008
The Sustainable Packaging Coalition
Overview
• GreenBlue• Packaging • Drivers for Sustainable Packaging• The Sustainable Packaging Coalition• Definition of Sustainable Packaging• Packaging Development• Case studies
GreenBlue
A not for profit institute of scientists, engineers and designers working with professional communities to connect the vision of sustainability to implementation through effective design and information
• 501(c)(3) not for profit • Founded in 2003• 11 Employees• Charlottesville, VA
Role of Packaging
Keeps product from spoiling or being damaged…but also important to prevent accrued environmental impact of a product from being wasted
Why Packaging?
• Significant use of materials• Municipal burden• Short term nature of most packaging• Corporate citizenship and brand issue• Intimate relationship with consumers
“Posterchild for waste”` EU Minister for the Environment, 2007
The Supply Chain
© 2006
1970
Katrina/Oil price increases X X X X X XWal-Mart X X X X X XClimate Change X X X X X X
1980
1990
2000
Drivers for Sustainable Packaging
Population Growth and Demand for Resources
Global Footprint Network©2007
State for the Second Industrial Revolution
Planetary Resources
Needs ofSociety
Needs ofBusiness
Sustainable Packaging Coalition is…
• Industry working group• Inspired by cradle-to-cradle principles• Working to increase understanding of sustainability
issues related to packaging and the role of design• Developing tools and resources to facilitate more
sustainable packaging solutions and systems
A Cradle to Cradle Vision
THE MODEL THE VISION
Definition of Sustainable Packaging
Benefits Communities
Renewable Energy
Cost and Performance
Responsible Sourcing
Clean Production
Material Health
Optimizing Materials & Energy
Resource Recovery
Activities and Projects of the Coalition
• Meetings• Open Forum Calls• Definition• Design Guidelines• Design tool• Essentials of
Sustainable Packaging Course
• Metrics Project • Environmental
Technical Briefs
Design is a Critical Point of Consideration
• Possible to “design out” negative consequences and “design in” sustainability-based features
• Consider sustainable design criteria early in the packaging product development when it is most cost effective
• Design for Environment (DfE) resources
Sustainability and Product Development
Common Knowledge
Base
Pro
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Res
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Dev
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Mar
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Pac
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AlignmentSustainable
Package Development
Implement
Corporate Values,
Priorities, Goals
Direction
Sustainability Requires Both Efficiency and Optimization Strategies
ECO-EFFICIENCY• Less material• Minimizing toxics• Energy efficiency• Reduce pollution
SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING
OPTIMIZATION• Beneficial recovery• Safer materials• Responsibly sourced• Renewable energy• Clean production
Raising Awareness and Driving Business
• SmartCycle™label is an effort to educate consumers and raise awareness
Creating Markets and Design for Recycling
• Using recycled materials and redesigned for recycling
• Post-Consumer Recycled Material 45% to 80%
• 150 tons virgin material saved
• $1mm saved
Enhancing Post-Use Recovery Options through Compatibility of Materials - Ecotainer ™
• Partnership between International Paper and Green Mountain Coffee Roasters
• Uses renewable resource: corn-based plastic
• Certified compostable• Grown and harvested
according to Sustainable Forestry Initiative guidelines
• Cost-neutral alternative to PVC blisterpack
• Passed vibration and drop tests
• Stronger on the compression test
• Fiber is 50% and PET blister is 100% PCR
• Fiber and PET are recyclable
Creating Recyclable Alternatives
Saving Material - Salad Dressing Bottle Redesign
• Reduced PET by 15%
• Enhanced Pourability
Packaging Trends
• Industry is engaged and taking action• Climate change and increasing petroleum prices driving
“lightweighting” as the dominant design for environment strategy– saves money and resources– life cycle analysis – increasing use of flexible packaging– not economic to collect, low recycled value
• Leglslation and carbon taxes can drive conflicting agendas• China (materials and legislation)• New materials
Thank You!
For more information on the SPC , please see www.sustainablepackaging.org