PKG serves as featured speaker at VCF's VisionSync conference in Tampa, Florida.
Green Packaging Strategies: Sustaining Savings
Greener Package Unveils Industry-first Anti-greenwash Guidelines
Chicago, IL August 12, 2009 - In the wake of Walmart's recent decision to begin development of a sustainability index for suppliers, Greener Package™, Environmental Packaging International (EPI), and Packaging Knowledge Group LLC (PKG) announce a collaborative effort to make it easier for retailers, consumer packaged goods companies, and packaging converters to evaluate sustainability claims made by packaging suppliers. The GreenerPackage.com database will offer optional third-party review for suppliers that list their product information in the database. Reviews will be initiated by the supplier and will be administered by EPI, specialists in global environment packaging and product stewardship requirements, and PKG, a full service packaging consultancy. EPI and PKG are currently the only authorized third-party reviewers for GreenerPackage.com. The Greener Package database offers consumer packaged goods companies a way to research and compare sustainable packaging materials, containers and suppliers.
The Packaging Knowledge Group will be offering Wal-Mart Sustainable Packaging Scorecard Training on August 25 in New York, September 15 in San Francisco, October 27 in Long Beach and November 10 in Bentonville. Click on the following link for more information: www.8thandwalton.com
Invest in the future workforce
Source: www.foodandbeveragepackaging.com
Degradability versus recyclability
Does degradability rightfully belong in the "sustainability" category? Sustainability can be defined as using our finite resources in a manner that insures their availability for future generations. Some would say that including degradable additives in polymeric packaging materials is a sustainability enhancement. However, others would counsel caution. For instance, the National Assocaition for PET Container Resources (NAPCOR) is suggesting that CPG companies contemplating the inclusion of degradable additives to PET packaging materials answer four basic questions before doing so. These questons are: first, does the additive really work; second, what effect does the additive have on post consumer recycling of the PET material; third, does the additive affect the reuse of the PET material; and fourth, does the additive affect the service life of the PET material. It seems to me that any packaging engineer worth his or her salt would want to obtain the data to answer these questions as an integral part of a sustainable packaging development project. One operating principle has stood me in good stead for the entirety of my 39 year packaging career - that is, "one test is worth a thousand expert opinions". Don't make decisions without knowledge and don't guess. Spend the time to test and to develop the data that will place your decision making process on a sound scientific footing.
And while you're at it, let us know your thoughts on the title question: Does degradability rightfully belong in the "sustainability" category? If sustainability involves conserving, recovering and/or reusing resources, do degradable additives belong in this category? Degradable additives enable the degradation of polymers. In this light, the polymer itself is lost and the energy consumed to manufacture that polymer and the packaging material are also lost. Are reuse, recycling or energy recovery better paths to sustainability than degradability? What do you think? Send your comments to info@packagingknowledgegroup.com.
Material Handling Engineering
Continental Structural Plastics
